A closer look at Chesterfield ahead of clash with Southend United

It's been some start to the season for Chesterfield. What have been the reasons for the success so far?

"I don’t think the season could have started any better.

"Five points clear, a game in hand, one loss in all competitions and a memorable win over Portsmouth have made it such an enjoyable time for every Spireite.

"In terms of the reasons why, I reckon I could be here all day trying to list them.

"I think at its core, it goes down to something that didn’t even happen this season but something that happened on August 6, 2020.

"That was the day the community trust took over the club and not only have we been on an upwards trajectory since but I hope it can give all Southend United fans hope that it can and it will get better.

"Since then we’ve had our club back under good hands and the decisions made have complimented that, none more-so than the return of Paul Cook for a second spell at the club.

"His excellent leadership and man-management combined with tremendous recruitment and squad depth I think has possibly been the key so far."

How confident are you of keeping the title push going?

"I think myself and I can imagine plenty of Spireites are just trying to stay as grounded as we can because it could be very easy to see our dismantling of Barnet and say that no one can get close if they’re our closest challengers.

"But we all know what league we’re in and how quickly things can change.

"Just two years ago we were flying high at the top of the league and visiting Stamford Bridge yet at the end of it all it was another play-off defeat.

"That being said, I think this season is our biggest chance of any we’ll ever get.

"You could maybe pinpoint the non-promotion in the last two years to how absurdly good Wrexham and Notts County were last year and the season before, it can be put down to relying on Kabongo Tshimanga.

"This year however, with all respect to the other teams in the National League, nobody is on the level of those two teams and from our own perspective, goals and even assists are being shared around the whole team.

"In my opinion, it would take several turns of bad luck to derail what seems like it will be a magical season."

You've come close to promotion before. What gives most hope this team will get up?

"I’ve touched on it already, but the squad depth we have is why I think this is our best chance yet to get out this league.

"Fourteen wins and a draw in our last 15 yet very rarely have we seen an unchanged line-up between any of them.

"Some matches even saw up to five or six changes yet even with these changes, we never once looked worse off or weaker.

"In the attacking midfield alone we have Colclough and Dobra starting right now, two nightmare wingers to defend against with them being either side of the National League’s Player of the Month for October, Ollie Banks.

"This leaves players with quality such as Michael Jacobs and James Berry only on the bench through no fault of their own and this even shoehorns Liam Mandeville into right back.

"These headaches continue throughout the team too whether it be having two in-form strikers in the form of Will Grigg and Joel Quigley or having two number ones in Harry Tyrer and Ryan Boot.

"You can’t help but feel in the last few years injuries have derailed us, and as much as we don’t want any this season, you wouldn’t feel they’d weaken us at all."

Who is the dangerman?

"Another question I could spend from now to kick off answering, I don’t feel like there’s a straight forward answer for this.

"I’ve already mentioned how Ollie Banks won the division’s most recent Player of the Month award, I can’t not mention Will Grigg, our top scorer but who does so much more.

"A very underrated and potentially overlooked part of our team by opposition fans is our duo at the base of our midfield.

"Everyone knows Tom Naylor’s quality but even with that knowledge, watching him play is truly a joy and now he’s adding plenty of goals and even assists to his game.

"But perhaps more overlooked is his partner, Mike Jones.

"He does the dirty work and is consistently 8/10 at least.

"I don’t think I need to mention Mandeville, Dobra, Colclough.

"Such brilliant, creative, technical players who are a nightmare to defend.

"If I had to pick one, and believe me it’s not been easy, I’d had to go with Mandeville for just his all round play.

"He’s really adapted to the right back role, dealing with tricking wingers as well as getting forward and helping the attacks but the same could go for any of the starting line-up and subs."

What's the team news?

"As far as I’m aware, everybody besides Tyrone Williams is available for the game.

"Williams went off with a groin injury in the last few minutes of our win at Kidderminster.

"Joe Quigley returned from a month out with a goal against Barnet at the weekend and it seemed like he came through unscathed."