This article by Phil Tooley first appeared in the Chester City matchday programme

Janos Kovacs

One man who's made a real impression this season is 22 year old Hungarian central defender Janos Kovacs.

In his first two seasons at Saltergate, the U20 International made only sporadic appearances in the first team. Ten games in 2005-06 and one less the season after, during which he went out on loan to York City in the Conference.

However this season, he grasped the opportunity thrust upon him when experienced summer signing Kevin Gray picked up a hamstring strain. In for the season's opener at Chester City and since then he's only missed one league game, testimony to his form, which has seen him pick up plenty of Saltergate Man of the Match awards for his strong and determined shows.

It was no great surprise that Janos Kovacs (The Hungarian equivalent of John Smith) became a professional footballer. His father, also Janos, was a pro with the team our man joined as a youngster, MTK Hungaria of Budapest.

"When I was a little boy, I started my career with the nearest football club to my home before moving to MTK when I was 14 or 15," said Janos, who added, "I trained and played with MTK as I was growing up and when I was 16 or 17 I started to train with the first team. A couple of times I was on the bench and I did have one first team game in the first division against Ferencvaros, where Paul Shaw is now. We lost 2-1 and I played defending midfielder playing against Zoltan Gera who's now at West Brom. He's a very good player."

As is the case with many promising younger players with top flight clubs, Janos then went on loan to a club called Bodajk. "This was the same club as MTK, a junior club like Castilla and Real Madrid and I played with a couple of my team mates from MTK in the second division in Hungary and I played a full season there, I missed just a couple of games and after that season I moved back to my first team and, after a good trial with Chesterfield, I moved to England."

At that stage, in 2005, Janos spoke no English or ties with England at all, so what made him take what was a huge plunge for a young footballer. "I didn't speak English at all then, now it's not the best I know, but I understand everything now and on the pitch I can communicate with my team mates! English football was my dream and now I'm playing here, I'm so happy now."

"Marton Fulop is my very good friend, he'd been at Chesterfield just before that summer and he helped me with the trial so I could show myself to the club. We've been friends since we were little boys. His father and my father played together for MTK, in the first team. His father was a centre forward and my father was a left back."

After his successful trial which included playing in the traditional curtain raiser at Matlock Town, The Spireites acquired the services of the young centre half. Steve Blatherwick and Aaron Downes were Roy McFarland's preferred pairing for the games at Blackpool and at home to Brentford at the start of the season, but Downes was injured against The Bees so Janos got the nod to start in the next match at home to Rotherham United.

It was a rain sodden match with surface water galore but Janos overcame the monsoon-like conditions to win the Man of the Match award, even though a Martin Butler goal won the game for the Millers.

"I was so happy playing my first game, I played well, the team played well but we were unlucky. I was Man of the Match and with my parents being there, it was special."

Four games were played that August by Janos, all were lost, before Reuben Hazell was switched to centre half where he went on to do well after a spell at right back and Janos dropped out of the first team picture until February, though he did get on the scoresheet for Hungary's U20 side in a 3-1 win over Italy in Sopron in a Alps & Adriatic cup match. They also played Croatia, Slovenia and Steyerland (a region of Austria) in the tournament.

His autographed shirt from that match is framed and hangs at Saltergate, Janos gifted it to club Director John Croot for the help he gave when he first arrived in England, most notably in searching out a man he knew only ungarian Tony' who was to act as an interpreter in those vital early days.

Another defeat in game 5, at home to Doncaster, before what was to become a match that is firmly set in Spireites folklore, Chesterfield 3 Southend United 4. Referee Darren Deadman.

A Colin Larkin goal had set Chesterfield on their way against promotion chasing Southend United who, in truth, were clearly second best on the day and offering no threat at all. Then, in the 51^st minute, a Shrimpers shot hit Janos on the top of his shoulder. Referee Deadman stunned the crowd and players by awarding a penalty and then compounded his error by sending off the unfortunate Hungarian.

Freddy Eastwood levelled and went on to get a hat-trick, Shaun Goater also scored and though we saw Derek Niven and Glynn Hurst score, being down to ten men and with United given a head of steam they didn't deserve, the game was lost. Janos had to wait to April for his next chance which also marked his first non-lost games, a draw at Barnsley and also a point at home to Colchester before he appeared in the game that cemented our survival, a great 2-1 win at Huddersfield Town.

Last season saw Janos play a game here and there before, in March 2007, he went on loan for a month to ex Spireite Billy McEwan's York, "That was a very good experience, Billy McEwan was the manager, a very good one and York is a lovely club and a lovely City and it was good for me. I was there for one month and I played eight games, every Saturday and every Wednesday we had games. I even scored at Cambridge, a very funny goal, after a corner, not with my head or foot, but with my knee."

On returning to Saltergate, McFarland had gone and Lee Richardson put him back in the side, including him at right back in the key draw at Cheltenham, for what proved to be a disappointing run in with relegation the eventual outcome.

"In my first two years here in England, I was so unlucky. I don't know why. I was very young and very unlucky. The red card and injuries kept me out, but I worked hard and learned more things. Steve Blatherwick was very good to me as a teacher and a mentor."

This season, his luck changed and Kevin Gray's injury opened the door and he's seized his chance. "In my first two years I was very unlucky, now in this pre-season, I was lucky, that's football, that's life. You need some luck and I had a good chance in pre-season to show how I can play football and I played very well and have stayed in the team."

Goals at Lincoln City and Barnet were the prelude to some terrific celebrating, "After my first goal, I didn't know how to celebrate so I just ran away and I lost my head. After the second one I had a better celebration!"

Comparing the football here to that back in Hungary, Janos says, "In Hungary, the football is much more technical. The game is slower than in England but technically much better. In England, physical contact is harder and the speed is much quicker and the players are much stronger, which os very good for me as a player of my size. Hungary's football is not the best."

On living in Chesterfield, "It's a lovely place. In Hungary it's too warm in the summer and too cold in the winter, but here it's not the same. I like England, it's very nice."

The Club is keen to extend the defender's stay after his contract expires in the summer and the defender says, "I think we'll be able to find another contract here, I like this Town and I like this Club, it's a young squad and we have a couple of very funny people in the changing room, Peter Leven is funniest, and also Steve Fletcher too."

Let's hope that the big man is here next season, and for many more after that.

Phil Tooley