Allen critical of Portsmouth

Chesterfield chairman Dave Allen has heavily criticised Portsmouth for the timing of their approach for manager Paul Cook.

Allen feels the request to speak to Cook, which came with two matches of the season remaining as the Spireites were fighting to get into the League One play-off places, was "untimely and insensitive". He has also described Pompey's handling of the situation as "unprofessional" and "unethical". Portsmouth's initial approach came on April 23 and was quickly refused by Chesterfield, who went on to reach the play-offs where they were beaten 4-0 on aggregate by Preston in the semi-finals. However, talks continued behind the scenes and Cook eventually completed his move to Portsmouth on Tuesday, just 48 hours after the second leg at Deepdale, with Pompey paying a significant release clause in Cook's contract to get their man. Speaking at the press conference to introduce Dean Saunders as Cook's successor, Allen attacked the south coast club over the way they conducted themselves throughout the saga. "We had an approach some time ago from Portsmouth, which I believe was a very untimely and insensitive approach at a time when we were trying to get into the play-offs," said Allen. "There was not much we could do about it as Portsmouth released the news down there to their press that they had come in for Paul Cook. "I found that very unprofessional but unfortunately these things happen. There's not a lot we could have done about it and we had to manage the situation as best as we could. "During that period we identified our next manager. It was clear a change was going to be needed and we quickly identified who we wanted." Asked if Portsmouth's approach had a negative impact on Chesterfield's subsequent unsuccessful play-off campaign, Allen added: "It didn't help did it. "It unsettled players and unsettled everybody at the club and took the shine off of what had so far been a very successful season." Cook has signed a three-year contract with Portsmouth while negotiations with Leam Richardson, his assistant at Chesterfield, continue. Former Wrexham, Doncaster, Wolves and Crawley boss Saunders has put pen to paper on a two-year deal with the Spireites.