One of the biggest success stories in League Two in 2024/25 was the progress of Chesterfield, who secured a place in the play-offs in just their first season back in the Football League under experienced manager Paul Cook and they are continuing in this fashion in the transfer window to date.
The club have brought in multiple new players permanently and on loan, with the free signing of last season’s loanee Dilan Markandy the standout.
Front-Foot Football is an Important Hallmark of Chesterfield Run
Those who followed the fourth tier will undoubtedly have been impressed by the displays of Chesterfield for much of the campaign. The Spireites were often on the front foot and played some of the best football on offer in League Two, deservedly taking their place within the top seven at the end of the campaign.
Paul Cook’s outfit ranked joint second for goals, only Doncaster Rovers hit the woodwork on more occasions, and Chesterfield ranked third for shots on target per game across the 46-game campaign. Their dominant style of play led to the team ranking just behind Notts County for average possession, which was in the region of over 60%.
Any additions to the midfield would need to be of a high quality to continue with their level of dominance on the ball, and that appears to be what they are targeting for their next move in the transfer window.
Former Everton Midfielder Tipped For League Two Switch
It can be rare for a player to run down his contract while playing in the development side of a Premier League club before spending any time out on loan. However, that is the case for 21-year-old Luke Butterfield. The midfielder has been with Everton since 2014 but has made no senior appearances despite being a regular at the academy and development level.
The defensive midfielder played 12 times at Premier League 2 level last season and was regularly wearing the captain’s armband for the Toffees. However, a lack of senior football has the player on the lookout for a move this summer, and Alan Nixon (paywall) is reporting that Chesterfield manager Paul Cook is keen on signing Butterfield.
The same report states that the midfielder would be willing to move to League Two to kickstart his career, and his progress will be an interesting watch as he makes the transition to senior football at 21 years old. Chesterfield have brought in Ryan Stirk from Walsall and Matt Dibley-Dias on loan from Fulham this summer to strengthen in the middle of the pitch.
You can see a schedule of Chesterfield’s fixtures ahead of the new League Two season on The Deck here.