Downes to sign Spireites deal

Aaron Downes has agreed a new two-year deal at Chesterfield after the club stuck by a contract promise.

Club stick by promise to reward injured defender

Aaron Downes has agreed to sign a new two-year deal at Chesterfield after the club stuck by a contract promise. The defender was due to be out of contract in the summer, but had been offered terms to stay with the League Two club until 2011. However, Downes suffered a serious knee injury against Darlington earlier in April and could be sidelined for up to nine months. The injury prompted concerns Downes could be let go, but Spireites boss Lee Richardson moved quickly to reassure the Australian that he had a future at Saltergate. Chesterfield have now confirmed that the 23-year-old will sign a new contract and Richardson is confident the centre-half will return as good as ever. "Aaron has been in great form this season and I am delighted that the club has moved quickly to reassure him that his future is with the Spireites," Richardson told the club's official website. "He is a fit young lad and there is every expectation that he will fully recover."