First Team News
First Team

Macclesfield Town: 10 Things

Posted by Kelly Gilchrist
Posted on Sun 4 May 2014
Posted in First Team

1)Β Β Β Β The Football League

Macclesfield Town spent all 15 of their years in the Football League consecutively, from 1997 to 2012.

2)Β Β Β Β League Two

Of the 15 years that were spent in the Football League, the last 13 were spent in League Two, and, until they were relegated, they were the longest-standing club in the competition.

3)Β Β Β Β Names

Between 1874 and 1940, the club had a plethora of names, including Macclesfield Football and Athletic Club, Hallifield FC, and Macclesfield FC. The club gained its current name when football resumed after World War Two.

4)Β Β Β Β FA Cup First Round

Their first visit to the first round of the FA Cup came in 1960, but was somewhat tainted in a heavy 7-2 defeat to Southport.

5)Β Β Β Β Nine Years of Success

The nine years following their FA Cup first round debut were a purple patch for the club, as they won three league titles (including the Cheshire League by a record-equalling 13-point margin), and finished in the top five every season.

6)Β Β Β Β FA Cup Third Round

That nine year boom period for the club saw them make their FA Cup Third Round debut against then-First Division club Fulham at Craven Cottage. They lost the tie 4-2, but their performance was so impressive that Macclesfield’s Keith Goalen became the first-ever non-league player to be named Footballer of the Month by the London Evening Standard.

7)Β Β Β Β Northern Premier League

Macclesfield were founder members of the Northern Premier League in 1968, one of three leagues at the fifth tier of English football. They were champions in the first two seasons, winning by twelve points and on goal-difference, respectively. In the second season, they also won the FA Trophy at Wembley, beating Telford United 2-0.

8)Β Β Β Β Conference Premier

In their first season in the Conference Premier League, they achieved a mid-table finish, and knocked both Carlisle and Rotherham (Football League teams) out of the FA Cup. They reached the final of the FA Trophy again, against the same opponents in Telford United. However, this time, they lost 1-0.

9)Β Β Β Β Sammy Mcllroy

Following a difficult period for the club, manager Peter Wragg was replaced with former Manchester United midfielder Sammy Mcllroy. In his second season in charge, he won the Conference Premier with Macclesfield, but the club were denied promotion because their ground was too small.

10)Β Drought

Between January 2012 and May 2012, the club failed to win a single game, out of 23 league games and two FA Cup fixtures. This period of barren form saw the club relegated to the Conference Premier in April of that year.

Read more posts by Kelly Gilchrist

Our
Principal
Partners
Our
Football
Partners
0
0