Chesterfield FC Community Trust closing in on Spireites takeover deal

Chesterfield FC Community Trust is closing in on completing a takeover deal for the Spireites.
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It was announced this morning that Dave Allen, the majority shareholder, has “entered into a period of exclusivity” with the Trust and both parties hope a deal will be completed by mid-February.

The Trust, which is a registered charity, works alongside the club but they are two separate entities.

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Owner of Chesterfield FC, Dave Allen.Owner of Chesterfield FC, Dave Allen.
Owner of Chesterfield FC, Dave Allen.

A club statement read: “The majority shareholder of the club has entered into a period of exclusivity with Chesterfield FC Community Trust (CFC Trust) to enable CFC Trust to carry out due diligence with a view to completing the acquisition of the majority shareholder’s interest in the club on the basis of an agreed set of heads of terms.

“The agreement will, if completed, see the Trust take control of Chesterfield FC with a shareholding of 84% and the current majority shareholder Dave Allen will cease to have any ongoing involvement with the club.”

Allen, 77, who first invested in the club in 2009 and became chairman in 2012 before resigning in 2016, put the Spireites up for sale in February 2017 when they were in League One.

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He said: "I am delighted that a deal has been agreed in principle with the Trust.

"A number of parties have expressed interest in purchasing the majority shareholding but the Trust has been the only one to progress to this position.

"My preference has always been to hand over the running of the club to local people so it is pleasing that we have been able to reach an agreement in outline with the Trust which if completed will enable this to be the case."

While Mike Goodwin, chairman of Chesterfield FC Community Trust, said: "I would like to first of all thank Ashley Carson (Chesterfield FC company secretary) for his help and co-operation, enabling us to reach this position.

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"Our aim if we successfully conclude the agreement is to make the club very much a community organisation, building on the work being done by the Trust to help the people of Chesterfield and North-East Derbyshire.

"We urge fans to support the Trust's efforts to stabilise the club and get behind the team at this crucial period in the season."

The Trust, which was formed in 2009, provides a number of projects for individuals and groups related to sport and physical activity, education and skills, health and wellbeing and heritage among others across Chesterfield, North East Derbyshire, Bolsover and parts of Derbyshire Dales.

The Spireites are currently third bottom of the National League and are three points from safety.