Macclesfield Town FC, a community club with 146 years of history, is another North West football team on the brink of extinction.
In mid-September it was announced that the Silkmen were being wound up after Judge Sebastian Prentis heard in the High Court that a total of around £500,000 was owned to HMRC and creditors such as John Askey, a former manager of the club.
Recent times have been tumultuous for Macclesfield when reports surfaced early in 2019 that some players had not been paid in three months.
The team was subsequently relegated to the National League at the end of the 2019/20 season after being deducted points as a result of their financial difficulties and the numerous instances in which players went unpaid.
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Fans have been frustrated with the continued influence and control of the majority shareholder, Amar Alkadhi, and believe the club would have been in a better position if the club had been sold at an earlier date.
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A petition calling for the removal of Alkadhi was set up by fans almost a year ago.
After the winding-up order was issued last week, the Silkmen Supporters Trust (SST), who provided a loan of £10,000 to the club in April to ensure staff and players were paid, made it clear that they believed Alkadhi was to blame.
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“The SST are devastated by the decision of the court to wind up Macclesfield Town Football Club,” they said.
“The responsibility for this lies at the feet of one person – Amar Alkadhi.
“The only way forward now, and it may be a positive, would be to form a new club, just like Bury have done, debt free and without Mr Alkadhi.”
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It is yet another blow to footballing communities in the North West following the recent expulsion of Bury FC from the footballing league, and their subsequent threat of liquidation, as well as the precarious position of Wigan Athletic who fell into administration in July of this year.
Founded back in 1874, Macclesfield Town is one of the oldest football clubs in the country and have played their games at Moss Rose since 1891.
In the post-World War II era, where the club became known as Macclesfield Town rather than Macclesfield FC, the greatest period of success for the team came in the 1990s with former Manchester United midfielder Sammy McIlroy at the helm.
Taking charge of the team at the beginning of the 1993/94 season, Mcllory managed to steer the team to the top of the Conference and the promise of the English Football League in just his second season.
The Silkmen dominated the Conference, sitting top of the pack from November of 1994 until the end of the season, but promotion was unfortunately denied as their stadium did not meet the EFL requirements.
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The team were eventually promoted to the EFL following the 1996/97 season, winning the Conference by five points; a remarkable feat given the fact that the club trailed the top spot by fifteen points earlier in the season.
Mcllory’s reign also saw the FA Trophy return to the Moss Rose for the second time in the club’s history (with a win against Northwich Victoria at Wembley) and promotion in two successive years in the 1997/98 season and a second-place finish in Division Three.
The Silkmen’s fortunes faded in the following season, returning to the third division after being relegated. The season also saw the departure of Mcllory.
The years since have seen several big names take the reigns, including Paul Ince and Sol Campbell.
Perhaps most fondly remembered, though, is Keith Alexander, who took charge of the club between 2008 and 2010 before he unfortunately passed away while occupying the role.
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Alexander saved the club from being relegated to the Conference in 2008, extending the club’s run in the football league.
He is also widely regarded as a pioneer for racial equality in the game, previously becoming the first professional black manager in the EFL and the first professionally qualified black referee in England.
"I feel like I've been kicked in the stomach and I'm not sure I can get up."
It's been a heartbreaking week for Macclesfield Town fans.
In recent years, Macclesfield dropped out of the footballing league twice, although there have been a few bright spots since the team were initially relegated to the Conference in 2012.
These included the first appearance in the FA Cup fourth round and a promotion back into the Football League in 2019, but the financial issues have slowly mounted over the years.
Now, the future looks bleak.
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Fans and employees alike are devastated that a club with such close ties to the community and a long footballing history is on the brink of collapse.
The club is yet to be officially liquidated, giving fans some small hope that a solution can be found.
But it is clear that the financial problems brought on by the modern game have resulted in yet another casualty, continuing a process of erosion in the game which leaves no room for the ‘little’ guys.
Sport
Manchester City’s Stadium Tours are back for the summer and bigger than ever
Danny Jones
Manchester City stadium tours are back for summer 2026, with more to see from the home of the Blues than ever, and with 15% off all tickets until the end of August, too.
It’s safe to say that Man City are going through a HUGE period of change right now: embarking on a new era under Enzo Maresca following the dynasty of Pep Guardiola, vast redevelopments of the wider Etihad Campus, a new club hotel, and the expansion of the North Stand – now named after said Catalan coach.
With that in mind, there’s so much new stuff going on over in East Manchester and arguably more of it all happening in one place than we can recall in recent memory, making it the perfect time for Cityzens to return to the famous home ground – indeed, your Etihad debut if you haven’t made one already.
Giving you greater access to areas usually reserved for players and staff only than ever, this exclusive, interactive and virtual tour will take you through the very bones of the storied sporting arena, all the way through to pitchside.
Fans can explore the dressing room and follow in the footsteps of their favourite City players as they walk through the iconic glass players’ tunnel, before walking out into the open air and sitting in the dugout to take in that incredible view.
You can also try out the latest ‘Beyond the Blue Moon’ experience – an immersive VR adventure that sees supporters journey through Manchester City’s past, present, and future.
Following on from Pep lending his likeness, using innovative technology, you can now even have the chance to put your questions to Erling Haaland in the Press Conference Room.
There aren’t many teams on the planet that offer this level of stadium tour, let alone just here in the UK, so it’s no wonder they remain award-winning almost every single year.
Whether you’re a lifelong City fan, a football lover or visiting this wonderful place we call Manchester for the very first time, there’s something for everyone.
For instance, with The Medlock Hotel and accompanying Medlock Square already lining up its maiden events, the City Football Group (CFG) are once again committing to make the wider Etihad Campus an all-year-round entertainment destination.
That being said, plenty of people online have been generating a lot of buzz about the aforementioned Medlock’s new stadium-view rooms since clips appeared on social media.
Pitch view rooms coming to the Radisson Blu Medlock Hotel at #ManCity’s Etihad Stadium. 🤯
As for the tickets themselves, the club have also taken steps to keep the cost affordable.
Standard prices start from just £32 for adults and only £20 for under-16s, with larger family packages available from £60.
BUT, with the 15% discount mentioned earlier, adults currently cost just £27; kids go for just £17, and those family passes start from just £51.
You can find all the options when it comes to stadium tour passes and grab the type of admission that suits you right HERE.
Speaking of tickets, City have also been met with praise for the introduction of new discounted seats for local residents; find out all the details below.
René Meulensteen names the ‘ideal’ signing that Man United appear to be overlooking
Danny Jones
Ex-Manchester United coach René Meulensteen has named the one key signing that he feels the Red Devils are missing out on by not pursuing this summer.
The former Man United assistant, who served under Sir Alex and has recently returned to the backrooms of the English football pyramid, has given his verdict on what he thinks his old club still needs in terms of reinforcements.
Chatting with TipmanTips, the 62-year-old identified the backline as a persisting problem area for now full-time manager Michael Carrick, insisting that they could do with another central defender.
The footballer in question is his fellow countryman, Micky van de Ven – fresh from a new contract with Tottenham Hotspur – who has surprised many by not securing his next big-money move so far in the transfer window.
We are delighted to announce that Micky van de Ven has signed a new contract with the Club!
Speaking in an exclusive interview, he said his Dutch compatriot wouldn’t just be a great rotation player but a starter coming into the 2026/26 season.
“I still think they’re vulnerable at the back”, says Meulensteen, “and that’s one thing Michael is going to have to sort out as soon as possible when the season starts. Finding a centre-back partnership that works and getting some consistency in the back line will be key.
“Harry Maguire is coming off a good end to last season, but he needs some complementary centre-backs next to him, and then also on the right-hand side next to him with Mazraoui and Dalot not really doing anything.”
“I would have been looking at Micky van de Ven from Spurs before he signed a new deal. He’s powerful, he’s quick, he’s got great experience in playing as a left centre back in the Premier League, and he would have given United a very different dynamic in their defence.
He rounded off the recommendation, however late, by arguing that were Maguire to be a mainstay first-choice centre-half for Carrick this season, “van de Ven would’ve meant you wouldn’t have to worry about his lack of pace in behind, as he can cover so much ground recovering.”
As for who they have brought in so far, they’ve managed a well-balanced, albeit limited number of young and experienced talents, including the surprise return of greatest-ever goalscorers (currently 13th on the all-time list at still just 28) in Marcus Rashford.
While he did go on to cite the likes of Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke as a viable alternative, it’s fair to say he would be high up on the shortlist of many fans – and not just United.
On the other hand, we’d once again reiterate that we include ourselves among those stunned that he hasn’t had more suitors floating around of late, especially given he was one of the few bright lights among a side that nearly got relegated last term.
Would you have him as another CB option, Reds?
As for the one-time United assistant, he has recently been introduced to Stockport County FC supporters as the latest addition to the technical staff in an admittedly curious new position…
Kate Jackson -
21st September 2020 
