‘Things have not really worked out’ – City forward’s loan spell at Chesterfield is cut short

Norwich City U23 striker Anthony Spyrou, left, in trial action for Chesterfield during pre-season Picture: Derbyshire Times (Image: Derbyshire Times)

The 19-year-old got a brief taste of loan action at National League club at the end of last season and returned to the top tier of non-league with the Spireites on a season-long switch.

However, just five appearances during an injury-hit stint has seen Spyrou return to Norwich early.

Chesterfield boss John Sheridan, speaking to the Derbyshire Times, explained: "I think it was just a case of things have not really worked out with the injuries he has picked up," Sheridan said.

"He has not really figured too much and I do not think he has caught up after his injuries getting his fitness back. They (injuries) have just been occurring too many times and too frequently.

"Norwich have been very good about it. He (Spyrou) totally understands. It is hard when you are a loan player and he is young as well and he is living away from home when you are not playing regular it can be difficult.

"He is staying in a house sometimes on his own, staying in a hotel sometimes on his own, he is only 19. He lives down south and it was just difficult.

"It is a totally different ball game if he was playing regularly. It is just a decision we have both made.

"I spoke to (loans manager) Neil Adams at Norwich who I know really well and we just thought for both parties the best thing to do was for Anthony to return to Norwich.

"We sorted it out last week and we move on from it."

Spyrou was part of City's U18 team which reached the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals in 2018, forming a fine partnership with Adam Idah, who has since progressed to first team involvement and is a regular for the Republic of Ireland U21s.

The tall attacker, from Essex, was converted from a winger to a striker by academy coaches and is thought to be under contract until the end of the season.

Sheridan continued: "I brought him in because I really liked him as a player. When he is on his game he is sharp and he scores goals but I think we just have not seen the best of him.

"Unfortunately for him when he was looking sharp in pre-season he gets this unfortunate injury - a thigh injury - which was a setback for him.

"It has been niggling and there have been one or two other little things which keep popping up.

"It is hard because Norwich wanted him to come here, I wanted him to come here to play games, but unfortunately he has not played enough football so hopefully he goes back there and gets back to full fitness and sharpness because he is a very good player which is why I brought him here.

"Unfortunately myself and the supporters have not seen what he can actually do which is a shame."