Gregor Robertson believes new ownership will allow Chesterfield to "look up again"

Former Chesterfield player Gregor Robertson believes the Spireites will be able to “look up again” once the ownership of the club changes.
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The 36-year-old spent five years at Town between 2007 and 2012 and made more than 100 appearances for the club.

The ex-defender was part of the squad that won the League Two title in 2011.

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Chesterfield FC Community Trust has been working on a deal to buy the club from Dave Allen for several months.

Jack Lester, Gregor Robertson and Tommy Lee celebrating promotion in 2011.Jack Lester, Gregor Robertson and Tommy Lee celebrating promotion in 2011.
Jack Lester, Gregor Robertson and Tommy Lee celebrating promotion in 2011.

“He (Mr Allen) has wanted to sell the club for several years now and for one reason or another he has not been able to,” Robertson said. “I do not think his heart is in it. I think that pervades through the rest of the football club. The sooner that changes, the sooner Chesterfield begin to be able to look up again.”

On footballing matters, Robertson, who now writes for The Times, admitted he would be “scared” if he was one of the reported 1,400 players out of contract this summer.

The former Nottingham Forest man said: “I think it’s going to be the toughest summer that there has ever been for players out of contract, particularly in the lower leagues. Simply because there’s no start date for next season yet and there is a very real question mark about how football can start in the lower leagues without fans in the stadium.

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“Secondly, there is talk of wage caps in the lower leagues and a cap on size of squads. I think football is looking at a seriously contracted financial picture.”

Robertson in action for the Spireites against Sheffield Wednesday.Robertson in action for the Spireites against Sheffield Wednesday.
Robertson in action for the Spireites against Sheffield Wednesday.

The Premier League will resume this week with matches played behind closed doors and although Robertson was not keen on the idea at first he has now changed his mind believing it is in everyone’s best interests to finish the season.

“At first I was dead against it because anyone who has watched the Bundesliga since it has come back knows that football does not feel as important without any fans there,” he said. “It is not the same spectacle and does not create the same emotions.”

The Scot suffered two serious injuries while at Chesterfield and he eventually hung up his boots in 2016.

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His final game came at Wembley in the National League play-off final in Grimsby Town’s win against Forest Green.

Robertson made more than 100 appearances for Town.Robertson made more than 100 appearances for Town.
Robertson made more than 100 appearances for Town.

He explained: “I had offers, but they weren’t great offers. I had offers in the National League and I could have continued playing but after those two major injuries I struggled to string more than 15 competitive games together and it became quite wearing.

“When I suffered those injuries it kind of made me realise that football could end at any moment and I needed to start to prepare. I’d studied sports journalism at university part-time with the help of the PFA (Professional Footballers Association) , a few doors had begun to open in that field and I thought I’d take the plunge.

“I just found I enjoyed it and that I could do it. I got a sense of accomplishment when I’d craft a piece of writing and I enjoyed that so when I finished playing football I was pretty sure that was what I wanted to go into but I was also under no illusion that it was a very hard industry to break into and I had luck along the way with that.”

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Looking back on his Spireites career, Robertson added: “Winning the League Two title was one of the fondest memories of my career.

“The first two seasons we had a really good squad. A young group of lads all trying to make their way in the game and a really good team spirit. We should have got into the play-offs but fell short both times.

“When John Sheridan arrived he lifted the ambition levels and the new stadium was on the horizon.

“I suffered two serious injuries so that tarnished my time at the club but at the same time they supported me on the way back from a broken leg and a ruptured achilles. The club stood by me and supported me so I will always be grateful for that.”