Despite tasting defeat on Friday evening, for the first time since November 2010, critics far and wide have been quick to commend the Spireites' performances this season with a number of John Sheridan's side receiving personal praise.
One player who is arguably heading that list is inform goalkeeper Tommy Lee, who finished last season on a personal high (despite Chesterfield's final league standing) walking away with the highly acclaimed 'Player of the Year' award.
It appears that the Spireite number one could be an early contender for the award again this season, if performances continue, although Lee puts his improved game down to working under the experienced Mark 'Norm' Crossley: "I spoke with Norm in the pre-season about what parts of my game I needed to work on and we both agreed that I lacked a bit of consistency. The experiences that Norm himself has been through during his playing career are helping me in my mine; he's been in relegation battles, league winning sides and even Europe."
"Being a goalkeeper himself, he sometimes tells you what you want to hear when you've not had the best of games. The advice he's given me this season has been second to none to be honest" added Lee.
Although John Sheridan and co believes that Tommy Lee has been given too much to do of late: "I think they're probably right, I've had to make a few saves of late. I'd much prefer it if we were winning 2-0 every game and I weren't getting a touch to be honest, but it's my job. Prior to the last few games I think we've defended really well but I'm sure once we get back into that groove again we'll soon get back to winning ways."
From a personal point of view, Lee highlights the clash at the Priestlfield Stadium as his stand out performance of the season so far: "Personally I think the Gillingham match away was a decent performance from me and the back four. I made a few saves at some important times, a few just after we'd scored which is always an important time to make some saves, but my job has been made a lot easier this season with the lads I've had in front of me."
Although the 25-year-old admits that it's not always a glamorous position: "It does have its moments but there are times, not too many this season but defiantly last season, where I hoped the ground would swallow me up at some point, but it's just part of the course."
To watch Tommy Lee's full interview log into Spireites Player now for more exclusive club content.
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