Macclesfield Town F.C.

Macclesfield Town F.C. are an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the small town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The club play their home games at the 6,028 capacity Moss Rose stadium. They will contest the 2004/05 season in Football League Two under the management of John Askey. Askey has been at the club for over 18 years. David Moss was in charge of the Silkmen until in the 2003/04 season but was unpopular with the fans and players; and after a very bad spell, his contract with the club ended. The club made history when a Macclesfield Town player Chris Priest scored the final goal of the last millennium. The club's top scorer this season so far (as at 4 January 2004) is Matthew Tipton. He wears the number 9 shirt. The club has had its fair share of managers, a fans favourite is Sammy McIlroy. He brought the club to its highest league position ever, having taken them to Division Two. The club were relegated within a season of Division Two football, but there is optimism amongst fans that one day soon the club will return.

Macclesfield's most successful manager is Sammy McIlroy, who took charge at the start of the 1993–94 season. In his second season as manager, McIlroy guided the club to the GM Vauxhall Conference Championship but they were denied a place in the Football League because they stadium did not meet league requirements of having a 6,000 total capacity including at least 1,000 seats. By the time Macclesfield won the Conference title two seasons later in 1996–97, their stadium had been upgraded and they were promoted to Division Three of the Football League in place of Hereford United.

In 1997–98, Macclesfield finished runners-up in Division Three and were promoted for the second season running, this time to Division Two. But the club failed to sustain in Division Two and slipped down again the following season. McIlroy soon left for the job as Northern Ireland national coach (although he had since quit the job to take charge at Stockport County) and over the next five seasons, Gil Prescott, David Moss and John Askey were unsuccessful in trying to get Macclesfield anywhere near the top of Division Three.

In March 2004, Macclesfield turned to the experienced 55-year-old Brian Horton to take charge. Horton, whose previous manager's jobs came with Oxford United|, Brighton and Hove Albion, Manchester City, Huddersfield Town and Port Vale, has since guided Macclesfield to a healthy position in the Coca Cola League Two and they stand every chance of achieving at least a playoff place this season.

Famous fans include Stephen Morris of the band New Order.

History

• 1890-91 – Founder member of The Combination; runners-up
• 1895-96 – The Combination runner-up (lost on goal average)
• 1911-12 – Joined Lancashire Combination Division Two
• 1913-14 – Lancashire Combination Division Two runner-up, promoted to Division One
• 1915 – Left Lancashire Combination
• 1919-20 – Founder member of Cheshire County League
• 1931-32 – Cheshire County League Champions
• 1932-33 – Cheshire County League Champions (2nd time)
• 1933-34 – Cheshire County League runner-up
• 1945-46 – Did not play
• 1946-47 – Restarted playing in Cheshire County League
• 1952-53 – Cheshire County League Champions (3rd time)
• 1960-61 – Cheshire County League Champions (4th time)
• 1961-62 – Cheshire County League runner-up
• 1963-64 – Cheshire County League Champions (5th time)
• 1964-65 – Cheshire County League runner-up
• 1966 – Name changed to Macclesfield Town
• 1967-68 – Cheshire County League Champions (6th time)
• 1968-69 – Founder members of Northern Premier League; Champions
• 1969-70 – Northern Premier League Champions (2nd time, on goal average). Inaugural F.A. Trophy Winners
• 1973-74 – F.A. Trophy semi-finalists
• 1984-85 – Northern Premier League runner-up
• 1986-87 – Northern Premier League Champions (3rd time)
• 1987-88 – Joined Conference
• 1988-89 – F.A. Trophy runner-up
• 1991-92 – F.A. Trophy semi-finalists
• 1994-95 – Conference Champions
• 1995-96 – F.A. Trophy Winners (2nd time)
• 1996-97 – Conference Champions (2nd time); promoted to Football League Division Three
• 1997-98 – Football League Division Three runner-up; promoted to Division Two
• 1999 – Relegated to Division Three

Source: Football Club History Database

Current players

• George Abbey
  • February 2004 – played for Nigeria in the African Nations Cup.

He has been at the club for several years and is a firm favourite with the fans.

Honours

• Football League Third Division runners-up 1998
• FA Trophy winners 1970, 1996
• Football Conference champions 1995, 1997
• Northern Premier League champions 1969, 1970, 1987; runners up 1985
• Cheshire League champions 1932, 1933, 1953, 1961, 1964, 1968; runners up 1934, 1962, 1965

External links

• Macclesfield Town Official Website