After their magical FA Cup victory this past weekend, Macclesfield FC have followed up the good news by announcing the signing of a player not only from the division above, but one leaving an old rival club here in the North West.
What a time to be a fan of The Silkmen.
Yes, just a couple of days after knocking out the holders, Crystal Palace, and progressing to the next round, Macclesfield were jokingly being linked with all manner of talent, from Messi to Bruno Fernandes, but they have still managed to secure a new player in the middle of the park from the National League.
Dropping down a level to the sixth tier of English football, the now ex-Altrincham FC midfielder Elliot Osborne has been officially unveiled, swapping red stripes for blue and white.
Confirmed on 12 January, the 29-year-old Port Vale academy graduate is no stranger to the region, having previously represented the likes of Nantwich Town, Tranmere Rovers, Southport and two loan spells at Stockport County.
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Born in Stoke-on-Trent and spending several years up and down the EFL, as well as various non-league teams, he joined Alty FC back in 2022 and went on to make nearly two centuries’ worth of appearances.
However, despite playing a key role for The Robins – competing in the 2023/24 playoffs and even helping former employers beat his new ones at Macclesfield in an FA Trophy penalty shoot-out just last season – the captain was released from the local club by mutual consent this month.
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Commenting on his arrival, the club said in a statement: “The combative, hard-working midfielder adds great experience to the Silkmen midfield ranks.
“Please join us in giving Elliot a warm welcome to the Leasing.com Stadium, and we wish him every success during his time with the Silkmen.”
It remains to be seen how much more business the formerly Robbie Savaged backed and managed side will do in the remainder of the January transfer window.
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Despite having limited resources, currently placed 14th in the National League North, it’s fair to say there’s been so fresh interest in the project following their ‘David and Goliath’ story.
The aforementioned ‘cup-set’ against Palace has quickly gone down as one of the competition’s most memorable and magical ties in recent memory, and Osborne will no doubt be looking forward to seeing how far they can go in the knockout tournament.
You can watch his first interview in full down below.
Featured Images — Silkmen TV (screenshot via YouTube)/Macclesfield FC (via X)
Sport
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
Sport
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Danny Jones -
13th January 2026 
