Name: Chesterfield
Ground: Saltergate
Nickname: The Spireites
Home Kit: Blue and white

Chesterfield have spent most of their existence playing in the lower leagues and have never been in the top flight, but that doesn't mean they don't have a dramatic and chequered past as we will find out shortly, but first the reasons behind their nickname.

Anyone who has been to Chesterfield will be well aware of the crooked spire on the town's Parish Church, leading to the Club's nickname of the Spreites - but why is it crooked?

The spire not only leans but also twists and is believed to twist at 45 degrees and lean 9 feet 6 inches (2.90 m) from its true centre.

The reason for this is believed to be the lack of skilled craftsmen at the time of building back in the 14th century. Black death had been rife in Britain only 12 years before the completion of the church and it is thought is that it was built with unseasoned (green) timber.

There are also many fantasies and myths surrounding how the spire became crooked, including the Shoe Devil story - taken from the Church's official website:

"A magician persuaded a local blacksmith to shoe the Devil. The man was so nervous that he drove a nail into the Devil's foot. The Devil flew off howling and, as he was passing the church, felt a twinge of real agony. He lashed out savagely with his foot which caught the Spire and twisted it, leaving also a footprint on one of the buttresses."

The original football club is believed to date back to 1866, making it the fourth oldest club after Notts County, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday. The first official document regarding the club was a notice placed in a local newspaper on October 19th 1867 the day when members of the Chesterfield Cricket Club met at the County Hotel at Saltergate and the football club was formed.

Their first match was played against the Garrick Club, of Sheffield, which they lost but their first recorded win did come against the same opposition two years later when they beat them at the third attempt.

In 1870 discontent arose among the club members because teams were picked based on ability and everyone wasn't given a regular game so a year later the football club became independent of the cricket club.

Their first match was played against Rotherham at the club's new ground - The Recreation Ground, on November 4th 1871 and the club also adopted the current colours of blue shirts and white trousers. Their first competitive match came eight years late when they played a Sheffield FA Cup match versus Wednesbury, the game ended in a draw.

Financial problems forced the club to disband in 1881 after they were evicted from their ground. Most players went on to join local side Spital but just a year later these players and former members of the original club joined forces to form the second Chesterfield Football Club but that wasn't the end to their problems.

The club entered the Football League in 1899 when they were elected to the Second Division, their first game was against Woolwich Arsenal, which the Spiteites won 1-0 and went on to finish the season in seventh place.

In 1902, 1906, 1907 and 1908 the club was forced to seek re-election to the League but a year later their run came to an end as they failed at the fourth consecutive time of asking and returned to the Midland League.

After winning the title they once again failed to be re-elected as fifth placed Huddersfield Town won the vote.

In 1915 the club disappeared again as they went into liquidation, as a casualty of the war but local restauranteur CW Everest reformed the club for a third time. They lasted just two years until in 1917 the club were disbanded because of an illegal payments scandal which saw 40 players and officials suspended by the FA!

Two years later on April 24th 1919 the Chesterfield Municipal Football Club was set up by the local council - it would be answerable to its fans, the electors of Chesterfield.

A year later they dropped the word municipal and became known as the club that currently resides in Coca-Cola League 2. The decision was made when they were promoted back to the Football League.

The Recreation Ground has been the home of Chesterfield since 1871 but they will leave the ground more commonly known as Saltergate at the end of the season, to move to their new purpose built b2net Stadium in time for the start of the 2010/11 season.

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