Busy start, key clashes, midweek trips and festive fixtures - analysis of Chesterfield's 2023/2024 National League fixtures

Let’s take a closer look at some of the key points from the fixtures...

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

I think it’s a big positive that Chesterfield will start the season at home. After the play-off final defeat, you probably wouldn’t want your first competitive game back to be a tricky away day to somewhere like Bromley or Boreham Wood. Instead, they’ll be backed by a strong home crowd, playing on their own beautiful surface, against a team in Dorking Wanderers who will probably come and have a go. It’s a big tick from me.

NEWBIES AND RIVALS

Fair enough, after Dorking they then do face two trips into the unknown against newly-promoted sides AFC Fylde and Oxford City. Both of them will have momentum after going up last season and they will relish the chance to take Chesterfield’s scalp and cause an upset. But, from a Spireites point of view, if you want to win the league, you have to take six points. Then Town and Oldham Athletic, both expected title rivals, will get an early look at each other when they clash in Derbyshire on August 19. Nothing will be won or lost that day, but it could give one side an early psychological edge. The Blues finish the first month at home to Hartlepool United, relegated from the EFL last season, on Bank Holiday Monday so that will be another opportunity to measure where they are at.

BUSY SCHEDULE

A slow start is never ideal and if that happens it could leave Chesterfield playing catch-up because there are 13 games in the first eight weeks. The flip side of that, of course, is that if they come out of the blocks flying then they could create a nice buffer at the top early doors. There could be a hangover from the play-off final defeat, although I can’t see it with this group and this manager. They started last season 10 games unbeaten and didn’t win promotion, so it’s not the be-all and end-all, but a fast start would settle everyone down.

FESTIVE FIXTURES

A double-header against Solihull Moors, away on Boxing Day and at home on New Year’s Day, has almost become a tradition in the National League and will not have come as a surprise. They are now managed by former Chesterfield loanee, Andy Whing, and could provide a different test compared to when Neal Ardley was in charge. Before the Moors, a home game against Aldershot Town on December 23 should see the SMH Group Stadium rocking.

MIDWEEK TRIPS

There are Tuesday night treks to Oxford City, Rochdale, Halifax…and Woking. Coming to Derbyshire in midweek will be the Shaymen, Bromley, York City, Woking and Oxford City. And no doubt there will be a few more midweeks when the weather turns and the cup competitions start.

KEY CLASHES

We obviously don’t know for certain who is going to be at the top of the table, but you would think Chesterfield and Oldham Athletic are going to be the ones to beat at this stage. As we have early mentioned, the two sides clash early on in August, with the reverse fixture at Boundary Park on March 16. Bromley will probably be up there again, with the Spireites at home to the Ravens in October and away in February. Woking, Boreham Wood, Barnet, Hartlepool United and Rochdale could make up the other contenders.

RUN-IN

No disrespect, but if Chesterfield go into the final month needing to beat Kidderminster Harriers, Gateshead, Wealdstone and Maidenhead United to win promotion, then you would have to fancy their chances. Having said that, the Spireites don’t do well against Maidenhead, so it would be quite a fitting ending to the club’s non-league chapter if they were to overcome the Magpies and be crowned champions.

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