Tom was Nayl-ed on to be their key force

Tom NaylorChesterfield

1000GBP Player of the Year

GOING UP: Chesterfield‘s Tom Naylor was a key factor in their return to the Football League

THIS TIME last year, Tom Naylor had just played 36 games in the Championship for Wigan. A year before that, he’d picked up a League One winner’s medal.

So it should probably be no surprise that the 32-year-old midfielder has made light work of the National League in his first season at Chesterfield.

A major coup for manager Paul Cook, he arrived as a veteran of over 400 EFL appearances and was part of promotion-winning teams at Burton and Wigan, as well as winning the EFL Trophy with Portsmouth in 2019.

Plenty of quality players have found life tough in the National League, but Naylor looked like the class act he was, helping to set professional standards off the pitch while performing with authority on it. A composed and inspirational leader in central midfield, he scored 12 goals in 47 games as the Spireites returned to the EFL.

“Since signing, Tom has been a role model for all at the club,” said Chesterfield’s assistant manager Danny Webb.

“His leadership qualities, as well as scoring double figures for the club, have been instrumental in helping Chesterfield fulfil the initial aim of getting back to League Two.”

Respected TNT Sports pundit Adam Virgo revealed he was not surprised to see Naylor scoop the top award, and believes it is testament to the National League that it can attract players of such high quality.

“Bringing in Tom Naylor, bringing in Will Grigg, adding to the squad of players they’ve already got, they were just relentless,” he added. “You bring in that experience for that reason and they were two brilliant additions.

“There are these players that don’t get the recognition of players who grab the headlines. The way Tom reads the game and Chesterfield are a bit of a gung-ho side that needed that quality, that quarterback to start playing from the back.

“I have always been a big admirer of him as a player and a professional. He has shown what a quality player he is, he’s too good for the National League and has proved that.

“It is good to see that the National League can attract League One players because the standard is so good. He is an all-round great player that I really enjoyed watching this season.”