LLOYD KERRY

By Phil Tooley

This item appeared originally in the matchday programme for the Brentford game.

Last Saturday a local lad made his debut for The Spireites. Clay Cross born Lloyd Kerry, who was 20 last month, came on as an early sub for the injured Jamie Lowry and he went on to win plenty of plaudits as he tackled well, passed well, covered the ground well and forced Wayne Brown to make an excellent save to deny him a goal.

It may well have been Lloyd's league bow for his Home Town team, but it's not the first time he's worn the blue of Chesterfield. The ex Tupton Hall pupil, who now lives at Unstone, explains; "I played for Somersall Rangers and then had a spell with Chesterfield's Centre of Excellence before I went to Sheffield United when I was 12 or 13."

He signed as a pro with The Blades in the summer of 2006 after spending time as a trainee and last season he got his first taste of League Football in a loan spell with Torquay United, then struggling in League Two. "Last season I had a loan spell down at Torquay where I played seven games but I got injured towards the end of the season and since then I've been stuck in United's reserves. I needed some games and some experience so I was pleased when I was asked to go down to Torquay. They were involved in a relegation battle so it was tough but I enjoyed it."

"I didn't really expect to get into the starting line up straight away. I'd been there on a weeks trial before Keith Curle signed me on loan and I played on the Saturday after signing and really enjoyed it."

His time at Plainmoor in what was ultimately an unsuccessful campaign to avoid the drop to the Conference ended when he got a foot injury after coming on as a sub in a 2-1 home defeat against promoted Walsall on 7^th April last year. Torquay Director of football Colin Lee said: "Lloyd had been playing very well. When he came on against Walsall, he went over on his foot and now he's out for the rest of the season." He had missed a game or two earlier in his spell with a groin injury.

However his start with The Gulls was a personal triumph, even though, like last Saturday at Hereford United, he ended on the losing side in a 1-0 home loss against Danny Wilson's Hartlepool United who, like Walsall, went up at the end of the season. He was awarded the sponsor's Man of the Match award and almost earned a point when he hit the woodwork and right at the end Pools' keeper Konstantopoulos made an excellent save to deny him a goal.

A 2-0 midweek loss at Rochdale followed and then, at home to Darlington (lost 0-1) he was again the Man of the Match and his one month loan deal was soon extended until the end of the season.

A first point in a 1-1 draw at Chester City followed before his maiden win and a first goal in a 3-0 triumph over Wycombe Wanderers.

Lloyd grabbed the vital opener and remembers it well, "It was a decent goal from about 20 yards out and I lobbed the keeper, I enjoyed that one." The reports of the day said 25 yards and called it 'a spectacular strike.'

He also hit woodwork again and delivered the free kick for Chris Robertson to score the third, but he missed out on a third straight home Man of the Match award to Robertson.

His last start came in a 1-0 loss at Accrington Stanley and he was subbed with the score at 0-0 but The Gulls suffered a last minute setback when Stanley scored. Then came the injury against Walsall, his last taste of senior football until last Saturday.

A Manchester United fan, Kerry describes himself as, "Liking to press the ball, get round the pitch and make a few tackles."

Last week's loan all came around very quickly, his one month loan only being signed on Friday afternoon, Lloyd explains; "I'd been training with the club for a week or so before the game at Hereford so I did know the boys. I signed on the day before the game because of the injuries really but I didn't expect to get on but Jamie Lowry got injured and the Gaffer told me to get warmed up and be ready to go on."

"I enjoyed it, I thought we did well apart from a couple of defensive errors and I thought we could probably have created a few more chances as well. In the second half, I felt we needed to get forward more so I tried to make a few more forward runs and try to get the ball in more forward positions a bit more."

Late in the game, he made Brown parry a shot away for a corner, the game's best stop but Lloyd was a bit disappointed; "I should have done better but it fell to my weaker foot but at least I hit the target and made the keeper work. I should have scored really."

On the mood in the dressing room after the game he said; "We're all trying to stay upbeat and we need to keep thinking positively and just keep driving on. We need to cut out individual mistakes out and defensive errors and if we can do that, we'll do alright and start climbing the table again."

He was supported from the stands; "My Dad went down, he doesn't miss many."

His week training with the squad meant that there weren't too many strange faces to him, but did he know any of the lads before that spell? "I know Jamie Jackson, Jamie Lowry and Josh Law. And Jack Lester as well, I used to clean his boots when he was at Sheffield United."

And compared to United's reserves? "It's a lot more competitive and it's a lot quicker and playing in front of a crowd makes a difference,that makes it a lot better."

Kerry was expected to play in the reserves for Chesterfield before possibly signing on, so why was everything brought forwards? "After the Peterborough game on the Wednesday, there were a few injuries and the squad was down to the bare bones so the manager said I could sign on the Friday and go straight into the squad on the bench. I'd like to sign until the end of the season, my contract's up at United at the end of the season, so I'd like the chance to impress and see what comes of that."

His initial bow was very promising and we hope everything goes well in the remainder of his time here, however long that may be.

PHIL TOOLEY