GARY Liddle could be excused for feeling a little old in the Chesterfield dressing room.

The former Bantams battler goes into Saturday’s clash with the club he left in January as one of three ever-presents in Danny Wilson’s side.

Only goalkeeper Ryan Fulton, on loan from Liverpool, and Gboly Ariyibi can match Liddle, pictured, for playing all 1,044 minutes of the Spireites’ campaign to date.

Fulton is only 20 but is the most experienced of the youngsters that fill the rest of the team right now.

Already operating with a small squad, Wilson has been hit by injuries to right back Paul McGinn and striker Ched Evans. The Welshman faces another three to four weeks out with a heel injury.

So his veteran manager has been forced to go with youth and handed a further debut to defender Laurence Maguire in Tuesday’s 3-3 draw with Gillingham – a game when Chesterfield twice led by two.

Wilson admitted it was a “sickener” to concede a 95th-minute equaliser but was pleased with how his rookies slotted in.

Wilson said: “We’ve got that many injuries and young lads coming in with no experience. But now we know we can trust them.”

Despite their problems, goals have not been an issue for the Derbyshire club - particularly at the Proact Stadium.

All three of their league wins have come on home turf, including one that ended Northampton’s nine-month unbeaten run.

Only Millwall have come away with three points in five games that have seen Chesterfield score 12 goals – the second highest behind leaders Scunthorpe. On-loan Bolton forward Conor Wilkinson has scored doubles in each of the last two home outings and Kristian Dennis has been on target in three successive games since make his league debut.

Wilson hopes to have midfielder Dion Donohue back but Keighley-born keeper Tommy Lee remains on the long-term injury list.