How much do you know about Chesterfield? We’ll take a wild guess and say that you don’t own their shirt, you never had posters of their players on your walls and you never dreamed of scoring a goal for them in dying seconds of an FA Cup match for them. But Mozzart Sport Kenya is here to tell you their story on the day they face mighty Chelsea.This old club from Derbyshire in central England has been competing in the lower divisions of the Football League for well over a century. Since their conception in the late 19th century, the club has never made it into the top division but has also spent just 11 seasons outside the Football League – below the fourth tier.Haven’t been this excited about going to a game for a while!! Will Chelsea have enough to inflict a second defeat of the season on The Spireites!! @ChelseaFC @ChesterfieldFC @EmiratesFACup #lovethecup pic.twitter.com/tGPxgdOu5J— Kevin Davies (@Kevin__Davies) January 7, 2022 Their steady if unspectacular existence was brought in serious doubt in 2018. A financial crisis saw the team suffer two consecutive relegations. In a short period, Chesterfield dropped from playing in EFL League One to the Vanarama National League, the fifth level of English football. The loyal fans were worried about the results, but even more so about the very existence of the club. Chesterfield FC Community Trust has been around for over a decade as a fan-driven charity organization, but in 2020 they became more than that – they become the owners of their beloved club. Fans gathered the money with the help of the local council and embarked on a wild adventure – they became owners of the club they supported. John Croot, the guy who used to sell matchday programmes at The Spireites’ games a decade ago, became the club’s chief executive in August 2020 when the takeover was completed. He told The Guardian that the Trust’s ambitions weren’t too high in the beginning.”When we completed the deal, the fans asked us what our ambition for the year was. We just say that we wanted to make sure we’ve got a football club at the end of the season. This year’s given us a unique opportunity to embed the club in the community. While multimillionaires might buy a club, I’m not sure they ever truly own it.”Marcus Bettinelli will make his Chelsea debut in the FA Cup this weekend against Chesterfield. pic.twitter.com/QgyBXbcXzQ— At The Bridge Pod ⭐️⭐️ (@AtTheBridgePod) January 6, 2022 More than ever, the Trust keeps helping the people in the community. Deprived people in the area are receiving free meals, help with finding jobs, keeping healthy and fit. It’s a wonderful way to integrate a football club with the people who support it and do good both on the pitch and off it.The club survived and the ambitions of people working for the Trust have grown. The goal now is to return to the EFL League Two with the team top of the table in the fifth tier. But what really got them dreaming was a glamorous FA Cup draw. They were awarded a trip to Stamford Bridge.𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐃𝐀𝐘!! 🙌💙Wow! 18 months ago we were fighting for the clubs survival in the National League, today, we take on the European Champions! 😍🎶🏟 Stamford Bridge⏰ 5:30pm👊 @ChelseaFC 📝 https://t.co/X6bpKAjvmx💰 https://t.co/jdkuFK7ISu#Spireites pic.twitter.com/SfoEenM2sp— Chesterfield FC (@ChesterfieldFC) January 8, 2022 It would make the news around the world if the fan-owned Chesterfield would slay the UEFA Champions League holders, the club backed by a Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. The chances of it happening are very slim, of course – but the sheer fact that these two clubs have been pitted against each other in the world’s oldest competition is poetic in a way. It’s an unusual, movie-like event that will live in the memories of all Chesterfield supporters regardless of the result. And you bet that they’ll flock to Stamford Bridge tonight. Around 6,000 of them will cheer for the proud boys from Derbyshire.FA CUP – Third RoundFridaySwindon Town – Manchester City 1-4 (0-2)/McKidrey 78 – Silva 14, Jesus 28, Gundogan 59, Palmer 82/Saturday15.15: (5.50) Mansfield (3.80) Middlesbrou. (1.65)15.30: (1.75) Burnley (3.60) Huddersfield (4.90)15.30: (4.90) Hartlepool (3.60) Blackpool (1.75)15.30: (1.93) Coventry (3.45) Derby (4.10)15.30: (4.60) Bristol City (3.60) Fulham (1.80)15.45: (3.45) Millwall (3.25) Crystal Palace (2.20)18.00: (3.60) Boreham Wood (3.45) Wimbledon (2.05)18.00: (5.50) Kidderminster (3.80) Reading (1.65)18.00: (1.63) Leicester (3.80) Watford (5.70)18.00: (1.30) Newcastle (5.20) Cambridge (11.0)18.00: (3.15) WBA (3.30) Brighton (2.30)18.00: (8.50) Port Vale (4.50) Brentford (1.40)18.00: (1.97) QPR (3.45) Rotherham (3.90)18.00: (2.95) Wigan (3.25) Blackburn (2.45)18.00: (1.40) Peterborough (4.50) Bristol Rovers (8.50)18.00: (1.50) Barnsley (4.20) Barrow (6.75)20.30: (3.60) Hull (3.45) Everton (2.05)20.30: (1.05) Chelsea (14.0) Chesterfield (35.0)20.30: (2.00) Birmingham (3.45) Plymouth (3.80)20.30: (3.35) Swansea (3.35) Southampton (2.20)20.45: (8.50) Yeovil (4.50) Bournemouth (1.40)Sunday15.30: (1.40) Luton (4.50) Harrogate T. (8.50)17.00: (2.35) Cardiff (3.25) Preston (3.10)17.00: (4.20) Charlton (3.50) Norwich (1.90)17.00: (1.37) Stoke (4.70) Leyton (9.00)17.00: (1.08) Tottenham (12.0) Morecambe (23.0)17.00: (1.23) Liverpool (7.00) Shrewsbury (10.5)17.00: (1.70) Wolverhampton (3.70) Sheffield Utd (5.20)17.00: (1.87) West Ham (3.50) Leeds (4.30)20.10: (5.50) Nott.Forest (3.80) Arsenal (1.65)Monday22.55: (1.68) Man.Utd. (3.70) Aston Villa (5.30)***odds are subject to change
