CHESTERFIELD boss John Sheridan was proud of his players as they beat Swindon to secure the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy, but conceded he would trade yesterday’s success for a place in League One next season.

The Spireites have enjoyed respite from a poor league campaign in the JPT this season, pulling off a string of surprise results to secure their place in the final at Wembley.

Given that they went into yesterday’s game bottom of League One, few backed them to get a result against a side firmly on course for promotion from the league below.

While yesterday belonged to Chesterfield, they could well be swapping places with Swindon next season and Sheridan admitted that as enjoyable a trophy victory is, League One survival remains the priority.

“I am very proud at the moment. I came and scored and won at Wembley as a player and it was great to come and win as a manager,” said the former midfielder, who was part of a Sheffield Wednesday side that won the League Cup at Wembley back in 1991.

“It is always good to win a trophy and I’ll enjoy today but our league programme is obviously the priority.

“I won’t get carried away with the victory. It is a trophy, I won’t disrespect it but I know where my priorities lie. I am desperate for us to stay in the division and that is what comes first.

“I would sacrifice the win to stay up. If we had all the wins we had in the JPT in the league we would be staying up.”

Bar a 20 minute period in the first half, Chesterfield were perhaps the better side and certainly looked dangerous on the break.

Lee Holmes had been a particular thorn in Chesterfield's side in the first half but Sheridan's side successfully nullified his threat in the second half, while Matt Ritchie was well marshalled throughout.

“Swindon are a good team and for 20 minutes they caused us problems,” added Sheridan.

“I didn’t see that in the second half, we got tighter on their wingers and I did not see them in the game.

“We need to show in the league that we can pass it and we did that in the second half, we dominated that period in my opinion.”

Some 30,000 Town fans held hope that the Robins would snatch something before the final whistle, but all hopes were ended when substitute Craig Westcarr ran through before firing beyond Wes Foderingham.

The 27-year-old had missed a couple of earlier opportunities, but his late finish should give Sheridan some food for thought when selecting his side for the remaining league games.

“He is a good finisher and he strikes the ball very well,” he added. “Strikers should be hitting the target when through one on one and I pleased he kept going after missing earlier on.

“He showed a great attitude and he was a handful and he really worked his socks off.”