Chesterfield have high hopes of achieving more success in the Cup under the leadership of Cook and the dominant “King of North Sea”.

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The FA Cup’s past reputation for elevating small-town soccer players to national recognition was highlighted in a recent social media throwback. A clip from a 1997 episode of the BBC show They Think It’s All Over resurfaced, featuring Rory McGrath and Gary Lineker blindfolded and feeling the bumps of Sean Dyche and other members of the Chesterfield team, who had made it to the semi-finals that season. The players, along with their manager John Duncan, were modestly acknowledged with applause.

The story of the Chesterfield team is well-known. Their young forward, Kevin Davies, scored three goals against his future team, Bolton, in the fourth round. The semi-final match at Old Trafford against Middlesbrough was a classic, with a 3-3 score. One memorable moment was when Dyche took a penalty in the expected manner. Another controversial moment was when Jonathan Howard’s shot hit the crossbar and clearly crossed the Boro line, which would have given Chesterfield a 3-1 lead, but it was ruled out. The referee, David Elleray, became infamous for this decision.

After being defeated in the replay, Chesterfield, a club located near the Peak District and South Yorkshire, has experienced ups and downs, similar to many other provincial clubs. Their historic home ground, Saltergate, has been turned into a housing development and their new stadium, SMH Group Stadium with a capacity of 10,504, has become a stronghold for the team. Despite being unbeaten at home in the National League, they face a tough challenge in the FA Cup third-round against Championship team Watford. Their manager, Paul Cook, has promised to approach the game with an attacking mindset, just like his team has done all season. On New Year’s Day, they displayed their resilience by making a two-goal comeback to defeat Solihull 3-2.

“I am confident that we can compete against any team in our division and be successful,” said Cook in a post-game interview. Cook, a popular coach from Liverpool who has previously managed teams like Portsmouth, Wigan, and Ipswich, is currently in his second stint as the coach of Chesterfield. He has brought the same level of energy and drive that he had during his first tenure from 2012 to 2015, where his team finished at the top of League Two but narrowly missed out on promotion in the League One playoffs the following season. In his absence, amidst significant changes within the board, the club was relegated from the Football League in the summer of 2018, ending their 97-year membership.

The establishment of the Chesterfield FC Community Trust in 2020 prevented additional declines, with local entrepreneurs Phil and Ashley Kirk contributing an initial investment of £1 million to aid the club’s revival. They continue to offer financial support.

In the previous season of the National League, Wrexham’s Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney were in competition with Notts County’s Danish sports betting tycoons Alexander and Christoffer Reedtz. This season, the focus is on Phil Kirk, who was once labeled as “the new King of the North Sea” due to his successful career in the oil industry and recognition from the Financial Times in 2019. Despite facing a 5-1 defeat against Chelsea in the 2022 FA Cup third-round and losing last season’s National League playoff final to County, there is still hope for the club’s return to the EFL and upward journey. The current FA Cup run has been impressive, with victories over League One teams like Leyton Orient and Portsmouth, leading them to the third round.

Danny Webb is Cook’s assistant, and as son of David Webb, whose bundling header decided the FA Cup Final replay of 1970 for Chelsea, the competition is in the blood. A southerner by birth and breeding, he speaks of the excitement that league and Cup have brought to the adopted home he speaks of with warmth. “I’ve never seen a place with so many pubs and parks; if you like a walk and a beer, this is the place to be,” he says.

“It’s a special location. Whenever my dad addresses the spectators in the stands, he refers to it as such. It’s a town that is solely dedicated to one football club, and you won’t find children wearing Manchester United or Liverpool jerseys here. Instead, they proudly sport Chesterfield shirts or bobble hats during the winter season. The town takes great pride in its support for the team.”

Cook utilized his connections to acquire three players who have experience playing in the Championship: Tom Naylor, Michael Jacobs, and Will Grigg. Grigg, who was once known for his impressive goal-scoring abilities, scored 13 goals for Chesterfield in the National League, contributing to their total of 61 goals in 25 matches. Cook and Webb have repeatedly expressed their admiration for the professionalism of these players, despite their transition into lower divisions in non-league. Webb emphasizes the importance of not only signing talented players, but also those with good attitudes. These new players have only added to the already positive atmosphere at the club.

There will be approximately 3,600 supporters of the Spireites at Watford, and the club could have potentially sold 5,000 tickets priced at £10 each. Watford, who are currently in the Championship playoff hunt, are expected to field a rotated team. Manager Cook and defender Webb are aiming to have a full-strength squad, but they are not getting their hopes up for a potential upset against their Premier League opponents. Webb acknowledges the challenge, stating that Watford has players and salaries typically seen in the Premier League. If they perform well, it could be a difficult match for the Spireites.

Promotion remains the key priority but Saturday serves as an echo of that 1997 team, from whom Davies is still an occasional visitor to his former club. That group got together in 2022 for a 25-year-anniversary, able to say their farewells to Duncan, who died in October that year.

If they are victorious at Vicarage Road, the Chesterfield team of 2024 may not capture the hearts of the nation in a similar manner, but the club is making progress towards a comeback.

Source: theguardian.com