The Spireites get their National League campaign underway on Saturday (21st) when they travel down to the EBB Stadium to face Aldershot Town. James Rowe will be looking to kick-start the season with a win against his former club, where he spent several years as the assistant manager.
Here’s all you need to know…
Date: Saturday, August 21, 2021
Kick-off: 3pm
Competition: National League
Opponents: Aldershot Town
Please note that NO tickets will be sold on the turnstiles for this fixture. The concourse will open to all supporters from 1:30pm. Tickets are not available to purchase on the day.
This match is segregated.
Live radio commentary
Our brand-new radio station, 1866 Sport, will launch on Saturday. Supporters will be able to listen to full match commentary on the game, as well as pre-match/post-match analysis.
You can download the app from the Apple Store here: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/1866-sport/id1580041321
If you’re an Android user, you can download the app here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.radio.ma57501030
Alternatively, you can listen online here: https://streaming.radio.co/s47db4a4f3/listen
Commentary is provided by Phil Tooley and is sponsored by iDeal Flooring. Check out their website here: https://www.chesterfieldcarpets.com.
Social media
Our official Twitter page – https://twitter.com/ChesterfieldFC – will provide regular updates on the match, it is also the place to find our new and exclusive matchday graphics ahead of the 2021/22 season. Including our highly anticipated goal GIFs, which could be used for the first time on Saturday.
Key news will also be posted on our Facebook page, which can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/ChesterfieldFC.
Our official Instagram page will keep you posted with key moments and content throughout the day on our stories: https://www.instagram.com/chesterfieldfc/?hl=en.
The post-match interview with manager James Rowe will be heard first on 1866 Sport and posted to our YouTube Channel soon after the game is finished: https://youtube.com/user/OfficialChesterfield.
James Rowe will have plenty of options for Saturday’s opening fixture but will have to narrow that down to a starting XI and just five substitutions.
The Spireites are in good shape for the fixture, with plenty of attacking options to choose from, including new signing Kabongo Tshimanga, who could make his first appearance for the club on Saturday.
New signing Melvin Minter will also provide as good competition for Scott Loach between the sticks, as both players will be looking to get some minutes under their belt on the opening day. Jim Kellerman, who signed alongside Minter after a successful period on trial with the club, has been loaned out to Tamworth, so won’t feature for the Spireites on Saturday.
Laurence Maguire could also feature after a rocky couple of weeks with a head injury, which looks to have passed.
Liam Mandeville made an impact in the squad’s final pre-season fixture against Grimsby Town, by scoring a brace. He certainly showed his worth to the team ahead of the opening fixture and will provide the manager with a selection headache.
Tom Denton will not feature in the fixture, after undergoing knee surgery in the week. While the Spireites will also be without Haydn Hollis and Akwasi Asante, who are still on their way back from long-term injuries.
Fact file
Name: Aldershot Town
Nicknames: The Shots
Founded: 1992
Stadium: The EBB Stadium
Address: The EBB Stadium, High Street, Aldershot, GU11 1TW, England
Capacity: 7,100
Manager: Danny Searle
On Aldershot
Aldershot also get their campaign underway on Saturday, under manager Danny Searle. They will be looking for a good start to the new campaign after just missing out on the play-offs last season. Aldershot spent six years in the Football League before being relegated back down to step five in 2013, where they have been ever since. Since falling back into the National League they have mounted three play-off campaigns, none of which have been successful in their end goal of returning to the Football League. Aldershot Town were due to be relegated as 21st-place finishers in the 2018/19 National League season but were reprieved from relegation as Gateshead were administratively relegated.
Last season Aldershot finished in eighth place, not too far behind the Spireites who finished in fifth. Their top goal-scorer last season was Harry Panayiotou, who is still with the club ahead of the new season and could start against the Blues on Saturday.
One to watch
Aldershot signed former Fulham midfielder Jayden Harrison in the summer on a two-year contract. The 21-year-old midfielder played 19 times and gained five assists in the Premier League 2 last season and could be one to watch as he makes his first competitive appearance for the club.
The Spireites’ last five:
Won – Chesterfield 3-1 Matlock – Friendly
Won – Chesterfield 1-0 Bradford City – Friendly
Lost – Chesterfield 0-1 Port Vale – Friendly
Won – Chesterfield 3-1 Tamworth – Friendly
Won – Chesterfield 2-1 Grimsby – Friendly
The Shots’ last five:
Won – Aldershot 2-1 Badshot Lea – Friendly
Won – Aldershot 7-5 Farnborough – Friendly
Won – Sutton United 1-2 Aldershot – Friendly
Drew – Haringey Borough 0-0 Aldershot – Friendly
Won – Slough Town 1-2 Aldershot – Friendly
Back in March 2021, Chesterfield were victorious as Alex Whittle scored the game’s only goal after his first-half volley found the bottom corner. Although Aldershot pushed for an equaliser it didn’t come, which pushed the Spireites up to tenth in the National League table.
The game was seen as a six-pointer from the outside, as both sides were pushing for the play-off places as the season was beginning to end.
Last time out, manager James Rowe said: “It will be nice to go back to a place that means a lot to me personally, I had a good time down there, but I’m going to win with Chesterfield, don’t worry about that.”
Chesterfield FC and Aldershot Town have faced each other 14 times since the latter’s reformation in 1992.
The Spireites have won seven times, with the Shots winning just twice. Five games have finished all-square.
