Macclesfield Football Club is an association football club based in Macclesfield, Cheshire, England. The club currently competes in the National League North, the sixth tier of the English football league system, and plays its home games at the Moss Rose (known as the Leasing.com Stadium for sponsorship reasons).
Macclesfield is a phoenix club of the former Macclesfield Town F.C. founded in 1874, which was wound-up after a High Court ruling on 16 September 2020. The club joined the North West Counties Premier Division, the fifth step of the National League system ahead of the 2021–22 season. Macclesfield recorded three promotions in the four subsequent seasons, winning the North West Counties Premier Division in 2022, the NPL Division One West in 2023, and the NPL Premier Division in 2025. The team also reached the semi-final of the FA Trophy in 2024. In 2026, they reached the fourth round of the FA Cup by becoming the first sixth-tier team to beat a top-tier team (Premier League side Crystal Palace, the reigning FA Cup holders).
History Macclesfield F.C. is a successor to Macclesfield Town. Founded in 1874, Macclesfield Town was liquidated and expelled from the National League in 2020 because of debts of over £500,000. Its assets were put up for sale, including the Moss Rose stadium on the Rightmove property website. 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. 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. He also invested in upgrading the stadium to improve the commercial viability of the new club.
In May 2021, it was announced that Macclesfield would be placed in the NWCFL Premier Division, the fifth step of the National League system (ninth tier in the English football pyramid), for their first season. 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. Macclesfield entered the FA Vase for the first time in 2021–22.
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.Line-ups: Macclesfield 1–0 Burscough, NWCFL website. Retrieved: 4 August 2021. 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.Line-ups: Winsford United 4–4 Macclesfield, NWCFL website. Retrieved: 4 August 2021. 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 in the Preliminary Round losing 6–4 at Squires Gate.Line-ups: Squires Gate 6–4 Macclesfield, NWCFL website. Retrieved: 9 September 2021.
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.Lineups: Macclesfield 1–0 Congleton Town, NWCFL website. Retrieved: 9 September 2021. The match was suspended for several minutes late in the second half due to crowd trouble.Robbie Savage bravely steps in to break up fight at Macclesfield game, Daily Mirror (30 August 2021). Retrieved: 9 September 2021. It was the first time the neighbouring towns had met in a league match since the 1964–65 season.Silkmen Archives. Retrieved: 9 September 2021.
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 followed the launch of the new club following the collapse of Macclesfield Town.
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. 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. Macclesfield finished their league campaign on 2 April, 15 points clear of second-placed Skelmersdale United.
2022–23 season In October 2022, with the club three points clear at the top of the NPL West Division, Danny Whitaker was replaced as Macclesfield manager by David McNabb. McNabb stepped down in December 2022, with midfielder Neil Danns being appointed interim manager. A 3–1 win against Trafford on 1 April 2023 saw the club crowned champions and achieve back-to-back promotions.
2023–24 season During the summer of 2023, manager Neil Danns left to take up an assistant role at Tranmere Rovers, and his assistant Mark Duffy was named as the new head coach.Macclesfield: "NEIL DANNS DEPARTS TO JOIN LEAGUE 2 SIDE TRANMERE ROVERS AS ASSISTANT MANAGER" Record goal-scorer James Berry departed for a club record fee to join National League side Chesterfield. Luke Duffy joined for a record fee from Warrington Town, and John Rooney, Wayne Rooney's younger brother, returned to the Silkmen having started his career with 41 league appearances for Macclesfield Town.
Macclesfield entered the FA Cup in the first qualifying round. Victories over Whickham, Buxton, and Warrington Rylands secured a place in the fourth qualifying round against Alfreton Town. After four defeats in five games, including a 3–1 FA Cup defeat at Alfreton, Duffy was sacked as head coach on 27 October 2023, and was replaced by Alex Bruce. The Silkmen entered the FA Trophy in the third qualifying round; in the fourth round proper they defeated National League opposition Dorking Wanderers 5–0. Macclesfield were the only side outside of the National League to reach the semi-finals, but were knocked out of the competition in a 2–1 defeat at Gateshead on 7 April.
On 21 February 2024, Bruce stepped down as Macclesfield manager to take up a coaching role at Salford City, and was replaced by Michael Clegg, previously manager at Warrington Rylands. Under Clegg, Macclesfield finished second, qualifying for the NPL play-offs, but lost the play-off final 2–1 to Marine.
2024–25 season Ahead of the 2024–25 season prolific forward Kane Drummond departed to Chesterfield and Luke Murphy was released. On 17 June 2024, Clegg left his role as manager by mutual consent, and Robbie Savage was appointed head coach on the same day. Notable summer signings included winger Justin Johnson, midfielder Danny Whitehead, who had four spells at Macclesfield Town, striker Danny Elliott following his departure from National League North side Scunthorpe United, and goalkeeper Max Dearnley from Buxton.
The team began the season with a 1–0 win away at Worksop Town and remained undefeated until a 2–1 loss away to Mickleover on 28 November. 35 league goals from golden boot winner Danny Elliott and 23 clean sheets from Max Dearnley, helped the team to 109 points - a division and club record. Macclesfield's promotion to the National League North was confirmed with six matches still to play after defeating Bamber Bridge 2–1 on 22 March 2025, becoming 2024–25 Northern Premier League Premier Division champions, and ending two seasons in the seventh tier.
2025–26 season Savage signed a new two-year deal to stay as Macclesfield manager, but two weeks later, on 1 July 2025, opted to become Forest Green Rovers' new manager and was replaced as Silkmen manager by John Rooney. On 16 December 2025, forward Ethan McLeod died in a car accident while returning from a game against Bedford Town. Following the accident, the club retired the number 20 shirt as a tribute to the former player.
The club made history on 10 January 2026 by beating FA Cup holders Crystal Palace 2–1 in the third round to become the first non-league team to defeat the defending champions since 1909 (when Crystal Palace themselves, playing in the Southern League, beat the holders Wolverhampton Wanderers) and the first sixth-tier team to defeat a first-tier team in the history of the FA Cup. The result was widely described at the time as the biggest shock in the competition's history.
In the National League North, Macclesfield finished 4th to reach the play-offs, beating Chester 2–1 in their quarter-final, but subsequently lost 3–1 to Kidderminster Harriers at the semi-final stage. In June 2026, Macclesfield temporarily suspended co-owner Robert Smethurst following his May 2026 arrest on suspicion of controlling and coercive behaviour. On 5 August 2026, Smethurst resigned as a director but remained a shareholder.
Stadium Macclesfield play their home games in the south of the town at the Leasing.com Stadium, previously home to Macclesfield Town from 1891 until 2020. The stadium's current capacity is 5,350, of which 2,095 is seated. The club's joint highest home attendance was 5,348 on 10 January 2026 for the FA Cup third round tie against Crystal Palace and 16 February 2026 for the FA Cup fourth round tie against Brentford.
The ID Unlimited Main Stand (traditionally known as the London Road or Main Stand) runs along one side of the pitch and consists of a seated grandstand with open air terracing to either side, and the opposite side is the seated Besseges Stand. The club's most vociferous supporters congregate in the WRS Star Lane End, which is a mixture of terracing and seating. Visiting supporters are housed in the open air Silkmen Terrace North (named after a public house which formerly adjoined the terrace) and part of the Besseges Stand.
Shirt sponsors and manufacturers Period Kit Manufacturer Shirt Sponsor2021–24AdidasboohooMAN2024–26Duck and Cover2026–presentDNA
Current players
Current squad
Out on loan
Retired numbers
Player of the Season Awards +SeasonPlayerPlayers' PlayerDirectors' PlayerTop ScorerRef2021–22 Neil Danns Laurent Mendy Tom Clare2022–23 James Berry Luke Murphy James Berry2023–24 John Rooney Tre Pemberton Alex Curran2024–25 Danny Elliott Laurent Mendy Max Dearnley Danny Elliott2025–26 Paul Dawson Luke Duffy Paul Dawson Danny Elliott
Management
Team management and coaching staff Role NameManager John RooneyAssistant Manager Francis JeffersFirst Team Coach Anthony CurranGoalkeeping Coach Danny WhitingPhysiotherapist Merissa HeraldsonStrength and conditioning Coach Nick SmithKitman Ged Coyne Ref:Macclesfield NWCFL.com. Retrieved: 15 November 2021.
Club management and staff Role NameCEO Keith CurleDirector Sarah-Jane SmethurstDirector Ama SinghDirector Jonathan BullHead of Business & Match Day Operations Amanda PenneyGeneral Manager Lindsay BrownHead of Finance Rachael BrownDeputy CEO / Sponsorships Director Bob TraffordClub Secretary Patrick BirchMatch Day Club Secretary Janey ParishMedia & Marketing Ben Leah / Will JonesF&B GM Andrew BallGym Manager Scott LeighGroundsmen Ged Coyne / Jim GoodwinRef:
Managerial history As of 25 February 2026 NameNationalityFromToPWDLGFGAWin%Honours1 NWCFL Premier Division1 NPL Division One WestPeter Band1 NPL Premier Division
Seasons As of 7 August 2026 Key:ChampionsRunners-upPromotedRelegatedSemi-finals
SeasonLeagueFA CupOther competitionsTop scorerAverage league attendanceDivisionPldWDLFAPtsPosNameGoals ()2021–22 | rowspan="3" bgcolor="#DDFFDD" |NWCFL Premier Division (9) | rowspan="3" |40 | rowspan="3" |29 | rowspan="3" |7 | rowspan="3" |4 | rowspan="3" |94 | rowspan="3" |38 | rowspan="3" |94 | rowspan="3" bgcolor="gold" |1stPR |FA Vase |QR1 | rowspan="3"| Tom Clare | rowspan="3" |23 (21)