Chesterfield FC onside with crucial changes planned for the domestic game

From the 2027/28 season all 116 clubs across the Premier League, EFL and top tier of the National League must obtain and maintain an operating licence from the IFR in order to compete.

The requirements include meeting standards of financial sustainability, governance, diversity and fan engagement.

Chesterfield have “stuck their hand up” to become a pilot club and a representation from the IFR visited the SMH Group Stadium this week to give feedback on the pilot license application and gauge progress.

"We had a really constructive meeting,” Chesterfield chairman Ashley Kirk told the Derbyshire Times.

"They were very interested in the fan engagement we were involved with and to see how embedded the club and directors are in the town.

"I think that was a big tick because they recognise we have the best interests of the club at heart.

"There was a tour of the stadium to see what we’ve done in terms of capital spend on the ‘bowl’ and the refurbishments done to the lounges. They were also interested to see that and how it fell in line with our business plan etc.

"The formal license procedure opens in November and because we have had a go at it we are well-placed to kick on and get our application in smartish.

"The impression I got is that we were well ahead of the curve compared to most other clubs."

Football clubs at all levels of the league pyramid continue to rack up ever increasing losses.

While Chesterfield are one of many who aren’t sustainable at the moment, they want to be and are completely onside with the IFR’s attempts to improve things.

"Some people can ignore it, some people can fight against it. We have decided to embrace it,” said Mr Kirk.

"If we do this the right way it will make Chesterfield a better run club.

"There are certain things we have started to adopt such as a much more robust governance policy and making sure we are fully focussed on risk and driving costs down and getting to that sustainability in a couple of years that we have been talking about.

"I’ve said it many times but is important we have a club to go to every Saturday. Chesterfield hasn’t had the best track record historically and we are doing our best to ‘right’ that.”

The improving Spireites, meanwhile, head to Crawley Town on Saturday knowing a good result could lift them into the top seven in League Two.

This week the clubmates Danny Anisjko and James Sissons played on opposite sides in the U21s fixture between Latvia and Malta.

Anisjko came on at half time of Latvia U21’s 2-0 win while goalkeeper Sissons played the entire game for Malta.