Paul Cook has given his full backing to the current League Two promotion system. The Chesterfield manager said he finds the existing play-off structure fair and effective, a view that carries weight as his team sits in a play-off position.

"I think the systems we have are quite good and fair," Cook said. "I enjoy them." His comments come with Chesterfield seventh in the table on 15 points after 10 games, the exact spot that qualifies for the end-of-season knockout.

Contrast with the National League

Cook drew a clear distinction between the EFL setup and the one in the National League, where he has previously managed. He praised League Two for promoting three teams automatically, calling it brilliant, before the play-offs begin for teams from fourth to seventh.

His criticism is reserved for the league below. "My only gripe as a manager who has managed in the Conference is that it is unfair that for the amount of teams in there that only two go up," he explained. Cook believes a truly competitive league should have two automatic promotion places and one via the play-offs.

Past perspective and present focus

The manager reflected on his own past play-off pain, specifically the 2023 National League final loss to Notts County. He accepted that defeat, noting County finished the regular season 23 points above Chesterfield. "I was OK with losing... Because I felt it would have been very unfair for Notts County not to go up given the 23-point gap," he said.

Now, the focus is on the present campaign. Chesterfield edged into the play-off frame after a 2-2 draw at Crawley Town last week, with goals from Lee Bonis and Louie Marsh. Assistant manager Danny Webb noted that being in the frame is good, but it could have been better.

The immediate task is an away trip to Port Vale this Saturday. The last meeting between the sides at the Technique Stadium ended in a 1-1 draw back in September. Vale currently sit 22nd, making it a key fixture for Cook's men to consolidate their top-seven place. After that, it's a quick turnaround with a home game against Colchester United on Tuesday. Check the full schedule on our fixtures page.

This story first appeared at Derbyshire Times