Ahead of the Spireites’ return match in the Football League, at home to Swindon Town on Friday evening (8pm), Danny Webb gave his thoughts about pre-season as a whole.
Speaking to the media, he said: “It’s been quite mixed isn’t it really. We’d like to not have any injuries, but life doesn’t go to plan.
“This time last year, we had no injuries going to our first game at home against Dorking so you can’t always have it our own way.
“Results were mixed but I like the fact they got better as it went on, especially against the better teams. So, we’re in a good place and we look forward to our last day of preparation before Swindon.”
Chesterfield’s first opponents back in the EFL will be Swindon Town, who finished 19th in League Two last season.
Despite their poor finish in the previous campaign, Webb is aware of the quality and expectations that come with Mark Kennedy’s side.
“They are a big ex-Premier League team, and still a big league club. Finished 19th last year, they’ll be looking to kick on,” he said.
“Mark Kennedy – who did a good job, I believe, at Lincoln – he’ll want to get them up the right ends of the pitch.
“They’ve got some good players, and they’ll come here, not as underdogs. Their fans will come expecting them to beat us. And if they don’t, they won’t be happy.
“And our fans will be turning up expecting us to win our first game back in League Two. So, there’s pressure all round.
Ryheem Sheckleford, Ash Palmer, Paddy Madden and Jamie Grimes all suffered injuries during pre-season.
The assistant manager gave an update on the quartet, saying: “I think Ryheem might have an operation, he might not. The gaffer was very big on leaving that to the player. Either way, that’s going to be a couple of months.
“Ash Palmer has got his knee in a brace, that’ll be at least a couple of months. Paddy Madden, hopefully, will be back training within three to four weeks.
“Jamie Grimes is back in training today, whether it’s too soon to be involved in the matchday squad tomorrow time we’ll tell.”
After six years out of the Football League, Webb provided the supporters with a message ahead Friday night’s game.
He said: “Enjoy it because you’ve waited a long time to get here, there’s been a lot of frustration at the football club probably the years before I came, and now we’re trying to go the other way. We did that by getting out of National League.
“We need your support as always. The players are buzzing about coming out in front of 9,000 of Spireites again, singing loudly.
“We want to carry on the success, we want to go again, and we want to bring great times back to the football club again this season – it all starts Friday.”
