Frozen out at Portsmouth under Paul Cook - but Drew Talbot guaranteed warmer reception as Chesterfield and Sheffield Wednesday agree to testimonial game

Chesterfield and Sheffield Wednesday will meet at the former’s Technique Stadium on July 11 (7pm) to celebrate the career of the striker-turned-defender, who will have fond memories of his time at both clubs.

Coincidentally, Cook is back in charge of the Spireites, after spells at Pompey, Wigan and Ipswich following his first stint with the National League side.

He brought Talbot to Fratton Park from Chesterfield in the summer of 2016 and told Blues supporters at the time that the right-back would be a firm fans’ favourite because of his attacking style of play.

Yet the former Owls trainee never got the chance to showcase his ability as he quickly found himself out in the cold just weeks after signing a two-year deal.

Indeed, five league games into Pompey’s 2016-17 League Two title-winning season, he found himself dropped – with a November run-out in the EFL Trophy against Bristol Rovers his last appearance of that campaign.

Talbot did earn the chance to resurrect his Blues career under Cook’s successor, Kenny Jackett, the following season. Yet, once again, he soon found himself out of favour, making just seven appearances in all competitions before returning to Chesterfield on a free transfer in January 2018.

Luckily for Cook, the now 36-year-old didn’t hold a grudge following his nightmare first season on the south coast.

Speaking to The News in August 2017, he said: ‘Last season, for whatever reason, I wasn’t playing. That’s down to the management staff.

‘I never lost confidence in myself, though.

‘People may say things about the old gaffer (Cook) but I have respect for him, even though I didn’t play for whatever reason.

‘It got me down for a long time, though. It’s been tough.

‘I didn’t get any explanation. I was training well but nothing happened.

‘I was trying to get out on loan but they rejected a few moves.

‘So I wasn’t sure what was going on but I never lost faith.’

Talbot announced his retirement in 2019 after a career spanning 15 years and 421 games. More than 300 of those matches were for Chesterfield over three separate spells.

He won two League Two titles with the Spireites (2011 and 2014) and the EFL Trophy (2012). The right-back also scored the fourth goal in Sheffield Wednesday’s 4-2 extra-time win against Hartlepool in the 2005 League One play-off final – although back then he was considered a striker.

Five league appearances for the Blues in his first season with the club meant Talbot did not get a 2016-17 League Two title-winners’ medal.