Stat Attack: Notts County vs. Chesterfield, Saturday 12 August 2017

Notts County have played Chesterfield a total of 66 times over the years, the first meeting coming on the 29th November 1930 in the FA Cup.

The game took place at the Spireites' old ground, Saltergate, and finished 2-1 to the Magpies.

The head-to-head record favours Notts, with 27 victories, 20 defeats and 19 draws.

The last time the two teams met was on 7 February 2015 in League One, the outcome a 1-0 win to Chesterfield at Meadow Lane.

Nobody knows the date when the first incarnation of Chesterfield Football Club was formed. A Derbyshire Times newspaper report from 2 January 1864 noted a scheduled game between "Chesterfield and Norton football clubs", suggesting that a club in the town was active from at least 1863.

By contrast, club historian Stuart Basson had placed a formally constituted Chesterfield F.C. as being established as an offshoot of Chesterfield Cricket Club in October 1867.

The early history of the club is dotted with tumult and instability - the club lost the right to play at Saltergate following worsening relations with Chesterfield Cricket Club, while in 1915 the subsequent incarnation of the club, Chesterfield Town, was put into voluntary liquidation.

To fill the footballing gap left in the town, Chesterfield Borough Council reformed the club on 24 April 1919, giving it the name Chesterfield Municipal F.C.

After the Football Association and Football League made it clear that they were against a council-run club, the entity became independent, reflected in the name change to Chesterfield F.C. in December 1920.

The club have been successful in terms of minor silverware, winning the Fourth Division (and its subsequent reincarnations) a record four times, while also claimin the Anglo-Scottish Cup in 1982 and the Football League Trophy in 2012 (and finishing runners-up in 2014).

The 1996–97 season saw Chesterfield beat six clubs including Nottingham Forest to reach the semi-final of the FA Cup for the first time. The semi-final match against Middlesbrough was drawn 3–3 after extra time; Chesterfield lost the replay 3–0.

The club's nickname, The Spireites, comes from the Church of St Mary and All Saints in Chesterfield, famous for its crooked spire.

Famous Chesterfield players include Ernie Moss, Kevin Davies, Gary Stone, Jason Lee, Walter McMillen, Sam Hardy, Gordon Banks, Herbert Munday, Steve Ogrizovic, Barry Sunday, Freeman Hardy and Willis Edwards.

Famous fans include glamour model Jo Guest, presenter Robert Primrose Wilson, and ex-Arsenal goalkeeper John Lukic.

Team news

Kevin Nolan has no fresh injury worries ahead of Notts County's meeting with Chesterfield, but has spoken of the selection dilemma facing him.

Following a disappointing display in the 3-0 defeat at Coventry City, Nolan made eight changes against Scunthorpe United in the League Cup, with the replacement players putting in a much improved display.

Jonathan Forte, in particular, impressed and could put pressure on Jon Stead and Shola Ameobi ahead of Nolan picking his strike force for Saturday's League Two game.

Chesterfield captain Ian Evatt returns for the Spireites after missing the 4-1 cup defeat at Sheffield Wednesday through suspension.

Fellow defender Jordan Sinnott will be monitored after he picked up a thigh injury in last week's league opener against Grimsby Town, which also finished in defeat.

Robbie Weir and Charlie Wakefield are options to return to the side after being on the bench at Hillsborough in midweek.

Jerome Binnom-Williams (ankle) and Joe Rowley (shoulder) remain unavailable with injuries suffered in pre-season.

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