Chesterfield F.C.
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| Full name | Chesterfield Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Spireites | ||
| Founded | 19 October 1867 | ||
| Ground | Saltergate Chesterfield (Capacity: 8,504) |
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| Chairman |  Barrie Hubbard |
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| Manager |  John Sheridan |
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| League | League Two | ||
| 2008–09 | League Two, 10th | ||
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Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football. Despite being the 4th oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower divisions of the English league and have never played in the top flight. The club enjoy a fierce local rivalry with near neighbours Mansfield Town, as well as other rivalries with Notts County, Derby County, Nottingham Forest, Rotherham United, Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United, Grimsby Town and Doncaster Rovers.
Chesterfield's most notable successes came in the 1990s, when they won the Division Three playoff final at Wembley in 1995 and reached the FA Cup semi-finals two years later. They were the first club from outside the top two divisions to reach this stage of the competition since 1984 (Plymouth Argyle). Wycombe Wanderers repeated the feat in 2001.
Chesterfield play their home games at Saltergate. It has a capacity of 8,504, and is one of the oldest football grounds still in use today. However, the club is planning to build a new ground adjacent to the A61 on the outskirts of the town, on a redeveloped site formerly occupied by the Dema Glass factory. It is expected to be a £13m 10,500 all-seater stadium. Formal planning permission has now been confirmed, the club anticipate the ground will be ready for the 2010-11 season.[1]
John Sheridan is the current manager having been given a three year contract in June 2009, his assistant is Tommy Wright.
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[edit] Overview
The fourth oldest club in The Football League (after Notts County F.C, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday, although some claim that Stoke City are the second oldest). Although there are claims that Chesterfield was founded in 1866. The first official document was a notice in a local paper placed by members of Chesterfield Cricket Club, which was dated 19 October 1867. They were first admitted to The Football League in 1899, when they were elected to the Second Division.
The present Chesterfield FC was formed as Chesterfield Municipal in April 1919.
Chesterfield has spent most of their history in the lower divisions, and have never played in the English top flight. The team's most notable achievement of recent years occurred in 1997. After beating Bury, Scarborough, Bristol City, Bolton Wanderers, Nottingham Forest (who were then in the Premiership) and Wrexham, they found themselves in the semi-final of the FA Cup, losing to Middlesbrough in a replay following a 3-3 draw at Old Trafford. The first match should have however been a win for Chesterfield, after referee David Elleray missed the ball crossing the Middlesbrough goal line when the score was 2-1 to The Spireites, when TV replays showed that it clearly did. The mistake is often remembered as one of the biggest refereeing decisions in the history of the competition.
In January 2007 Chesterfield Football Supporters Society, the fan owned parent company, distributed the majority of its shares to members. This allowed the Club to issue shares to raise the funding for a move to a new stadium. Planning permission for a new stadium on Whittington Moor was granted in July 2008[2] and the land was signed over in February 2009.[3] Work on the £13m stadium is expected to start in May 2009. The shortfall on the funding is to be made up by the issue of approximately 4m shares to a new investor.[1] In June 2009 it was confirmed that Dave Allen the former Chairman of Sheffield Wednesday was the new majority shareholder.[4]
[edit] History
- 1896-97 - Joined Midland League
- 1899-00 - Joined Football League Division Two
- 1909 - Failed to be re-elected to the Football League
- 1909-10 - Rejoined Midland League; Midland League Champions
- 1912-13 - Midland League runner-up
- 1919-20 - Midland League Champions (2nd time)
- 1921-22 - Founder member of Football League Division Three North
- 1930-31 - Football League Division Three North Champions; Promoted to Division Two
- 1933 - Relegated to Division Three North
- 1935-36 - Football League Division Three North; Promoted to Division Two
- 1939-40 - Football League programme abandoned due to outbreak of war
- 1951 - Relegated to Division Three North
- 1958-59 - Placed in Division Three upon re-organisation
- 1961 - Relegated to Division Four
- 1969-70 - Football League Division Four Champions; Promoted to Division Three
- 1980-1 - Anglo-Scottish Cup Winners
- 1983 - Relegated to Division Four
- 1984-85 - Football League Division Four Champions; Promoted to Division Three
- 1989 - Relegated to Division Four
- 1989-90 - Qualified for play-offs on goal difference, but not promoted
- 1992-93 - Division Four re-designated Division Three on formation of F.A. Premiership
- 1994-95 - Promoted to Division Two after play-offs
- 1996-97 - FA Cup Semi-Finalists
- 2000 - Relegated to Division Three
- 2000-01 - Nine points deducted for financial irregularities, denying them runner-up spot. Promoted to Division Two in third place.
- 2004-05 - Football League Division Two renamed "League One"
- 2007 - Relegated to Football League Two
- Best League position: 4th in Division 2 (level 2), 1946-47
- Best FA Cup performance: Semi-final replay, 1996-97
- Best Football League Cup performance: 4th round, 1964-65, 2006-07
- Best Football League Trophy performance: (regional semi-final)
Source: Chesterfield at the Football Club History Database
[edit] Honours
- Third Division (North) Champions: 1930/31, 1935/36
- Fourth Division Champions (Currently known as Football League Two): 1969/70, 1984/85
- Anglo-Scottish Cup Champions: 1980/81.
[edit] Player records
- Most League Appearances: 617 Dave Blakey (1948-1967)
- Most League Goals: 162 Ernie Moss (1968-1974)
- Youngest Player: 16 Years 159 Days Dennis Thompson
- Oldest Player: 40 Years 232 Days Billy Kidd
- A Player to score over 20 goals in two consecutive seasons: Jack Lester - (2007/08-2008/09)
[edit] Club records
- Best League position: 4th in Division 2 (level 2), 1946-47
- Best FA Cup performance: Semi-final replay, 1996-97
- Highest Attendance: 30,968 Newcastle United Division Two, 7 April 1939
[edit] Managers
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[edit] Current squad
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[edit] Notes
- ^ a b "Chairman's AGM New Stadium Statement". Chesterfield Football Club. 2009-01-22. http://www.chesterfield-fc.co.uk/page/ClubAnnouncements/0,,10435~1529604,00.html. Retrieved on 2009-01-22.
- ^ "Stadium and store application granted". Yorkshire Post. 2008-07-16. http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/localnews/Stadium-and-store-application-granted.4261764.jp. Retrieved on 2008-07-16.
- ^ "Stadium boost for Spireites". Chesterfield Football Club. 2009-02-19. http://www.chesterfield-fc.co.uk/page/NewStadium/0,,10435~1562140,00.html. Retrieved on 2009-02-21.
- ^ "Where is Dave Allen heading next?". Star. 2009-01-14. http://www.thestar.co.uk/sportheadlines/Where-is-Dave-Allen-heading.4875095.jp.
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Unofficial club site - Spirezine
- Article regarding the club's formation, from the official website
- Article on the club's history, from the official website
