“THE HITMAN”
Name: Caleb Folan
Position: Striker
Date of birth: 16/10/82
Previous clubs: Hull City, Rushden & Diamonds, Leeds Utd
Squad number: 16
Games played: 17 (5 as sub)
Goals scored: 8
Goals/Game ratio: 0.47 goals a game
You may have heard of this fellow – he filled the back page headlines recently in sensational fashion. Caleb scored the winner in Chesterfield's 2-1 victory over West Ham in the League Cup, forcing the Spirites manager, Roy McFarland, to slap a price tag of two million pounds on the youngster.
As well as nearly pushing Alan Pardew into involuntary resignation, Caleb has been quite busy in the league as well. Six goals, the last coming on 30th September, is an impressive tally for the 24-year-old, especially considering that he struggled to make an impact in an injury-hit first few seasons for the club. Caleb needs a goal to maintain this new spell of form and will be hoping his height can cause our defence some problems on Saturday.
“THE JOURNEYMAN”
Name: Paul Hall
Position: Midfielder
Date of birth: 03/07/72
Previous clubs: Tranmere, Rushden & Diamonds, Walsall, Coventry, Sheffield United, West Brom, Bury, Portsmouth
Squad number: 11
Games played: 19
Yellow cards: 1
Goals: 3
Paul Hall scored his 100th league goal last season, against the same team that he made his debut against in 1989 – the Gills. Paul made his way to the Spirites in 2005 via a host of football league clubs, including lengthy spells at Walsall and Rushden.
Paul also joins Kelvin Jack and Brent Sancho by having played at a World Cup. He was ever-present in Jamaica's 1998 campaign, playing against Gabriel Batistuta, Davor Suker and other stars of the time.
Paul was Chesterfield's top scorer last season and has already opened his account with three important strikes in this campaign, including a brace against Millwall in a 5-1 thrashing. Will the experienced midfielder be able to add to his campaign against the Gills on Saturday?
“THE MIDFIELD MAESTRO”
Name: Mark Allott
Position: Midfielder
Date of birth: 03/10/77
Previous clubs: Oldham
Squad number: 8
Games played: 19
Goals: 0
Yellow Cards: 3
A solid passer with a talent for taking a long throw, Mark Allott has become a favourite of the Chesterfield supporters. The industrious midfielder collected the Player of the Year award from both the Chesterfield players and fans at the club's trophy dinner last season – just reward for an ever-present campaign.
Mark is Chesterfield's captain and joined them from Oldham in 2002. Like Michael Flynn he is not normally renowned for his goal-scoring exploits, but his determined creative play from the edge of the box. Allott will definitely be trying to cause a lot of havoc for our defence on Saturday!