Mark Robins won’t be leading the bounce-back bid at Chesterfield.

But the former manager was spot-on when he said in the immediate aftermath of Saturday’s 4-0 home defeat by Bournemouth: “The season has to start on Tuesday, because it hasn’t started yet.”

Having spoken to the press, Robins headed to the boardroom for the meeting which led to his exit by mutual consent.

Now Mark Lillis will team up with Steve Thompson and Steve Eyre to steer Town until Robins’ successor is confirmed.

There’s a tough schedule ahead.

After the cup trip to the Proact Stadium, where there will be extra time and penalties if required, Town head to Cardiff on Saturday and Reading next Tuesday.

Chesterfield, of course, is the immediate priority.

And the Spireites look set to give Town a tough test.

Paul Cook’s side won the League II title last season and kicked off their third-tier campaign with an impressive 2-1 win at Orient.

Eoin Doyle and French midfielder Rommy Boco, a new recruit from Plymouth, got the goals.

Boco, 29, who played under Chesterfield chief Paul Cook at Accrington, is among five additions to a squad which includes Town old boys Liam Cooper and Gary Roberts, the League II Player of the Season last term.

Also added are defender Daniel Jones (from Port Vale), midfielders Daniel Johnson (on loan from Aston Villa) and Michael Onovwigun (from Brentford) and forward Charlie Dawes (from Sheffield Wednesday).

Cook can also call on Ollie Banks, the son of former Town star and AFC Emley manager Ian Banks and, like his dad, a midfielder.

Town reached the third round of the League Cup last season, beating Bradford 2-1 (Nahki Wells scored for the Bantams before his Town-record transfer in January) and Charlton 3-2 before a 1-0 third-round loss at Hull.

Chesterfield went down 2-1 at Leeds in round one last term.

Reading host Newport on Tuesday, while TV coverage means Cardiff’s first-round tie at Coventry, whose manager Steven Pressley is among the names being linked with the Town vacancy, has been put back until Wednesday, giving them a day less than Town to prepare for Saturday’s Championship showdown.

The Tuesday cup schedule also includes Barnsley v Crewe, Leeds v Accrington, Morecambe v Bradford, Rotherham v Fleetwood, Sheffield Wednesday v Notts County and York v Doncaster.

Sheffield United host Mansfield on Wednesday.