We continue to look at this seasons Sky Bet League 1 opponents
Chesterfield managed to secure a play-off spot in the third tier of English football for the first time in their history last season. However the Spireites were defeated by Preston in the semi-final by a 4-0 aggregate.Name: Chesterfield Football Club
Nickname: The Spireites
Stadium: Proact Stadium
Founded: 1867
Last season:
Chesterfield managed to cling onto the last play-off berth despite being beaten on the final day by champions Bristol City. The Derbyshire club finished with 69 points. They had the 5th highest goals scored tally in the division with 68 goals, also conceding 55 leaving them with a +13 goal difference.
The club’s top scorer was Sam Clucas who netted nine goals in the league and three in the FA cup.
The Gaffer:
The man in charge is former striker Dean Saunders. He is the fourth highest capped player for Wales, representing his country on 75 occasions and scoring 22 goals between 1986-2001. Saunders played for a host of prestigious clubs at home and abroad including Liverpool, Galatasaray and Benfica.
The 50 year old’s first job in management came at Wrexham in 2011. Since then he has managed Doncaster and Wolves in the championship. Saunders was appointed in May 2015 so this will be his first season at Chesterfield.
Stadium:
The Proact stadium was opened in 2010 with a construction cost of £13 million. It has a capacity of 10,504.
Past Meetings:
Shrewsbury last encountered the Spireites in the 2010/11 season in League 2. Chesterfield won a thrilling encounter 4-3 at the Proact Stadium in October 2010. The reverse leg ended in a goalless draw at the Greenhous Meadow in January 2011.