After parting ways with head coach Charlie Adam on Sunday, Fleetwood Town will host Chesterfield at Highbury Stadium on Boxing Day, hoping the decision sparks a much-needed turnaround in their League Two campaign.
Adam was sacked by the club following a 2-0 defeat to Barrow last Saturday, with early strikes from Emile Acquah and Theo Vassell condemning the Fishermen to their third consecutive league defeat on the road.
Match preview
Fleetwood's fortunes have been on a downward trajectory over the past year, culminating in relegation from League One at the end of the 2023-24 season.
The Lancashire club appointed Adam on New Year's Eve 2023 to replace Lee Johnson after a poor start to that campaign, but the change failed to arrest their decline, ultimately bringing an end to their decade-long stay in the third tier.
Now in League Two, their struggles have persisted, with the Cod Army sitting 18th in the standings after managing 23 points from 19 games, eight points above the drop zone, though they have one game on 24th-placed Carlisle.
This is in contrast to their promising start to the season, when Adam steered them to four wins and four draws in nine games, picking up 16 points from a possible 27, with just one loss in that streak.
However, that lone defeat in their early run has given way to just one win in the following 10 matches, including four draws and five defeats, with last weekend's loss being the latest setback, leading to the 39-year-old manager's dismissal.
Pending the appointment of a new head coach, Fleetwood will look to lift themselves from the rubble and host Chesterfield at Highbury on Thursday, buoyed by their recent record against the visitors, having won the last three meetings between the sides.
In contrast, Chesterfield have enjoyed a dream start to their return to the Football League after six seasons in non-League.
The Spireites, fresh off winning the National League title in 2023-24, have settled into life in League Two seamlessly, currently sitting fifth with 34 points, just two behind third-placed Doncaster, who occupy the final automatic promotion spot.
Paul Cook's men come into Thursday's encounter on a high, having won their last three league matches without conceding, the most recent of which was a 1-0 victory over Wimbledon, with Armando Dobra's early strike securing all three points.
With 16 points from 10 games on the road, Town boast the fifth-best away record in the division and will look to extend that form against the struggling hosts
Chesterfield's attacking prowess on the road, having scored 21 goals away from home - five more than any other team - adds further weight to their chances in this encounter.
Team News
Carl Johnston, who has missed Fleetwood's last three games through injury, remains a doubt for Thursday's clash, while Zech Medley, still recovering from the ruptured achilles tendon he sustained in late August, is also unavailable.
Ronan Coughlan, Fleetwood's leading league scorer with six goals in 17 appearances, will be the Fishermen's key player as they look to him to make the difference.
The visitors have no injury concerns and could stick with the same lineup that defeated Wimbledon at the weekend.
Will Grigg, Chesterfield's top scorer in the league, is set to lead the line once again as he aims to get back among the goals after a quiet outing last time.
Fleetwood Town possible starting lineup:
Harrington; Broom, Potter, Bolton, Bennett, Hunt; Helm, Virtue, Mayor; Coughlan, Graydon
Chesterfield possible starting lineup:
Thompson; Sheckleford, Grimes, Naylor, Araujo; Oldaker; Markanday, Mandeville, Dobra, Berry; Grigg
We say: Fleetwood Town 1-2 Chesterfield
Despite Chesterfield's recent struggles at Highbury, with defeats in their last two visits, their impressive run of three consecutive victories cannot be overlooked.
This momentum suggests they might prove too strong for the embattled hosts
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