Chesterfield travel to Kent on Saturday, looking to return to winning ways against top-of-the-table Gillingham after missing out on three points last time out against Salford City.
The Gills have enjoyed a good start to the season themselves, winning twice and drawing once to join the Spireites as one of the six remaining unbeaten sides in the division.
Head-to-head
Mark Bonner has only faced Paul Cook once in his career, when his Cambridge United side drew 2-2 with Ipswich Town in October 2021.
Cook himself has faced Gillingham seven times as a manager, taking all three points on four occasions.
Our most recent encounter came on Valentine’s Day 2017, when Tom Anderson’s late equaliser for the Spireites made it 1-1 with seconds to spare.
Earlier that season, a Gillingham squad featuring Darren Oldaker had come from 3-1 down at the then Proact Stadium to rescue a point in the 90th minute, courtesy of Scott Wagstaff.
Mark Bonner
At 38-years-old, Bonner is still in the early stages of his managerial career and is a fresh face in Kent after landing the role in the summer.
He made a name for himself at Cambridge United, where he guided the U’s to promotion to League One and notably earned a 1-0 win at Newcastle United in the FA Cup third round.
After departing the Abbey Stadium earlier this year, Bonner was appointed manager at Gillingham in May, with the opportunity to build through pre-season.
Player in focus
Despite an influx of arrivals this summer, one of Bonner’s key men remains Timothee Dieng, who signed for the Kent outfit in January 2023.
The 32-year-old Frenchman scored six goals from midfield last season and has a wealth of experience in the Football League after spells at Oldham Athletic, Bradford City, Southend United and Exeter City.
He is in form already this season after netting just two minutes into Gillingham’s 4-1 win over Carlisle in the opening game of the season, and will be hoping to earn his 50th start for his current club against the Spireites this weekend.
