Macclesfield F.C.

Macclesfield Football Club is an association football club based in Macclesfield, Cheshire, England. Founded on 13 October 2020 by local businessman Robert Smethurst,[1] it is a phoenix club of the former Macclesfield Town F.C., which was wound-up after a High Court ruling on 16 September 2020.[2] The club began their first competitive season in the North West Counties Premier Division, the fifth step of the National League system, in August 2021.

For the previous club founded in 1874, see Macclesfield Town F.C.
For the Australian rules football club, see Macclesfield Football Club.
Macclesfield
Full nameMacclesfield Football Club
Nickname(s)The Silkmen
FoundedOctober 13, 2020 (2020-10-13)
GroundLeasing.com Stadium
Capacity4,720 (2,095 seated)
ManagerDanny Whitaker
LeagueNorth West Counties League Premier Division
2021–22North West Counties League Premier Division, 1st of 21 (promoted)
WebsiteClub website

History

Macclesfield F.C. is a successor to Macclesfield Town.[3] Founded in 1874, Macclesfield Town was liquidated and expelled from the National League in 2020 because of debts of over £500,000.[4] Its assets were put up for sale, including the Moss Rose stadium on the Rightmove property website.[5] In October 2020, the stadium and all available assets were purchased by Robert Smethurst, the owner of Stockport Town, with the aim of returning professional football to Macclesfield by creating the phoenix club as Macclesfield F.C.[6] Smethurst appointed the Welsh former professional footballer Robbie Savage as a member of the board for the new phoenix club with Danny Whitaker as manager.[7] He also invested in upgrading the stadium to improve the commercial viability of the new club.[8]

In May 2021, it was announced that Macclesfield would be placed in the NWCFL Premier Division for their first season.[9] Savage announced that the club would be joining with his foundation to offer free tickets to foundation participants to encourage youth attendance at the club's matches.[10] Macclesfield entered the FA Vase for the first time in 2021–22.[11]

2021–22 season

On 31 July 2021 Macclesfield played their first competitive match, a 1–0 win at home against Burscough in the NWCFL Premier Division played in front of a restricted capacity sell-out crowd of 2,018; Leon Arnasalam scored the only goal.[12] The club's first away match was on 3 August, a 4–4 draw at Winsford United, also in the NWCFL Premier Division, with Tom Clare scoring all four Macclesfield goals.[13] On 7 August Macclesfield played their first FA Cup match, beating Burscough 4–0 in the Extra Preliminary Round, but were then knocked out of the FA Cup in the Preliminary Round losing 6–4 at Squires Gate.[14]

On 30 August Macclesfield defeated local rivals Congleton Town 1–0 in the NWCFL Premier Division in front of a record crowd of 3,502, James Berry-McNally scoring the only goal.[15] The match was suspended for several minutes late in the second half due to crowd trouble.[16] It was the first time the neighbouring towns had met in a league match since the 1964–65 season.[17]

On 11 September, Macclesfield played in the FA Vase for the first time, losing 3–2 at Northern Counties East League Premier Division side Winterton Rangers in the First Qualifying Round.

Macclesfield F.C. was featured in a BBC Sport documentary film, Robbie Savage: Making Macclesfield FC, broadcast on 13 November 2021, which described the launch of the new club following the collapse of Macclesfield Town.[18]

Despite a relatively poor run of form at the start of the new year (L2, D1, W2 in January), a run of ten consecutive wins followed, in which 37 goals were scored and only four conceded.[19] On 12 March 2022, Macclesfield secured the North West Counties Premier Division title and promotion to the NPL Division One West after a 4–0 win against Ashton Athletic, becoming the first club in England's top nine tiers in 2022 to guarantee promotion.[20] Macclesfield finished their league campaign on 2 April, 15 points clear of second-placed Skelmersdale United.[21]

Shirt sponsors and manufacturers
Period Kit Manufacturer Shirt Sponsor
2021– Adidas boohooMAN

Players

Current squad
As of 24 March 2022[22]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK  ENG Sam Ashton
— GK  ENG Elliot Cooper
— GK  ENG Ben Pierce
— DF  ENG Lewis Fensome
— DF  ENG Rocco Fregapane
— DF  ENG Jacob Hanson
— DF  ENG Lee Jackson
— DF  ENG Brandon Lee
— DF  ENG Curtis Obeng
— DF  ENG Oliver Ryan
— MF  ENG Leon Arnasalam (dual registration with Prescot Cables until May 2022)
— MF  ENG Max Bardsley-Rowe
— MF  GUY Neil Danns
— MF  ENG Mark Duffy
— MF  ESP Sidi Sanogo Fofana
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF  ENG Sam Grimshaw
— MF  FRA Laurent Mendy (captain)
— MF  ENG Callum West
— MF  ENG Danny Whitaker (player-manager)
— FW  ENG James Berry
— FW  ENG Tom Clare
— FW  ENG Aaron Dwyer
— FW  SCO Harry Freedman
— FW  ENG Tyler James
— FW  ENG Alex Kiwomya
— FW  ENG Brandon Lonsdale (on loan from Blackburn Rovers Academy until May 2022)
— FW  POR Edy Maieco
— FW  ENG Bobbie McDonnell
— FW  ENG Andy Owens

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF  ENG Ekow Coker (at Ashton United until May 2022)
— DF  ENG Luis Morrison-Derbyshire (at Stafford Rangers until May 2022)
— DF  ENG Louis Shead (at Prescot Cables until May 2022)
— MF  POR Abdul Djaló (at City of Liverpool until May 2022)

Management

Managerial history
Dates Name Notes
2020– Danny Whitaker Player-manager

Seasons
Season League FA Cup Other competitions Top scorer Average home
attendance
Division Pld W D L F A Pts Pos Name League
2021–22 NWCFL Premier Division 40 29 7 4 94 38 94 1st
Champions 		PR FA Vase QR1 Tom Clare 23 3,390
NWCFL Challenge Cup
Cheshire Senior Cup R2

Club honours

League
Champions: 2021–22[23]

Club records
As of 12 April 2022[22]

Attendance
  • Highest home attendance (Top 3):
4,720[lower-alpha 1] v AFC Liverpool, 2 April 2022 – NWCFL Premier Division
4,604 v Ashton Athletic, 12 March 2022 – NWCFL Premier Division
4,353 v Winsford United, 27 December 2021 – NWCFL Premier Division
  • Lowest home attendance:
402 v Cheadle Heath Nomads, 2 November 2021 – Cheshire Senior Cup First Round
  • Highest away attendance (Top 3):
1,680[lower-alpha 2] v Congleton Town, 26 March 2022 – NWCFL Premier Division
942 v Northwich Victoria, 27 November 2021 – NWCFL Premier Division
936 v Skelmersdale United, 13 November 2021 – NWCFL Premier Division
  • Lowest away attendance:
231 v Northwich Victoria, 16 March 2022 – NWCFL Challenge Cup

Results
  • Biggest home win:
6–0 v Avro, 19 March 2022 - NWCFL Premier Division
  • Heaviest home defeat:
1–3 v Stockport County, 7 December 2021 – Cheshire Senior Cup Second Round
2–4 v Wythenshawe Town, 8 January 2022 – NWCFL Premier Division
  • Biggest away win:
0–6 v Vauxhall Motors, 22 February 2022 – NWCFL Premier Division
  • Heaviest away defeat:
6–4 v Squires Gate, 21 August 2021 – FA Cup Preliminary Round
4–2 v Longridge Town, 20 September 2021 – NWCFL Premier Division
2–0 v Avro, 29 September 2021 – NWCFL Premier Division
  • Highest scoring draw:
4–4 v Winsford United (away), 3 August 2021 – NWCFL Premier Division
  • Highest aggregate score:
(10) 6–4 v Squires Gate (away), 21 August 2021 – FA Cup Preliminary Round

Streaks
  • Longest unbeaten run (All comps):
17 matches, from 14 January 2022 to present
  • Longest unbeaten run (League):
14 matches, from 14 January 2022 to present
  • Longest unbeaten run (Home - All comps):
13 matches, from 31 July 2021 to 7 December 2021
  • Longest unbeaten run (Home - League):
13 matches, from 31 July 2021 to 8 January 2022
  • Longest winning run (All comps):
13 matches, from 12 February 2022 to present
  • Longest winning run (League):
10 matches, from 12 February 2022 to present
  • Longest scoring run:
18 matches, from 8 January 2022 to present
  • Most consecutive clean sheets (All comps):
4 matches, from 12 February 2022 to 26 February 2022

Player records
  • Most appearances (All comps):
43 – Laurent Mendy, 31 July 2021 – present
  • Goals scored (All comps):
23 – Tom Clare, 31 July 2021 – present
  • Goals scored in a match:
4 – Tom Clare v Winsford United (away), 3 August 2021 – NWCFL Premier Division
4 – James Berry v Avro (home), 19 March 2022 – NWCFL Premier Division

Cup performances
Preliminary Round, 2021–22[24]
First Qualifying Round, 2021–22
Second Round, 2021–22

Notable players

Macclesfield F.C. players who have attained at least one international cap during their career.

Notes
  1. NWCFL Premier Division record.
  2. Played at Gresty Road, Crewe.

References
  1. "Macclesfield FC". Macclesfield FC. Archived from the original on 21 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  2. "Macclesfield Town FC wound up in High Court over debts exceeding £500,000". BBC Sport. 16 September 2020. Archived from the original on 16 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  3. "Government review of football will explore alternative ownership models for clubs". The Independent. 23 April 2021. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  4. "Macclesfield Town expelled from National League after club wound up". Cheshire Live. 29 September 2020. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  5. Powell, Dave (1 October 2020). "Macclesfield Town's 129-year-old Moss Rose home up for sale on Rightmove". Cheshire Live. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  6. Scapens, Alex (7 October 2020). "Footballing future in Macclesfield given boost as the Silkmen are bought". Cheshire Live. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  7. "Macclesfield FC: Robert Smethurst takes over club as Robbie Savage joins board". BBC Sport. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  8. Whelan, Dan (14 October 2020). "Macc plots stadium improvements after takeover". Place North West. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  9. "Macclesfield FC: Reformed club to join North West Counties Premier Division next season". BBC Sport. 18 May 2021. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  10. "Robbie Savage launches foundation to give children free access to grassroots football". ITV. 27 April 2021. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  11. "The Buildbase FA Vase Season 2021–22" (.ashx). The Football Association. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  12. Line-ups: Macclesfield 1–0 Burscough, NWCFL website. Retrieved: 4 August 2021.
  13. Line-ups: Winsford United 4–4 Macclesfield, NWCFL website. Retrieved: 4 August 2021.
  14. Line-ups: Squires Gate 6–4 Macclesfield, NWCFL website. Retrieved: 9 September 2021.
  15. Lineups: Macclesfield 1–0 Congleton Town, NWCFL website. Retrieved: 9 September 2021.
  16. Robbie Savage bravely steps in to break up fight at Macclesfield game, Daily Mirror (30 August 2021). Retrieved: 9 September 2021.
  17. Silkmen Archives. Retrieved: 9 September 2021.
  18. Golby, Joel (13 November 2021). "Robbie Savage: Making Macclesfield FC – this would be touching TV … if football's court jester would shut up". Guardian. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  19. "NWCFL Club pages: Macclesfield FC". Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  20. "Macclesfield crowned champions in first season". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  21. "NWCFL League Table". NWCFL. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  22. Macclesfield NWCFL.com. Retrieved: 15 November 2021.
  23. "Macclesfield FC: Silkmen crowned champions in first season". BBC Sport. 12 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  24. Ashton, James (22 August 2021). "Squires Gate 6 Macclesfield FC 4: Record attendance witnesses an FA Cup classic". Gazette. Retrieved 15 November 2021.

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