Paul Cook’s wish for second automatic promo spot may soon be answered

If you were to ask fans of any club in England that is currently top of the table going into the start of December whether they’re confident of being in that position when the music stops in May, you would likely be met with extreme uncertainty. 

What the football gods giveth, they can taketh 

Perhaps the one exception would be supporters of Manchester City who have seen their side win the last three Premier League titles in a row.

Indeed, at 4/9 in the latest Premier League winner odds, the expectation from everyone connected to the club is that a fourth straight title is a very real possibility and that City will hang onto first place in the top flight.

However, it hasn’t always been this way in the east of Manchester. At least, had you said to those same confident City fans when they were making up the numbers in League One in 1999 that the latest Premier League top 4 betting odds would price them at 1/80 to qualify for the Champions League in 2024, they would have struggled to believe you. 

The reality is that football is a fickle business and in general, most fans live in a perpetual state of fear that something untoward is around the corner. That is certainly how the Chesterfield faithful will be feeling despite making a barnstorming start to life in the National League this season. 

Inspired Spireites make strong promotion case 

So far, the Spireites have won 16 of their 20 games this season which has seen the club establish an eight-point gap over second-place Barnet. With the right combination of results over Christmas, the club could go more than ten points clear at the top and begin to see the bright lights of League Two in the distance.

Equally, if results were to go against the Spireites then they could fall into second just as quickly; their lead is by no means unassailable at this stage.

🗣️ "You've just perked me up with Barnet's results lads!"

Reaction from @ChesterfieldFC boss Paul Cook after his side saw their 15-game unbeaten run ended at Roots Hall.

🎙️ @JeffBrazier #TheVanarama pic.twitter.com/eEJe3wwRSu

— The National League (@TheVanaramaNL) November 19, 2023

Of course, the well-documented reality in the National League is that second place does not offer the safety net of automatic promotion with a play-off being the route the runners-up must take if they are to reach League Two. This particular promotion structure is one that Chesterfield’s manager Paul Cook has taken great umbrage with in the past after describing it as a ‘sporting disgrace.’ 

The unforgiving margin of error in the National League 

Cook was especially referring to the fact that Notts County had to contest a play-off against his own Chesterfield despite recording 107 points during the 2022/2023 season which saw them eventually finish 23 points ahead of the Spireites.

1⃣ Notts County | 100 points
2⃣ Wrexham | 100 points

This National League automatic promotion race is wild 🤯

Next up: Wrexham v Notts County 🔥

Monday 10th April | BT Sport 1 HD | 2:30pm 📺 pic.twitter.com/CB5fMZsPVh

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 7, 2023

For Cook to make such a strong argument on the lack of automatic promotion places on the back of being beaten by Notts County during the play-off final at Wembley spoke volumes.

Despair under the Wembley arch was the opportune time to raise the issue and since then, the idea of increasing the number of automatic promotion places in the National League has gathered momentum. 

Any green light will of course depend on the outcome of a vote from EFL clubs. However, this is now considered more a matter of when and not if despite the fact that a vote to approve the changes has been described as ‘turkeys voting for Christmas’ given that an additional club would be relegated from League Two. 

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail  

This isn’t strictly true though, especially when looking at the example of Man City. The fortunes of football clubs tend to change – for better or for worse. In this instance, if the day comes when the trapdoor to the National League swings open, it would help any club to have three ladders to get back up instead of two. Instead of turkeys voting for Christmas, it is wisely preparing for the worst-case scenario. 

Yes, Paul and Chesterfield may not be in the National League long enough to see the changes to promotion implemented if their form carries on, but they may be the beneficiaries of the decision down the line should they ever end up back in the fifth tier.