DOUBLE TROUBLE? NOT NOW SAYS LEE
THE 2012 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy triumph was the only silver lining in an otherwise forgettable season for Chesterfield and keeper Tommy Lee.
Once the Champagne had run dry the Spireites could not prevent relegation from League One.
Fast forward to the present day and Lee is one of only three players remaining at the club from that matchday squad which beat Swindon 2-0 at Wembley.
And the difference in mood between then and now at the Proact Stadium could not be more contrasting.
Chesterfield are currently sitting comfortably in the League Two automatic promotion places and secured their place in this year’s JPT final against League One Peterborough with a 3-2 aggregate win over Fleetwood on Tuesday.
But as the Spireites look to reclaim the title they won at Wembley two years ago, Lee insists they are much better equipped to cope with the rigours of their league campaign this time round.
“Last time it was a case of ‘every cloud has a silver lining’,” said Lee. “This time it’s totally different because we’ve got the squad to handle it.
“We’re more than a match for anyone; we’ve got a good team and a good manager (Paul Cook).”
The emergence of youngsters like 22-year-old Tendayi Darikwa and new signing Ollie Banks, 21, have added energy to the ranks.
And Lee, who has made over 200 league appearances for the club since joining from Macclesfield in 2008, believes that will drive them on for the rest of the campaign.
“We struggled last time because we didn’t have the squad to cope with the demands of League One and the JPT,” he added.
“But if you look at the squad we have assembled here you will see that we have some really good players sat on the bench.
“That’s a rare thing at this level and it’s something that makes us confident that we can win at Wembley and get promotion.”