By Phil Tooley

It's just over two years since Derek Niven signed on for The Spireites, initially on loan from Bolton Wanderers, the day before his birthday. He made his debut the day after he was 20 in the 2-2 home draw with Tranmere Rovers, a game remembered for a couple of reasons, a score-line of 1-1 with just 60 seconds on the clock and Danny Harrison's lunge at Alan O'Hare that had the Irishman (and every man in the crowd) writhing in agony after his most painful parts were rendered in need of stitches.

He was recalled by Bolton after two months and there were a couple of anxious weeks as the Club tries to secure his services permanently, eventually securing his signature in March 2004, on the eve of the Sheffield Wednesday home game, alas too late for him to play, but fortunately The Spireites ran out comfortable winners.

Since his Chesterfield bow, niggles and a suspension apart, the Scot from Falkirk has been a virtual ever present in the side, chalking up over 80 starts in his two years here.

However he did miss the opening game of this season, the 3-1 win at Blackpool, after an injury disrupted pre season, but after coming into the side for the next match, at home to Brentford when he was clearly not 100% fit, he's remained a tower of strength, his box to box game now being supplemented with many more shooting chances than in his early Saltergate days. No doubt he's pleased with his progress this term? "It's gone well, yes, it was a disappointing pre-season, no player likes to get injured but I've got through that now and the last few games have been good. Obviously the first five or six games I played I wasn't completely fit and I had to get my fitness in games which is alright because fitness always comes in games but it's not ideal. Once I got to full fitness levels I started playing the way I know I can play and we started winning games as well."

With Mark Allott playing much of his football in the centre this season, after a good link up with Mark Hudson, Niven now has formed another excellent pairing, "We've got a good partnership going me and Allott, we've played well and the whole team's played well, it's a team game." And having scored a few this season, something we're not all that used to, "It wasn't a big thing last season but I've started getting forward a lot more now and getting in the box and scoring some goals, I was aiming for five at the start of the season, so hopefully I can get there now. That may not be too many but better than last season when I got one and I've already doubled my career tally this season. I was most disappointed at missing a chance against Leyton Orient in the Cup replay but these things happen, at least I'm missing a few chances now, which means I'm having some!"

His partnership with Mark Allott in the heart of the engine room has occasionally been changed round a bit, with Sammy Clingan having slotted in during his loan spell, "It's full of competition for places right now, when Sammy came in he did a great job, now there's Jamie O'Hara too, so all of that keeps you on your toes and makes you play better."

As for the line up behind the midfielders, what are Derek's views on those players? "Rochey's had a great season, he's made some excellent saves that have kept us in games or kept us in front and Blathers and Reuben have been solid at the back, it's always good to have such a solid defence and the full backs have played well too, as has the whole team, it's great to have a solid base and keep a few clean sheets, though we've not had as many of those as we'd have liked."

Niven's first campaign, from December 2003, was a battle against relegation, culminating in that dramatic last gasp victory over Luton Town, last season was somewhat easier but what does he think of The Spireites points gathering performances during the current campaign? "It's not surprised us at all. The start obviously wasn't good but we know how good we are ourselves and what we can achieve at this Club so hopefully we can keep on winning games and gather more points, I'm not surprised at all by how many we've already got."

Two years as a regular first teamer with a reputation as one of the most consistent middle men in League One, having begun his career in England at Bolton, does Derek feel he's got the ability to play at a higher level? "Obviously every player wants to play as high as they can and hopefully I've got that in me, to play at a higher level, but Chesterfield's where I am right now and where I want to play my football here, in the first team, but I do want to get games at the highest level I can."

Talking of highest levels, a few weeks ago, full back Alex Bailey revealed in an interview that Nivo was the first 'real Scottish Man from up in the Mountains' he'd ever met. But are there many Mountains near his home Town? "There aren't too many mountains near Falkirk but Alex obviously thinks Scotland's full of them, he is from London isn't he!" That sort of banter is synonymous with the team spirit and camaraderie evident for all to see here at Saltergate, what are Derek's views on that side of the team? " It can't get much better than it is here now, everyone has a good time coming to training, we have a laugh together and all the boys get on well, there's no-one who doesn't get on with anyone, so that great team spirit helps us on the field as well."

As a youngster, Derek played at Stenhousmuir before joining Raith Rovers, whom he left for Bolton Wanderers just over 4 years ago, so does the midfield dynamo keep his eye on the results of his former clubs? "I always keep my eye on all the scores in Scotland and in England. Raith Rovers had a disaster last season, Nicolas Anelka's brother went in there and ruined the Club but there's not many players there that I know now. I don't speak to too many of my ex Bolton team-mates all that often either, Jeff Smith who's at Port Vale now is the one I speak to most, he was here a few weeks ago of course."

Last season, despite playing 38 of the 46 league games, Derek was dogged by persistent ankle problems, so how is that part of his body standing up to the rigours of League One football this season? "Touch wood, they've all gone, I feel I'm fit and ready to get us to the play-offs."

Confidence from a self-assured and competent player, one who's made a great impression in his relatively short time here, a player that never gives less than his all, never hides and can always be counted on to add the steel that's essential in any battle, be it at the wrong end of the table or a more lofty setting.