Not many clubs can boast that one of their finest hours was in the Anglo-Scottish Cup, but Chesterfield can. They won the competition in its final season, 1980/81, but it is perhaps not the winning of the trophy but one of the ties that is best remembered. The only Scottish club they played was the mighty Rangers at the quarter-final stage and they beat them 4-1 on aggregate. The clubs drew 1-1 at Ibrox before 14,000 fans and then on Tuesday October 28th 1980 Chesterfield beat Rangers 3-0 at Saltergate before 13,914 fans.

After having progressed from a qualifying group that put them up against Grimsby, Hull and Sheffield United the Spireites then eliminated Rangers before getting the better of Bury in the two-legged semi-finals. The final was against near neighbours Notts County who were beaten 2-1 on aggregate with 23,000 fans watching the two ties.