Spireites: Morgs has sympathy for Blades boss

Chesterfield’s assistant manager spent a dozen years at Bramall Lane, and knows the expectation that rests on Adkins and his players.

Ahead of the Spireites’ clash with Sheffield United at the Proact, Morgan explained why Adkins’ job isn’t an easy one.

“The big word is expectancy,” he said.

“Nigel’s not daft, he’s an experienced man, he’ll know the expectancy, particularly while the team is in League One.

“And as all the other managers have found, it’s not easy preparing a team at Bramall Lane.

“We’re talking about 10,000 being here on Saturday and the expectancy of our supporters, at Bramall Lane when they’ve got 20,000, especially when things are in transition, it’s difficult.

“It’s not easy to get out of this division.”

According to Morgan the key for the Blades will be to construct a group of players who can deal with the pressure that comes from a fanbase desperate to go up.

But he’s not downplaying the quality of the current side, one he coached before leaving for the Proact in December.

“I think there was a group of players there who had been in the play-offs the season before,” he said.

“Nigel came in, he strengthened, brought Sharpie back who has proven to be a talisman, Conor Sammon, Martyn Woolford, David Edgar, Alex Baptiste, Dean Hammond, he’s brought quality players in there.

“There’s been a lot of signings made, from a league above, obviously they’re going to bring quality. We know that we’ll have to be at our best to beat them.”

Standing in the Chesterfield technical area looking across at his former colleagues and friends, Saturday afternoon might prove a strange feeling for Morgan.

The man who was a defender, captain, coach and caretaker manager at Bramall Lane will be giving his all in the same manner, this time for the team in blue.

“Will it feel strange? It probably will do, after 12 and a half years.

“It has been strange, but now I’m Chesterfield Football Club’s assistant manager. I’ll be doing everything to get our club three points, that’s what we need.

“Throughout the 90 minutes whether you’re a player or coach, you go back to old clubs and do whatever is right professionally to get three points.

“After the game you can shake hands, share a joke, probably share a beer in the coaches room after but when the first whistle blows until the final whistle it’s about concentrating on getting what’s right for their football club.”