It was a season that promised so much for the Spireites, yet left them feeling utterly disappointed at the end. They'd been up there for most of the season, even topping the table at one point, but when push came to shove, they fell short and were nine points below the play offs at the end of this season. All this despite having one of the leading scorers in the division in the form of twenty five goal Jack Lester.

Richardson was given the job, having previously been assistant under Roy McFarland, but his first full season in charge wasn't enough to disturb the restless state of the natives, and he fell far short of their expectations.

A poor start and he'll be the first manager in League Two out of work.

Darren Currie has to be seen as being an excellent signing, and will more than do a job this season with the Spireites following his release from Luton Town. He's been around the divisions for a good few years, including several in this one, and he's always been an outstanding player, and his signing must be seen as being something of a coup for Richardson.

Whilst we've been critical of Richardson elsewhere in this prediction, last year was his first season in management, and you have to assume that he'll have learnt from the mistakes that he made last year. He's an intelligent bloke, boasting of his honours degree on the Chesterfield official site's contact us page, and if he's anywhere close to being as dogged a manager as he was a player, then he'll be determined to ensure mistakes aren't repeated. Least he's got rid of that god awful mullet he used to have when he was at Oldham.

Who do you think you are kidding Mr Hitler? It would appear that Lee Richardson is intent on forming the oldest side ever put together in this division, with a transfer policy of nobody under the age of 30 allowed near the first team. He's running his very own opposite of Logan's Run.

I appreciate that in signing former Daleys Tommy Lee and Alan Goodall, he has gone some youngish blood through the doors, the rest of it seems like a Saga holiday or stunt doubles for Thora Hird's next Stannah advert. They now have an abundance of players in their mid 30's at the club which is like how clubs used to operate back in the 1980's only for it to end in disappointment. Clubs have learnt from that and its very rare you see that policy used these days.

9th - Top Half

I appreciate that both Alan Goodall and Tommy Lee were popular players during their time with Dale, and both spells were good spells, but if I'm being brutally honest, both were somewhat overrated. That's not to say that they were crap, because neither were. Goodall was responsible for many a goal conceded during his time yet escaped criticism, whilst Lee made the saves you'd have expected a keeper to have made. It's the Dale way, it's always easier to ignore mistakes made by the popular players.

But its the age thing that concerns us the most. Lester was a great signing for them last season, but he's another year older now. Austin is 35, Page is 33, as is Currie. They'll no doubt be able to hold their own against any side in the division on their day, but with older players, the legs will feel the strain over the season and are more likely to pick up injuries. And given the record of older players in this division often seeing it as one last boost for the pension plan, it's not a policy to build a season around.

But it's felt that it will be the future of Richardson which dictates their season. He's got much to prove over the season, but these older signings could well lead to a season similar to last season's where a bright start fades away as tiredness steps in. Spireite fans won't stand for it twice, and he'll be out the door by Xmas, leaving it for someone else to inherit aging players on long term contracts.