Title winning Spireite on what he expects from his pal Lester in Proact dugout

One of Jack Lester's fellow 2010/11 title winning Spireites expects the new Town boss to create a side very much in his image.
FP89913  CFC players Jack Lester, Gregor Robertson, Tommy Lee with the champions trophy.FP89913  CFC players Jack Lester, Gregor Robertson, Tommy Lee with the champions trophy.
FP89913 CFC players Jack Lester, Gregor Robertson, Tommy Lee with the champions trophy.

Gregor Robertson played with Lester at both Forest and Chesterfield and was in the press box to see the new Town gaffer make his senior managerial debut on Saturday.

The Scot, now retired and working a freelance journalist working for The Times and ESPN, is not surprised to see his friend in the Proact dugout.

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“As soon as I saw it come up, in fact the last two times it’s come up, I thought you never know,” he said.

“I know the longer he’s been a coach, the more experience he’s got, he was getting towards the time when he thought he was going to get into men’s football. I always had a feeling this day would come.”

Both Robertson and Lester were part of Chesterfield squads that won a League Two title and a Football League Trophy.

They might have hoped that Lester’s return to take charge of their former club would be in happier circumstances.

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“It’s probably not the ideal scenario,” said Robertson addressing the perilous situation the Spireites find themselves in at the very outset of Lester’s reign.

“But what is these days when you’re getting your first opportunity in professional football?

“Very rarely do you come into a team near the right end of the league with everything rosy.

“I think he’ll just see it as an opporunity that has come at the right time.”

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Robertson predicts that Lester’s team will eventually start to imitate the way their boss played the game.

And his description of Jack ‘the lad’ could well be an insight into Jack the manager.

“I think he’ll reflect the way he was as a player,” said Robertson.

“The first thing you’d say about Jack was that he always gave 100 per cent, he worked very hard, he was quite intense on the pitch, he had a little streak of devilment which I probably think he would like to see in his team.

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“I think he’ll look to get that sort of intensity from his teams, that will be the first thing he looks for.”

Robertson has faith in Lester’s ability to make it in management and while he doesn’t shy away from the sheer size of the mountain facing the club legend, hopes his old team-mate can turn Town around.

“It’s not an easy task he has, but I’ve got every confidence he’ll be a success in management.

“Hopefully he can be a success for Chesterfield as well.”