Boss John Gregory has told Crawley’s five transfer-listed players to “shove my words down my throat”.

Former skipper Josh Simpson, Matt Harrold, Conor Henderson, Lewis Young and Brian Jensen were all told they could leave two weeks ago but failed to secure moves ahead of yesterday’s loan deadline.

All five will now remain at the Checkatrade.com Stadium until the transfer window reopens in January with Gregory urging them to show him he was wrong to discard them.

Gregory said: “I would love any of them to get themselves in the team and shove my words right down my throat.

“I genuinely would like nothing better as it would show they have got a bit of spirit about them. In many respects I have thrown down the challenge to them to show me what they are made of.

“I’ve written off players before and said to them ‘show me I am wrong’. Don’t whinge and moan, do something about it.

“If I think they can help Crawley Town win football matches I will pick them. I don’t care if I don’t get on with them personally as I always pick my teams on merit and never hold grudges.”

Simpson and Harrold will not feature against Chesterfield today with Gregory admitting he has “no idea” how long the duo will remain injured.

Henderson, Young and Jensen are all likely to be on the bench again for the visit of the Spireites as Reds bid to extend their five match unbeaten run in League One Shaun Miller is set to make his debut up front after signing on a one-month loan from Coventry City on Thursday while Lanre Oyebanjo is fit to return having missing the last two games through injury.

Chesterfield welcome back midfielder Sam Morsy after he sat out the 2-1 win over Barnsley last weekend due to a one-match ban for collecting five bookings.

Crawley (3-5-2, probable): Price; Bradley, Leacock, Walsh; Oyebanjo, Keane, Edwards, Elliott, Dickson; Miller, McLeod. Subs from: Jensen, Bawling, Henderson, Banya, O’Connor, Young, Smith, Tomlin.

Chesterfield (4-2-3-1, probable): Lee; Darikwa, Evatt, Raglan, Jones; Morsy, Ryan; Clucas, Roberts, O’Shea; Doyle. Subs from: Ariyibi, Boco, Wright, Gardner, Gnanduillet, Margreitter, Banks.