By Phil Tooley

Twenty-year old Manchester born, Manchester United employed full back Phil Picken signed on the dotted line to keep him at Saltergate until the end of the season during the transfer window. The diminutive defender has had to play a patient game during his time with Chesterfield, he had a run of five games back in August and early September but then had to sit out, a few non playing sub selections apart, until regaining a first team shirt for the great 4-2 win at Bristol City. He must have been so disappointed to pick up a virus in the aftermath of that game, missing out against Blackpool, but Shane Nicholson's red card and subsequent three match ban re-opened the door and he grabbed his chance in style, playing in both full back slots and earning that loan extension after some classy performances.

But Phil came into the side at a difficult time, after a couple of losses and with Roy McFarland absent with mumps, his first taste of league football came at Oldham Athletic, not our happiest of hunting grounds, and we were hammered 4-1, two of The Latics goals coming in the opening three minutes, giving young Phil, then only 19, one of the most torrid starts to a league career anyone can have witnessed! Though overall, he's really enjoyed his first few steps into the fray, "It's been fantastic, I've enjoyed playing in some big stadiums with good crowds, I'm getting some first team football, the team's settled down and we're doing well, so all in all I'm feeling good."

Though what of that day at Boundary Park, Saturday 20^th August, what sort of wake-up call was that? "They scored two very quick goals, so my immediate thoughts were 'what the hell's this?' It was a mad start, I'd been used to playing some nice, straight forward football at reserves level, but that was different. The Manager wasn't there then with his illness, we had a few injuries, Steve Blatherwick was out that day and we just got off to a very bad start but and at the time I was just thinking that at least I was getting some experience. We knew it was going to be a hard game so we just got on with it. With it been near where I live, I had family and friends there to see my first league game, so it wasn't a great start."

As a member of The Red Devils' all conquering reserve side last season, they won four competitions including the Premier League Reserves title and the Pontins League Division (West) championship, how did he first hear of The Spireites interest in him? "The reserve coach at Manchester United then, Ricky Sbragia, who's at Bolton now knows Rico well and he'd seen quite a few games last season when we did well and won quite a few things. Apparently Rico had inquired about me last season but United thought I wasn't ready to go out on loan at the time but after our first game this season I was asked if I fancied going out on loan, which I definitely did, no problems."

So what was the secret of Sbragia's success last term? "We had a great team spirit and a great set of lads, we'd been together for quite a while, getting ready for the step up to the reserves in the younger age group competitions, we played good football and were confident we could beat anyone. There are about 10 or 11 lads from the reserves out on loan at various clubs now showing that we had some very good players."

Other than Phil, United reserves have provided clubs from Nice to North End with some of their talent. They are; David Jones (Preston), Chris Eagles is at Watford, Eddie Johnson is at Crewe Alexandra, Jonathan Spector is playing for Charlton, Tom Heaton and Colin Heath were at Swindon Town but are now back, though Heath is on trial at Saltergate, Ben Foster (Watford), Neil Wood (Blackpool), we know about Mads Timm (Walsall) and Paul McShane (Brighton) plus a couple of the older lads are out, Liam Miller at Leeds and David Bellion is with Nice after a spell at West Ham. Belgian partners Royal Antwerp also have five men on loan there, Sylvain Ebanks-Blake, Danny Simpson, Richie Jones, Lee Martin and Adam Eckersley.

A Manchester lad, how did Phil first hook up with the Old Trafford giants? "I was nine years old when I first linked up with Manchester United, I'd been playing with a Club from Mancheter, Medlock Rangers, was in a tournament playing for them and a scout spotted me and asked me to go for a days trial and after that signed on straight away, even though I'm a City fan, being from Manchester I'm bound to be!"

Another Mancunian in our squad is midfielder Mark Allott, also a Manchester City sympathiser, so at least he had someone with something in common straight away, "He's the one who's really helped me and brought me into this team, helped make me feel at ease, he's a top lad. The thing that's surprised me most is the travelling, me and Mark take it in turns to drive but it can be a bind, an hour and a quarter it usually takes." Though it's a bigger gap than that between Chesterfield and the biggest club in the World, or is it? "Facilities are the only real big difference really and having more people looking after you at United, washing your kit and generally making things very easy for you. But both Clubs are really very friendly, like family clubs, there's no difference in that and many other respects."

How did the defender feel after playing so well at Yeovil Town on Bank Holiday Monday, helping us to a 3-1 win, doing OK at Bradford City (and picking up his first yellow card) but then having to step aside to let Gareth Davies into the side? "Coming up to the Yeovil game, I'd had a few niggles and knocks, bruises and dead legs, a few minor things that were giving me a few problems, so after that I played at Bradford but Gareth Davies came in for the Bournemouth game, which we easily won and he did a fantastic job and then Alex Bailey got fit again so I knew I had to be patient. I knew we were capable of performing like we did at Yeovil having seen the lads in training, we've got a good set of players, and we've proved that, but that's meant I've had to wait my turn again, which came for the Bristol City match."

After playing at right back, Phil was selected on the left for the Ashton Gate encounter, are there any major differences for him in the two positions? "The variation of passes is the biggest difference. Being on the right means you generally receive the ball on your right foot and when I'm on the left, I prefer to use my right foot, though I'm alright with my left foot and happy to use it but I tend to want to pass more with my right foot so I tend to pass more diagonal balls when I'm on the left side, though I feel at home in either position, but they are quite different."

His he's s two footedness was one of the features that made him stand out and he's been known to strike goals with both feet, though we're yet to see that here at Chesterield. "Hopefully I'll get a few chances to show what I can do, some of the games I've played for Chesterfield I've not had too much of an opportunity to get into shooting positions, but it'll come and I'll get a goal with a bit of luck."

Before Christmas, mainly due to Shane Nicholson's suspension, Phil had a successful run of games in the team, a run that has subsequently continued, so how does he think he's doing? "I think I've done OK and hope that I'm given the opportunity to play in a few more games, especially as I'll now be staying until the end of the season at the end of which I'd like to think we have a realistic chance of making the play offs, the Gaffer's doing a great job, we've a good team and a good team spirit, there's no reason we can't get in that top six."

Longer term, what are his aspirations? "Man United keep in touch with me, they keep an eye on how I'm getting on, so I'd love to be able to play there or at the highest level I can and play as well as I can."

There's no doubt that we've seen a player very capable of playing at a professional level for many years and we wish him well in the remainder of his time at Saltergate and beyond.