But does this week’s latest reshuffle with the arrival of Keith Curle as the club’s new Chief Executive Officer further restore parity, or potentially muddy the waters?

Curle’s appointment to, “take overall control of all operational matters and report directly into the Board of Directors”, in addition to his role largely focusing on, “executive governance, commercial sustainability, and growth on and off the pitch”, has been well received by most Silkmen supporters.

Curle handed the keys to the top job

Highly respected in the game as a player representing the likes of Wimbledon, Manchester City and England, in addition to leading QPR to the Premier League as assistant manager, and Northampton Town to promotion to League One as manager, Curle’s track record commands significant respect.

The Board’s decision to allow Curle to immediately assume control for handing all “operational matters” is a strong statement of intent, at face value adding more professionalism and signalling an end to how the club has been run historically.

While Curle has been handed the top job, other members of the Silkmen’s back-office staff have climbed the corporate ladder. Bob Trafford has been promoted to Deputy Chief Executive Officer, a reward for his commercial and sponsorship success, longstanding knowledge of the club and the respect he commands from leading shareholder, Ama Singh. Joining Trafford as part of a new senior management team is Amanda Penney, Lindsay Brown and Rachael Brown.

The seniority of Curle’s appointment would suggest that the desire to bring him to Macclesfield was premeditated, and not as a kneejerk reaction to the recent boardroom unrest. But who knows?

Aside from his impressive footballing CV, what isn’t clear (at least to me) is what qualifies Curle to assume the day-to-day running of a non-league club? Although Wednesday’s statement championing Curle’s credentials reveals he has “operated a successful, hands-on property development portfolio”.

Climbing a ladder, or slithering down a snake?

What isn’t clear is how Curle’s skills and responsibilities will align with some of the other higher profile members of the Silkmen’s hierarchy.

The statement highlights that Curle runs a sports management firm focusing on player recruitment strategy, corporate operations, and contract consultation. It also suggests Curle can: “seamlessly support our recruitment department, mentor the coaching staff, and ensure the sporting infrastructure is built to meet EFL standards”.

Macclesfield’s recruitment is being overseen by Sporting Director Jonathan Bull and Head of Recruitment Jimmy Holmes, in conjunction with manager John Rooney and his assistant Francis Jeffers.

Together, they have made a strong start to the Silkmen’s summer squad rebuild after the recent signings of George Wilson, Lincoln McFayden, Christian Dibble and Fin Shrimpton. However since Shrimpton’s arrival on 30 May, no additional new faces have arrived through the door.

On the subject of Rooney, he last appeared on the club’s social media channel on 18 May, commenting on penning a new long-term contract after guiding the Silkmen to the National League North play-offs and fourth round of the FA Cup.

Such impressive achievements have understandably attracted wider attention as Rooney was linked to the vacant managerial roles at Southend and Rochdale which have since been filled. No doubt other admirers of the Macclesfield FC boss will be keeping a close eye on developments at the Leasing.com stadium.

And what about Rob Smethurst? Is he genuinely able to shape the Silkmen’s ongoing development following constructive and amicable discussions with the rest of the Board, or does Curle’s appointment dilute his influence?

More questions than answers

Despite the club issuing a series of communications in the past month, Curle’s appointment raises a number of questions as we approach the 2026-27 season.

· Was Curle’s appointment discussed and universally agreed by the Board?

· What qualities does Curle possess to run footballing and non-footballing operations?

· Who is in charge of Recruitment?

· What has happened to the 6 players Macclesfield supposedly have lined up to sign?

· When will supporters have clarity as to whether Brandon Lee, James Gale, Isaac Buckley-Ricketts and Harry McHugh are staying or leaving the club?

· When can we next expect to hear from John Rooney?

· Can we ever expect to hear from leading shareholder Ama Singh? If not, why not?

Curle’s appointment could be a masterstroke, particularly if the Board have put their differences to one side. But (relatively) sluggish season ticket sales suggest some supporters remain sceptical about the club’s current trajectory, and want further evidence that everyone is pulling in the same direction for the coming season.

The 23-year-old has been a revelation this year, bagging eight goals in eight games to catapult Chester into the National League North play-offs. The Seals eventually succumbed 2-1 to the Silkmen in the eliminator fixture on 29 April, which saw Shrimpton withdrawn after 31 minutes due to sustaining a knock.

However Shrimpton did star in Chester’s 2-0 victory over Macc in December, producing a fine run and assist for Dylan Mottley-Henry’s opener.

After a slow start to his career at the Deva Stadium, Shrimpton finished the 2025-26 campaign with 9 goals and 2 assists from 39 league appearances (31 starts). The popular Fin thrived playing in an advanced forward role under Chester caretaker boss Connor Rawlinson, having initially struggled to impress former manager Calum McIntyre who left the club at the end of February.

Chester’s loss, Macclesfield’s gain?

The Seals have recently appointed Phil Parkinson as their new permanent manager which has culminated in Shrimpton moving on, much to the disbelief of their supporters. The midfielder was apparently unable to commit to the extended training schedule that Chester’s new management team of Parkinson and Neil Sorvel will be introducing next season.

Which begs the question, how will Shrimpton cope with Macclesfield’s own training regime which is rumoured to be increasing to a hybrid model, comprising three mornings a week (Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday)?

Firstly, the Silkmen hierarchy have yet to confirm that the club will be increasing their training patterns from two to three sessions. And secondly if they are, the round-trip from Shrimpton’s Scunthorpe base to Macclesfield is around 60 miles less in comparison to his previous journey to Chester.

Macclesfield’s midfield makeover

The arrival of Shrimpton is a major boost for Macclesfield’s midfield, which was also strengthened last week by the addition of former Fylde promotion winner, George Wilson. Comfortable playing as a defensive shield in front of the back four, or as a box-to-box midfielder with an eye for goal who can operate as a second striker, Shrimpton’s versatility and energy is something Macclesfield have been crying out for in the engine room.

Former manager Robbie Savage thought he had found those attributes when luring former Seals midfielder Elliott Whitehouse to Macclesfield two seasons ago after Whitehouse had netted nine times in 40 appearances for Chester in the previous campaign. Sadly, the 32-year-old never hit the heights expected of him, and after sustaining a bad injury against Hyde on August bank holiday Whitehouse never played for Macc again and has recently been released.

Notably, Shrimpton is nine years younger than Whitehouse with considerably fewer miles on the clock. Fin began his career at boyhood club Scunthorpe United before enjoying an impressive loan spell at Spennymoor Town during the 2024-25 which prompted Chester to swoop for him 12 months ago. In total, the tenacious Shrimpton has made 101 appearances in the National League North, registering 16 goals.

Universally acclaimed by Scunthorpe, Spennymoor and Chester supporters, manager John Rooney will be delighted to get his fourth key acquisition over the line, following the recent captures of Fylde pair George Wilson and left back Lincoln McFayden, plus keeper Christian Dibble yesterday.

Read on to learn the fans’ views on Shrimpton, which make for encouraging reading!

The view from Chester fans on Fin Shrimpton

“Absolutely gutted he is leaving. Absolutely transformed our season”

“Fair play to the next team you sign for, they’re gonna have one hell of a player. Just try not to come back next year and score against us”

“Player of the season for an obvious reason.”

“Took his chance when it eventually came. Who knows if he had got into the side earlier. We know it wasn’t his fault”

“Great player, gutted he is leaving. If only (Calum) McIntyre had given him more game time we may have finished higher up the league”

“Proper midfielder. Box-to-box and scoring goals”

“Shrimpton leaving is a big blow”

“Losing Shrimpton and keeping Peers. I fear for next season already”

“Big blow losing Shrimpton. Thank you for not losing heart when you were nearly bombed out of the club and for showing everyone what a lot of us saw early on”

“Gutted about Shrimpton. He had some goals in him and could play different positions”

“Didn’t buy it about Shrimpton being unable to commit to the (new training) model. Reality is for all the commendable effort, he just isn’t good enough technically, and you’re not going to last in a Parkinson team without that. If Parkinson really wanted Fin, it was just a case of compensating him for this extra training day. Always maintained it would be (Lewis) Leigh over Shrimpton, which for me is absolutely the right choice”

“Shrimpton is a runner and a good one, but limited technically. Doesn’t strike me as a Parkinson player and Leigh has more potential”

“Lewis Leigh has a shed load more technical ability than Shrimpton”

“(Losing) Shrimpton is disappointing, but I don’t think it’s the end of the world personally. Leigh is probably more a Parky player as others have said. I do think we need more physicality in the midfield though. If Shrimpton was a few inches taller he’d probably be perfect”

“Shrimpton hit the net for Chester 11 times last season, whereas Leigh could only hit the big top behind the Harry Mac. It was clear which one was the better player”

“Shrimpton was exactly the age profile we need. You need players with energy and he has an eye for goal. He’s way ahead of Leigh in what he offers all round. Let’s see who replaces Shrimpton, I suppose, but a big loss in my opinion”

“Jeez, the thought of Weeks and Leigh going sideways and backwards and getting run through in midfield and Tom Peers doing nothing upfront isn’t going to shift those season tickets. Thought we’d seen the last of those three at Macclesfield and the team was going to be built around the likes of Shrimpton and Mottley-Henry. How wrong I was”

“Shrimpton only looked decent because the squad was mediocre at best last season and we had no one else to score goals. Where else is he going to go to in this league? Not good enough for South Shields, so it’s Darlington or Spennymoor”

“I don’t think there was a single Chester fan saying Shrimpton should have been released… until after he got released. The comment above that he only scored goals because we had no-one else to score goals is just ridiculous. By that logic we can also release Dylan Mottley-Henry and just rely on Peers”

“Shrimpton leaving FFS. I’ll wait on renewing my season ticket after this. Has Parkinson really been watching us?”

The view from Scunthorpe fans

“This lad will run through a brick wall for you”

“Brilliant signing for Chester. Lovely lad, works hard…lots of potential”

“Passion, resilience, good looks and quality… and passion and resilience!”

“Oh dear, oh dear. A local lad who has never really been given a chance”

“Poor decision to let him go. Fin was the fight, grit and tough tackling we’ve been missing”

“Good luck Fin, quality player. I think the club will end up regretting this decision”

“Good luck to the lad. It’s more disappointing that the club extended his contract and then didn’t give him a run of games”

“Crazy decision. Deserves to be in the first team all day long”

“Makes sense (to let Shrimpton go). Squad player at best. Take the homegrown blinkers off for those wanting a moan”

“Oh no! What a waste of a local player. Give him the chance to prove himself instead of being on the bench watching!!!! Our loss is their gain”

During the most recent 2025/26 campaign, Dibble made 37 appearances for the Harriers and played a pivotal role in the club’s promotion to the National League, including starring in the play-off final against South Shields FC.

The exuberant keeper joined Kidderminster from Wrexham in January 2023 and has established a reputation for winding up opposition fans and going down ‘injured’ on numerous occasions. But make no mistake, Dibble is an outstanding signing at this level and widely acclaimed to be the best goalkeeper in the National League North for his exceptional shot-stopping ability and raft of clean sheets.

Writing on social media earlier this week, Dibble said: “I honestly don’t know where to start with this one, but after an amazing few years, the time has come for me to move on from Kidderminster Harriers. This has been one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make in my football career, but I feel like it’s the right one for my family and me.”

Christian Dibble is the son of former Man City keeper Andy Dibble and Christian has been commuting from his home in Styal to Kidderminster. Macclesfield’s location, the possible security of a long-term deal combined with the Silkmen’s ambition to join Kidderminster in the National League has been pivotal to his decision.

Dibble becomes Macclesfield’s undisputed number one

Silkmen supporters will be delighted and relieved to have signed such an outstanding goalkeeper who will surely become the club’s undisputed number one. Popular Northern Premier League title winner Max Dearnley began last season in goal, but was replaced between the sticks by Barnsley loanee Rogan Ravenhill in February, who struggled to convince.

Dibble’s pedigree at Step 2 is unrivalled. Last season he kept 16 clean sheets for Kidderminster in the NLN, but his true value was proven after he missed eight games after receiving a sickening injury following a clash of heads with his teammate Joe Foulkes at Radcliffe. Kidderminster only kept one clean sheet after that, conceding 12 goals in the process.

The fit-again Dibble was restored in goal for the Harriers’ final league game against South Shields where he kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win, and he repeated the feat this time two weeks later as Kidderminster beat South Shields 2-0 away in the play-off final.

In the 2024-25 season, Dibble earned a Kidderminster club record after making 21 clean sheets. He was also part of the Harriers’ promotion-winning team of 2023, and kept 15 clean sheets in the 2023-24 campaign which saw Kidderminster relegated back to the NLN.

Dibble joins fellow NLN promotion winners George Wilson and Lincoln McFayden from AFC Fylde to complete a hat-trick of impressive summer signings for the Silkmen as manager John Rooney eyes another promotion tilt next season.

Kidderminster fans’ views on Christian Dibble

“Massive loss. Can’t be understated.”

“A huge shame”

“Not unsurprising, but given a lot of fans are getting restless about a lack of news out of the club, one of our very best players announcing on social media that he is leaving isn’t ideal timing!”

“I’m not sure if I’d be more upset if it’s Barrow or even someone like Macclesfield… Surely he’s got himself a National League club. We don’t know what’s been lined up behind the scenes, but at this moment (Dibble’s departure) is pretty devastating.”

“I’d be surprised if Dibble goes to Macc. Would show a complete lack of ambition on the part of the player having won promotion.”

“Dibble going was to be expected, just had a feeling, but it’s still horrendous news. Massive gloves to fill. The impact he made when he returned (from injury) went to show how KEY HE WAS!”

“Devastating. As good a keeper as you’ll see at this level. Very consistent and reliable.”

“Probably one of the best keepers I’ve seen in 25 years watching the club. A key position, and even in the National League when we got relegated, we knew we didn’t really have to worry about a goalkeeper. Now we most certainly do.”

“Ok… so who follows the king between the sticks??”

“Good keeper, but I must admit, I never liked his gamesmanship.”

“Do you think that was his choice? Going down ‘injured’ etc is all instructions given to him by the coaching team. Winding up the opposition fans is part of the game as well, he takes stick as a keeper and deserves to give it back.”

“Over 150 games and 2 promotions later, we say goodbye to the reliable one in-between our sticks.”

“Going to miss this bloke. Harriers legend.”

“What a brilliant goalkeeper he’s been for Kidderminster Harriers.”

“Great keeper, lovely fella – not quite sure it will be possible to replace him.”

“A massive loss. A really engaging character on and off the pitch.”

“He won’t leave for months. The timewasting c***”

“Been a wonderful servant. Hope Macclesfield enjoy him.”

“Could never understand the criticism he got. Yeah his kicking wasn’t the best, but as a keeper you couldn’t have gotten better at this level.”

“The criticism just showed how little fans understand football beyond Football Manager / FIFA.”

“Big mention for Christian Dibble who was MOTM against South Shields, helping us back to the National League.”

“I’m reminded by the save from a header late on by Christian Dibble. That was something out of the Gordon Banks / David Seaman book. One hand, down low, scooped away.”

“Dibble has done superb at the club since he arrived. Anyone who has seen the first season of ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ will know he wasn’t first choice over there, and had a reputation for being great one minute and shocking the next. Regular first team football has given him such a boost for his confidence though – he was probably the first one on the teamsheet from very early on.”

“Dibbs is a great shot stopper and I always fancied him in one-on-ones, but in my opinion, he never fully commands his penalty area and his distribution is mixed. There are plenty of keepers out there with different attributes.”

Marauding left-back Lincoln McFayden is Macclesfield’s second new signing and was a valued squad player for Fylde last season as they won the National League North title.

Like Wilson, McFayden struggled to hold down a regular first-team spot in a strong Coasters line-up and has recently been released. However, he appears another promising capture in an area of the pitch where Macc needed to upgrade.

Longserving full-back Brandon Lee sustained two separate injuries during the 2025-26 campaign. The latter resulted in a tear to his anterior cruciate ligament at Slough in the FA Cup in December, which is expected to sideline Lee until November. Whilst versatile deputy Luis Lacey was an able replacement, he was found wanting defensively on occasions and is not a natural left-back.

Both Lee and Lacey remain in negotiations with Macclesfield to resolve their immediate futures following the announcement of the club’s Retained List last week. But regardless of the outcomes of those discussions, Silkmen supporters have long since advocated the need for a talented and specialist left-sided full-back to join our ranks.

Is McFayden the answer?

McFayden signed for Fylde in July 2024, initially on a one-year deal following a successful trial period. He was retained after Fylde’s relegation from the National League and in total made 59 league appearances for the Coasters, registering two goals and six assists.

Last season McFayden made 28 league appearances for Fylde, starting 21 and contributing 4 assists.

Born in Chorley, the 24-year-old McFayden began his career in Preston North End’s academy before being lured to fellow Championship side Swansea City where he was restricted to a solitary League Cup appearance during three seasons. During that time Lincoln was loaned to Welsh Premier club Penybont, making seven appearances and scoring on his debut.

Last season, (like George Wilson) McFayden played his part in helping Fylde to promotion and had a fine game in Fylde’s 5-1 demolition of Macclesfield in November, winning a penalty as he drove into the box and was impeded by James Edmondson. He was also up against Luke Duffy that night and restricted Macc’s chief creator to few openings.

Lincoln started nine of Fylde’s ten opening National League North fixtures, but faced strong competition for the left back position from Liam Brockbank, and latterly the on loan Adam Lewis who joined from Chesterfield.

McFayden’s last start for Fylde came in the 2-1 home win against Telford on 10 March. Thereafter, he was confined to the Coasters’ bench for the remaining nine matches of the season, but did come on in their final two games against Southport and Merthyr.

Lincoln McFayden should prove to be a valuable addition to the Silkmen’s squad and will fancy his chances of establishing himself as Macclesfield’s preferred left-back.

Strengths

• Pace - McFayden outpaced Duffy when chasing a loose ball and is quick off the mark

• Specialist left back, who can also play anywhere on the left-hand side, with good experience. McFayden made 28 league appearances last season, and 31 for Fylde in the season prior when they were relegated from the National League, contributing two league goals and two assists in the 2024-25 campaign

• Comfortable in possession and high passing accuracy. McFayden typically has a passing accuracy of around 78% which is very high, particularly considering the frequency of which he operates past the halfway line

• Attack-minded and plays on the front foot - a quick glance of McFayden’s stats reveals that there were only two league games which he started where Lincoln made more passes in Fylde’s half compared to the opposition’s. McFayden has a good cross on him and made several key passes to create a number of chances for Fylde’s forwards.

  His positional heatmap below illustrates just far McFayden plays up the pitch.

Weaknesses

• Because McFayden typically bombs forward, he can leave space in behind and benefitted from Fylde’s centre backs covering any gaps he left in the full-back area

• Error prone - McFayden can be prone to defensive lapses, allowing the opposition opportunities to get attempts in on goal

• One-on-one defending. Whilst great going forward, McFayden seems less competent when attacked by opposition wingers and can be dribbled past

Two signings down, who’s next?

Both Wilson and McFayden appear strong signings to bolster the Silkmen’s promotion assault in 2026-27.

Manager John Rooney is eyeing further reinforcements to his squad as he closes in on signing players for Macclesfield’s priority positions - goalkeeper, central defender and striker.

One player who seems unlikely to join the Silkmen is Kyle Hawley. The hitman is a free agent after helping to steer Avro to promotion to the Northern Premier League via the play-offs, banging in 25 goals last season and 56 goals in 111 appearances overall.

Linked with Macclesfield strongly on social media, Hawley has caught the eye when being scouted on several occasions.

However according to a Silkmen News source, Macclesfield are not expected to take their interest in Hawley any further at this time as they consider alternative striking options.

Of course things can change quickly in the summer transfer merry go round, so watch this space!

The 25-year-old midfield maestro has just won promotion from the National League North representing AFC Fylde, making over 40 league and cup appearances for the Coasters, registering 6 goals and 3 assists. He was signed on a one-year deal and Fylde had the option to extend, but chose to let him go.

Despite being popular with Fylde supporters, Wilson was restricted to only 15 league starts as he struggled to become first-choice in the champions’ stellar midfield comprising the likes of Danny Mayor, Chris Merrie, Ethan Mitchell, Tom Whelan and Luca Thomas.

Nevertheless, Wilson did start Fylde’s final two league games to help his now former club get over the line, scoring in their 4-0 win over Southport and also impressing in the Coasters’ 4-2 victory at Merthyr which sealed their promotion and return to the National League.

Wilson also started and scored for Fylde against Macclesfield in their 5-1 demolition over us at Mill Farm, waltzing through the Silkmen’s defence in the closing stages and converting from close range, in addition to coming on as a substitute for Fylde in their 4-1 triumph over Macc at the Leasing.com stadium in February.

George Wilson - what can we expect?

A cultured, energetic midfielder who is comfortable in both defensive and attacking roles. Excellent in possession, Wilson achieved a 92% passing accuracy against Macclesfield back in November, scoring a goal, laying on an assist and also creating one big chance for the home side.

Still only 25, George has bags of potential and finished the season strongly. He rarely gives the ball away, has an eye for goal as well as being a creator of chances, either from a central berth or on the right flank.

Wilson joined Fylde from Altrincham (of course!) where he was also surprisingly released after some promising performances, amassing over 50 appearances. George began his career in Blackburn Rovers’ academy, before moving on to Loughborough whilst studying at university.

Wilson then had a stint at third-tear Swedish side Ljungskile, before returning to the UK to play for Coalville Town in the 2022-23 campaign where he attracted attention higher up. In fact, Wilson came off the bench for Coalville during their 1-0 win over Macc in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup.

Whilst a signing which may not automatically set the pulses racing, Wilson looks a shrewd capture. He’s at the right age with importantly the right attributes and a point to prove. He will undoubtedly strengthen Macclesfield’s midfield and increase competition for places.

Read on to discover the positive thoughts from Fylde and Altrincham fans on the Silkmen’s new capture.

AFC Fylde supporters on George Wilson

“Complete player”

“Was fantastic today (against Southport). Proper M.O.M performance”

“Well deserved man-of-the-match. Don’t know how he doesn’t start every week”

“Just unlucky to play in the team with by far the best midfield in the league”

“Wilson would be a first choice starter for anyone else”

“Great lad, top player”

“Class player”

Altrincham supporters on George Wilson

“What a player Fylde have got. Standout game in, game out, and destined for the Football League. Warch him run, tackle, pass and shoot. Never panics”

“Surprised to see George Wilson released after making over 40 apps for Fylde last season… Was surprised when Alty released him last summer…”

“Altrincham should never have let him go. Has so much potential”

“Releasing Wilson is a surprise”

“Disagree about releasing George Wilson. Decent player”

“Very sad and surprised to see George go”

“George had plenty of energy”

“Wilson will be missed”

“Wilson has been missed. Great driving force”

“Amazing goal scored by George. Well deserved, he’s a great asset and works his socks off”

Opinion from non-league football expert, Tom Williams

“A gem that Alty picked up from Coalville, Loughborough uni graduate Wilson is really growing into his own this season. He’s been handed extra minutes and responsibility after an injury to Isaac Marriott, and he’s a player I’m a big fan of. Wilson has really stepped up in Marriott’s absence. An intelligent, well-rounded midfielder”

As of today, just eight players are under contract for the 2026-27 season, with five of these regarded as first-team regulars when available – Paul Dawson, Luke Duffy, Danny Elliott, Luke Matheson and Elliot Osborne. The club remains in discussions with seven players, whilst nine have been released with a further five loanees returning to their parent clubs (full list below).

The Silkmen had an excellent season competing at Step 2 for the first time since the club reformed, finishing fourth in the National League North before losing in the semi-final of the play-offs to the eventually promoted Kidderminster Harriers. However, Macc finished 21 points behind NLN title-winners AFC Fylde and ended a draining campaign with five defeats in eight games.

Less is more?

Despite this, it’s worth reflecting on how well manager John Rooney (who signed a new deal to remain last week along with assistant Francis Jeffers) and his coaching team did to bounce back from a series of significant blows in a topsy-turvy and emotional 11 months. In reality, Macclesfield were always on the back-foot when former boss Robbie Savage bailed to Forest Green, taking five players with him during the course of the season.

In particular, the loss of Tre Pemberton, Laurent Mendy and Neil Kengni, a month before the commencement of pre-season, left Rooney with giant shoes to fill, not to mention a gaping hole in the Silkmen’s midfield due to Rooney’s own decision to retire from playing.

The majority of the Silkmen’s playing budget had already been allocated due to Savage building promotion clauses into several players’ contracts, which were automatically extended by another year as the club romped towards the Northern Premier League title. This, combined with the majority of desirable transfer targets already been fixed up before Pemberton, Mendy and Kengni up sticks to Gloucestershire, left Macc feeding off scraps and running the rule over multiple trialists.

A busy summer ahead

One year on and Macclesfield are in a far stronger position financially and reputationally after a memorable league and FA Cup season. And if rumours are to be believed, Head of Recruitment Jimmy Holmes and Sporting Director Jonathan Bull have been working on signing their priority transfer targets since the turn of this year.

Naturally, the identities on the club’s summer shopping list remains tight lipped. But it is thought that recruiting a new number one goalkeeper, two full-backs, a dominant leader at centre half, two midfielders and a striker are deemed priorities to help the Silkmen mount another promotion bid.

Former loanee Josh Kay, recently released by Oldham, remains admired by the Silkmen hierarchy and it would be no surprise to see him become a permanent Macclesfield player if a deal can be struck.

Who will stay and who will go?

There are few surprises on the Retained List in terms of the players that have been released. Justin Johnson, Danny Whitehead and Rollin Menayese had long since fallen out of favour with Rooney.

Experienced centre half Menayese started 27 league games, but was used sparingly this year after erratic displays against Peterborough Sports, AFC Fylde and South Shields. Wayward winger Johnson last started away at Chester on 30 December before being given an outing at Radcliffe on the final day, whilst fan favourite Max Dearnley was replaced in goal by Barnsley loanee Rogan Ravenhill.

Rooney’s decision to drop Dearnley after some uncharacteristically shaky performances split supporter opinion, not least because Ravenhill also made a series of errors as Macclesfield shipped goals for fun on occasions. It’s academic now, but the latest social media rumour is that Dearnley was benched because he had lined up a move to another club, only for it to subsequently fall through.

There are three sides to every story, but my understanding of the situation is that Dearnley never wanted to leave. Rooney decided to bring in another keeper (Ravenhill), Dearnley only found out about it when the signing was announced, and upon questioning the decision Dearnley was told Ravenhill had been brought in to provide competition. Make of that what you will, but one thing we can all agree on is that this was a sad end to Dearnley’s Silkmen career.

A new number one incoming

What is certain is that Macclesfield will have a new, established number one between the sticks next season, but who will it be? Former Altrincham keeper Ethan Ross has been linked with the club but is not thought to be the Silkmen’s main goalkeeping target. More intriguingly, Kidderminster stopper Christian Dibble is thought to be interesting Macc despite after steering Kiddy to promotion to the National League following a 2-0 win at South Shields at the weekend.

Dibble, the son of former Man City goalkeeper Andy Dibble, was born in Wilmslow and has previously played for Stockport and Wrexham. News of Macclesfield’s interest in Dibble has made its way onto Kidderminster’s supporter forum ‘Harriers Chatter’, so could have legs. No stranger to controversy and known for keeping multiple clean sheets, Christian Dibble would certainly represent a statement signing.

But it’s important to take some rumours with a pinch of salt – last season some Kidderminster fans were adamant that their former star striker Ashley Hemmings was on his way to the Leasing.com stadium. Dibble won’t be shy of suitors if he does decide to leave Kidderminster, with former Harriers manager Adam Murray likely to be keen having abandoned Kidderminster to join Barrow 48 hours on from Saturday’s NLN play-off final.

Currently in negotiations

The list that interests me the most is the one where players remain in active discussions with the club. I expected the trio of Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, James Gale and Harry McHugh to have been given longer deals, particularly considering that (thus far) fringe player Theo Chapman is contracted for the 2026-27 season.

Personally, I’d retain all three, although the jury is very much out on McHugh (just 2 starts coming back from long-term injury at Wigan) and Gale, whose performance levels notably dipped following the sale of D’Mani Mellor.

It is thought that Macclesfield are keen to retain the services of central defender Sam Heathcote who had a fine season. Although Heathcote may be mulling over whether he can juggle his job as a teacher and training three days a week IF the club moves to a hybrid training model (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays), which is another rumour doing the rounds yet to be confirmed.

I’m somewhat surprised to see Luis Lacey and Brandon Lee on this list, but for different reasons. Lacey may divide opinion at left-back but has been well backed by Rooney and is a versatile option in the squad. In contrast whilst Lee can be an outstanding full-back on his day, he’s not been injury free for two-and-a-half seasons and is expected to be sidelined until November after sustaining an ACL injury at Slough in the FA Cup back in December.

Isaac Buckley-Ricketts, Savage’s final signing, also remains locked in talks. The winger has flattered to deceive in a Macclesfield shirt but contributed 7 league goals and 2 assists, in addition to that memorable goal against Palace.

Heathcote, Lee and Buckley-Ricketts are among the players that have gone on a post-season break to Ibiza. Whilst James Gale attended the club’s end of season awards on Sunday.

Signed on the dotted line

Danny Elliott, Paul Dawson and Luke Duffy are stellar signings for next season, although the injured Elliott will be eased back with a potential return earmarked between July and September depending on the striker’s rehabilitation progress.

Club record appearance holder Lewis Fensome has committed to next season which has been well received by most supporters. Fensome made 39 league appearances (23 starts), but only started five games in the league in 2026 following the return from injury of Luke Matheson (who has signed a new deal today). It should be noted that Fensome was an ever present in Macclesfield’s FA Cup run, scoring against Totton and starting both games against Premier League Crystal Palace and Brentford.

There’s also a new deal for promising midfielder Carlos Dos Santos. The prospect impressed at times last season, most notably in the 2-1 wins over Radcliffe and Southport, but was restricted to 3 starts in his 21 league appearances.

Versatile and technical, Dos Santos will be keen for more minutes next season and to nail down his preferred position having featured on the left side of Macclesfield’s defence and midfield, in addition to playing as an attacking midfielder.

Players under contract for the 2026/27 season:

Danny Elliott

Paul Dawson

Luke Duffy

Lewis Fensome

Carlos Dos Santos

Elliot Osborne

Theo Chapman

Luke Matheson

Club remains in discussion with the following players:

Isaac Buckley-Ricketts

Cameron Borthwick-Jackson

James Gale

Sam Heathcote

Brandon Lee

Luis Lacey

Harry McHugh

Players out of contract / released

Justin Johnson

Danny Whitehead

Elliott Whitehouse

Dontai Gabidon

Regan Griffiths

Rollin Menayese

Max Dearnley

Mikey Stone

Tom Clare

Loanees returning to Parent Clubs

Rogan Ravenhill

Josh Kay

James Edmondson

Kacper Pasiek

Anjola Popoola

Play off glory wasn’t to be for Macclesfield in this debut National League North campaign, after high drama against Chester in the quarter final a win against Kidderminster Harriers was a step too far in the semi. Both of those games will be given a good look over, we’ll have reflections across the campaign as a whole, a look back at pre season predictions, and ahead to next season at who John Rooney should be considering to keep to mount another promotion charge with most of the squad out of contract in the summer.

Podcast available on all good platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many more. Or you can listen through the player above.

We’re activley looking for more contributors to the podcast in particular from people who are under represented within the fan base. Do get in touch if you’re intrested in getting involved. If there’s anything you’d like us to cover in future podcasts then leave us a comment and we’ll get it in for future episodes.

I was tempted to write ‘ended in disappointment’, but I’m not sure that’s either fair or accurate. Naturally, most wanted promotion to the National League. However upon the realisation that it was unlikely to be Macclesfield’s time, the 1,001 Silkmen supporters showed how they felt about this magnificent club and the players who have given absolutely everything.

A fourth place finish in the league, having been 15^th going into 2026, and an unforgettable, record-breaking FA Cup run in claiming the scalp of cup holders Crystal Palace, before a gallant defeat to Brentford in round 4.

Renditions of “Silkmen army” loudly rang out around Kidderminster’s Aggborough stadium for almost the entirety of the second half. This wasn’t a fanbase that was disappointed. It was a fanbase that was united, proud and determined to show their appreciation after what has been a rollercoaster nine months of shock, hope, tragedy, euphoria and togetherness on and off the pitch.

Kidderminster 3 Macclesfield 1

I wanted to pause and properly reflect on Saturday’s game, which might seem futile in the greater context against the backdrop of the Silkmen’s Retained List being announced next week. But I think some of our failings against Kidderminster laid bare areas of the squad that need addressing in the summer.

This was the Silkmen’s 58^th game of the season, three more than Kidderminster, but perhaps more crucially our second game in 62 hours after Wednesday’s last gap eliminator victory over Chester. In contrast, Kidderminster were rewarded with a full week’s rest having finished third in the regular National League North season. As they should have, in fairness.

Despite this, Macc started pretty well in what was an unchanged line-up from Chester. In terms of territory John Rooney’s men made most of the running in the opening 20 minutes without carving out any chances of note against a nervy Kidderminster side. However, calamity was always around the corner and we got away with two major let-offs.

In the seventh minute, Luke Duffy lost out in a 50-50 with Richard Faakye when in the ascendency (it looked like a foul at the time) and suddenly the Harriers were on the attack. The ball was played out to the left wing and Devine’s cross was on a plate for Donnelly whose sidefooted effort was too tame to trouble Rogan Ravenhill. As the screenshot indicates below, Donnelly was offside in the build-up and clearly interfering with play.

Then on 21 minutes, Donnelly capitalised on sloppy ball control and a slip from Cameron Borthwick-Jackson on halfway, raced into the box, but screwed his shot over.

Defensive vulnerabilities

Kidderminster’s eventual opener from a corner on 34 minutes was scruffy. A Kidderminster player leapt higher than Borthwick-Jackson (top left in above image) to head the ball back across goal where Faakye (no.14) eventually bundled it over the line. It was a tight call from the officials, but video evidence suggested it was the right one.

On the stroke of half-time the Silkmen received a hammer blow from which they never recovered. Luke Duffy’s stinging effort after good build-up play from Elliot Osborne and Luke Matheson was acrobatically turned over the bar by Harriers keeper Christian Dibble. The resultant corner eventually became a throw-in for Macc just to the right of Kidderminster’s penalty area. But from Matheson taking it 17 seconds later it was 2-0 deep into first-half injury time.

Sam Heathcote and Borthwick-Jackson had ventured forward into Kidderminster’s box to contest the throw, only for the latter to lose out. Devine cleared with an up-and-under and from there the Silkmen had a problem. Luis Lacey was outmuscled and outpaced by Richard Walker on the right touchline and couldn’t risk bringing the winger down having being booked earlier on.

Walker scooted towards the byline and it seemed that Macc had regrouped into a 4 vs 2 defensive situation. Lacey was occupying Walker and about to be joined by the back-tracking Osborne, whilst Isaac Buckley-Ricketts was covering the penalty area with Matheson in hot pursuit. Yet somehow Walker managed to get his cross away, and Donnelly’s clever movement saw him sweep the ball past Ravenhill ahead of Buckley-Ricketts and Matheson who had overcooked his sprint and was unable to adjust his feet to make a covering challenge.

From front to back this was simply a calamitous goal to concede, which has been a recurring theme of the last few weeks. Lacey was hooked at half-time, incidentally for the fourth time this season, as Rooney introduced Lewis Fensome as a makeshift left back due to Preston loanee Kacper Pasiek being injured.

The game was all over bar the shouting when Kidderminster made it 3-0 in injury time. Osborne turned into trouble and was left in a heap on the floor, the through ball was played into the path of substitute Seb Thompson who drilled past Ravenhill. It’s academic, but Thompson looked a shade offside when the pass was released. Luke Matheson scored a consolation at the second attempt which was the very least Macclesfield’s right back deserved for his sterling efforts.

Macc edge the stats, but not where it mattered

Without wishing to make excuses, outside of Kidderminster’s goals the Silkmen were competitive for the majority of the game.

· Total shots: Kidderminster 10, Macc 13

· Shots on target: Kidderminster 4, Macc 4

· Corners: Kidderminster 4, Macc 7

· Possession: Kidderminster 45%, Macc 55%

· Passes: Kidderminster 222, Macc 291

· Accurate passes: Kidderminster 134, Macc 219

· Crosses: Kidderminster 12, Macc 15

However, the reality is that Kidderminster had the better chances with an expected goals (xG) tally of 2.37 compared to Macclesfield’s 0.86. In the second half aside from Matheson’s consolation, the only effort of note from the away side was Duffy’s shot that was cleared off the line.

A defensive masterclass from Kidderminster

The Harriers weren’t anything special, but their excellent defensive work without the ball was the catalyst for their victory. Their midfield sitters of David Davis and Charlie Cooper bossed the centre of the park and broke up Macclesfield’s play.

Tellingly, the Silkmen were dispossessed on 17 separate occasions compared to just 6 for Kidderminster. Veteran Davis was slack with the ball (just 42% passing accuracy), but a nuisance without it – he won 17 out of 25 contested duels, including all 13 of his aerial duels which is a remarkable stat for a player who is only 5’8! Davis also made 2 interceptions, 1 tackle, 4 clearances and 1 blocked shot, whilst the more economical Cooper made 4 defensive contributions and 13 ball recoveries – more than James Edmondson and Paul Dawson combined.

Not only that, Kidderminster prevented our best players from influencing the game. Dawson had just 24 touches and 12 passes and Duffy 29 touches and 9 passes. Huge players for the Silkmen rendered virtually anonymous by Kidderminster.

A blessing in disguise?

Many shrewd observers have suggested that the Silkmen were ‘not ready’ to compete in the National League after a transitional season in the National League North which has seen the squad ransacked and reshaped over the course of the season.

There is some merit to this argument, but for me, all the more reason why it would have been better for the Silkmen to have gained promotion and worried about it afterwards. Rooney’s squad was always facing a large overhaul in the close season, irrespective of what league we were competing in. And with relegated sides Morecambe and Brackley Town dropping into the NLN, combined with the ambitious promoted teams of Hednesford, Spalding and Harborough, not to mention Chester under new boss Phil Parkinson, it’s going to be another competitive division in 2026/27.

Tinkering or a major rebuild?

There is also much debate amongst Silkmen supporters on whether Rooney’s squad needs some tinkering and strengthening in key areas, or a significant revamp.

It depends on what goal you are measuring against. If the aim is to reach the play-offs, then a repeat of this season’s tally of 79 points would have been good enough for 6^th place (twice) and 4^th in the last three seasons.

But to aspire to automatic promotion and avoid the lottery of the play-offs, it’s worth highlighting that the Silkmen finished 21 points behind eventual title-winners Fylde. In 2024-25 Brackley won the NLN with 92 points, Tamworth with 96 points (2023-24), and Fylde again with 95 points (2022-23).

Without trying to be negative or diminish this season’s wonderful achievements, a reality check is also needed when assessing the squad’s depth for the 2026-27 campaign.

· Macclesfield’s record was the poorest of the other sides who finished in the top 7 in the NLN. We picked up only 12 points from 12 games with a goal difference of -9.

· We fell behind in half of our league games in the regular league season (23), and in both play-off games. To the players’ credit, we obtained an impressive 25 points from losing positions.

· We only kept 8 clean sheets in the NLN, fewer than Kidderminster (17), South Shields (15) and Fylde (13)

· The Silkmen had the 4^th best home record and 6^th best away record in the division

· Our tally of 81 goals was the 6^th best, although we conceded 68 goals which was the 11^th best

· Arguably our best three players this season have been Dawson, Duffy and Heathcote, perhaps questioning the success of the club’s recruitment

Kidderminster playing ratings

Ravenhill 6 – no notable saves, but a couple of loose clearances in dangerous areas which he got away with. Could he have got a glove on the second and third goals? I’m probably being overly critical of a player who has divided opinion during his 19 Silkmen appearances. The 20-year-old stopper will return to parent club Barnsley and it would be a surprise to see him back at the Leasing.com.

Matheson 8 – a heroic effort in covering every blade of grass. Was rewarded with a finely taken consolation goal. No one took the game to Kidderminster more than Matheson. 92% passing accuracy in Kidderminster’s half (12 of 13 completed), 1 key pass (Duffy’s chance before h-t), and he won half of his 16 ground and aerial duels. I’m not sure the value of persisting with his ‘long’ throw, and he’ll be disappointed not to have got a tackle in to prevent Donnelly from making it 2-0 having managed to race back in the area. But overall, a full bloodied and technically proficient performance from a player who has rebounded well from injury and is deserving of another contract.

Heathcote 7 – defensively good – won 13 of 21 duels contested, and he also enjoyed a decent amount of possession (39 passes, 72% accuracy) with 10 of his 16 long balls finding a Macclesfield shirt, although some of his punts up field were more aimless than others. A very solid season, where he’s progressed from fourth choice centre back to arguably first choice.

Borthwick-Jackson 5.5 – has been impressive since joining the club in January, but his high levels of consistency have dropped recently. Nearly cost a goal on 21 minutes when getting caught under pressure from Donnelly. Was outjumped on the corner in the build-up to Kidderminster’s opener, and similarly failed to win the header from Matheson’s throw which ultimately resulted in their second goal. I’d retain him for next season, but I still can’t fathom whether he’s a natural centre back or a left back who is no longer mobile enough to play left back. Seems to struggle against pace and movement from better players.

Lacey 5 – positionally caught out, again. Hooked at half-time, again, after failing to deal with Walker which led to Kidderminster’s second goal at a crucial point in the match. Never got to grips with Walker who dribbled past Lacey 4 times. Much maligned for most of this season, with only the arrival of Ravenhill giving the most critical of Silkmen supporters a new target.

Lacey has had some traumatic games at times, but it would be remiss not to point out that he’s also notably improved after Christmas and his reliable performances saw him preferred more often than not to loan signing Pasiek. Not a natural left back who was thrust into the spotlight when Brandon Lee sustained two injuries. He had some good games during his 42 league appearances (31 starts), contributing one goal and three assists. A useful squad player who is likely to be retained by Rooney.

Edmondson 6 – unable to influence the midfield battle and was pretty quiet, just as he was against Chester on Wednesday. Decent on the ball (80% accuracy), but didn’t see enough of it and wasn’t as effective as his counterparts Davis and Cooper. Leaves with our very best wishes after another successful loan spell from Blackburn, with the highlight being his spectacular strike against Slough. The 20-year-old has a bright future, but isn’t dominating Step 2 games often enough yet and may not be guaranteed to carve out a successful career in the EFL. Time will tell. Edmondson has been good for Macclesfield, and Macclesfield good for Edmondson.

Osborne 6 – started brightly then faded as Kidderminster gradually got on top. Osborne is effective if you allow him time and let him play (81% passing accuracy and 73% in Kidderminster’s half). But press him and some of his weaknesses are exposed, including a lack of pace. Won only 4 of 15 ground duels and was too easily brushed aside and dispossessed which resulted in the Harriers’ third goal.

Dawson 6 – the captain has had an outstanding season, but this was a game too far. He looked lethargic throughout as the match passed him by. Just 24 touches of the ball and he attempted only 12 passes. Some of this was because Dawson was pushed forward in the second half as a central striker as Rooney switched to a 3-4-3 formation. But nothing worked for Daws who uncharacteristically lost possession 22 times and won only 1 of his 9 ground duels, suggesting a player running on empty. Was credited with the assist for Matheson’s goal.

Duffy 7 – restricted to only 29 touches and 9 passes all game. Outside of Matheson he was our biggest threat, however. Was denied by a fine save by Dibble before half-time, and again when his shot midway through the second half was cleared off the line. Did work hard – 7 of 15 ground duels won, 1 key pass, 3 successful dribbles and 4 attempted shots (2 on target). Has been in brilliant form in the second half of the season – 8 goals and 4 assists in the league, and at 27 is entering his prime years. Is believed to be under contract for next season, and let’s hope we can hang onto him so Duffy can spearhead our promotion push.

Buckley-Ricketts 6 – starved of the ball but decent when he had it (10 passes, 90% accuracy, 4 out of 5 successful dribbles). Won 7 of 14 ground duels, but no efforts on goal and only 1 cross. Ultimately, he wasn’t able to influence the game in either box. Unselfishly covered as the last man when Kidderminster broke for their second goal, but despite taking up a central position wasn’t able to prevent Donnelly from getting his shot away. A mixed season for the 28 year-old who hasn’t lived up to his star billing. 43 league appearances, just 22 starts but 7 goals and 2 assists. A real Jekyll and Hyde type player who can be electric one week and virtually absent the next. Seems to lack confidence for all his raw talent and Rooney may think long and hard about retaining IBR for next season.

Kay 6.5 – played as a central striker again initially and was literally everywhere across the front three, his energy setting the tone for Macclesfield’s bright start. But try as he might, there was seldom any end product from Kay who had more touches than any other Silkmen outfield player (51). Three attempted shots (all blocked), 63% passing accuracy and he turned the ball over on 20 occasions. Never stopped running and gave everything, as you can see by his positional ‘heat map’ below. Five out of five successful dribbles and won 6 out of 16 ground duels.

No one can fault his commitment, despite his fragile temperament which has made Josh a fans’ favourite. Kay has since been released by parent club Oldham, and even if you disregard his potential disciplinary ‘baggage’, just 3 goals and 2 assists from 26 league appearances is a modest return for a player of his obvious talent who would become one of Macclesfield’s highest earners if he was to come back.

Subs:

Fensome 7 – replaced Lacey at left-back at half-time but was soon switched to a back three as Rooney went for broke. Mopped up mostly everything in the second half – 17 ball recoveries and 3 interceptions. After an outstanding season last year, Lewis more than anyone has been impacted this campaign by the loss of players (Tre Pemberton) and injury (Luke Matheson). I think he’s only started in his preferred centre back position once, mostly asked to operate as a stand-in right back.

Just 23 league starts. At times, he’s struggled with the physicality of the National League North, particularly when defending set plays. But he’s become the club’s record appearance holder, always gives his all and remains universally popular with Silkmen supporters. Whether he’s good enough to command a first-team place next season remains to be seen, but he’s not had a fair crack this season.

Gale 5 – came on after an hour and played on the left of a front three. Struggled to make an impression or hold the ball up, evidenced by him completing 1 of only 5 attempted passes. Is a better and more effective player than the one we’ve seen recently, and Rooney’s task in the summer (assuming Gale is retained) is to work out how to get the best out of a striker who has scored 8 goals in 22 league appearances for the Silkmen.

Popoola (no rating) – replaced Buckley-Ricketts on 78 minutes. A disappointing loan signing and a million miles away from compensating for the loss of D’Mani Mellor.

Dos Santos (no rating) – on for Edmondson with ten to go. Dropped deep to try and offer some protection to the back three.

And finally…

If you’ve made it this far (well done!), I’d like to thank all Silkmen News subscribers for their feedback and support this season. This is only my second season of covering Macclesfield FC and I’m learning on the job! This website has grown to over 250 subscribers and generated over 40,000 views this season, which is more than I ever could have imagined having started this project on a whim.

If you have any friends who might be interested in reading our written content, or listening to our podcasts, please send them a link. All content going forward will arrive firstly to your inbox, with links typically made available on the newly formed The Silkmen News – unofficial fans group Facebook page. Hopefully see you there.

I’m now ready for a rest after an exhausting few months covering the club (I’ve no idea how the players cope!), but will be back during the close season to cover the key developments of what should be a very interesting summer!

Have a good one.

Just Kidderminster Harriers (away on Saturday) in the semi-final and, if we triumph in that, the winner of South Shields vs Buxton in the second semi stand between the Silkmen and promotion to the National League. But one step at a time - in-form Kidderminster will present formidable opposition tomorrow, not least because their squad has had a full week’s rest in comparison to Macclesfield who have just over 48 hours to recover after prevailing in the Cheshire derby.

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The Silkmen get what they deserve

Be honest, did you expect Macc to rally after going a goal behind to Connor Woods’ 36th minute strike? At that moment there felt an inevitably that Chester simply had the Silkmen’s number after comfortably beating them 2-0 home and away in the regular league season.

To their enormous credit, manager John Rooney and the players didn’t panic and continued to patiently probe away at a safety-first, patched-up Chester side who had lost key players Fin Shrimpton and Dylan Mottley-Henry to injury in each half. Let’s be clear though - Macclesfield were the better side throughout this bruising contest, they dominated the opening 20 minutes and Chester’s goal was very much against the run of play.

In the second half it was one-way traffic, but it took a classy move to eventually break Chester’s stubborn resistance. Sam Heathcote strode out of defence and found Paul Dawson, whose neat turn created half a yard for him to play the ball out to Luke Duffy on the right wing. Duffy’s incisive low first-time cross was swept home at the near post by makeshift striker Josh Kay who equalised with aplomb.

Chester were on the ropes and the Silkmen never let them escape. James Edmondson’s hooked effort from Kay’s flick was saved, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson rattled the bar with a thunderous 30-yard effort, and Dawson’s fizzed strike landed on the roof of the net in injury time.

Just when the tie was heading for extra-time, a short corner routine off the training ground which Macclesfield had been deploying all evening eventually paid off. Duffy’s cross-come-shot was too hot to handle for Seals keeper Bobby Jones, who could only palm the effort into the net to spark wild scenes of jubilation inside the Leasing.com stadium!

The view from Chester fans

“Don’t think we would have handled extra-time either way. Shame Shrimpton and Mottley-Henry went off injured”

“Another mistake by our keeper, not the first or second time since he’s been here. Keepers in general have lost us too many points and games this season.”

“Fair result. Defence played well and had a lot to do. Felt the midfield didn’t offer much and as soon as both Shrimpton and Mottley-Henry went off we had zero threat upfront.”

“Came up short. Wasn’t good enough tonight unfortunately. Bobby Jones absolutely awful dealing with any balls into the box again.”

“We looked absolutely shattered tonight, hanging on from the moment we scored and can’t begrudge Macc the win”

“Got battered second half”

“No qualms about the result. Macclesfield deservedly won”

“Really unlucky to have Carson and Bainbridge out, and losing our two top scorers compounded things as we had no outlet. The goal at the end was so Chester, it pains me to say.”

“We sat too deep all game and gave them the freedom to spray the ball around and left gaping holes in the middle.”

“Never want to see Tom Peers in a Chester shirt again. He’s fucking awful”

“Two poor looking sides tonight”

“Didn’t think we deserved anything from that and I knew we wouldn’t once Peers came on”

“Hope those knuckle dragging morons throwing stuff (at Ravenhill) were caught on film, get banned and pay the inevitable fine the club gets”

“Very deflating. You could see Macc were fresher having had the luxury of being able to rest players when they were safely in fourth. It felt inevitable that they’d score from a corner. Ravenhill was a disgrace.”

“It was definitely coming unfortunately. On the plus side, I can’t see them progressing through 2 more games. Our shortcomings played massively into their hands - we’ve already shown twice this season that at our best we can comfortably beat them”

“Pathetic performance. Roll on next season with (Phil) Parkinson”

“The best four sides are left in the play-offs. Be interesting to see who goes up. We could do with South Shields going up to get rid of them”

“Reminded me of the play-off game away at Kiddy last season when we were the better side, except Macc were the better side last night so can’t really have any complaints”

“Anyone else notice what appeared to be one of the Macc players throwing punches just after their second goal? Then a bit of wrestling ended up with him rolling on the floor on his back as if he’d been shot”

“Seen it back on the fan cam behind the goal. Woodthorpe tries to get the ball, Kay stops him and throws a punch. Woodthorpe then pushes Kay and chucks him on the ground, where Kay feins injury”

“Well done to Macclesfield. On the night they were the better team.”

“We were outclassed by a far fitter Macc side, who were able to successfully raise their game far beyond the levels they showed in our previous two meetings”

Regardless of the result on Wednesday night there’s plenty to celebrate for the Silkmen this season. We’ve got some reflections on our favourite moments in the league this season (Chorley away?), why form leading up to this might have dipped, and a brief look across our other play off contenders.

Podcast available on all good platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and many more. Or you can listen through the player above.

We’re activley looking for more contributors to the podcast in particular from people who are under represented within the fan base. Do get in touch if you’re intrested in getting involved. If there’s anything you’d like us to cover in future podcasts then leave us a comment and we’ll get it in for future episodes.

Three losses in four games, make that four defeats in five at home which used to be a ‘fortress’. So what’s gone wrong, and what does manager John Rooney need to fix to give Macc the best chance of winning promotion?

Back Ravenhill or re-instate Dearnley

The debate over who should play in goal rumbles on and came to a head once more on Saturday as some supporters took issue with Rogan Ravenhill. The on-loan keeper from Barnsley came under fire for his performance against Spennymoor and didn’t help himself when appearing to mock a supporter in the Star Lane End.

No matter what, Ravenhill will always be public enemy number one for some due to replacing fan-favourite Max Dearnley between the sticks. At times the youngster has flattered to deceive during his 16 appearances for the Silkmen, combining some shaky moments (Marine and Darlington away) with some breathtaking saves (Fylde at home and South Shields away).

After two excellent displays against Merthyr and South Shields, it appeared that Rogan had turned a corner. However, his capabilities were again called into question during the Spennymoor setback.

I felt Ravenhill may have done better to keep out the away side’s opening goal after just five minutes. Whilst Macclesfield were carved open by a routine ball through the middle, goalscorer McKeown’s shot wasn’t venomously struck and appeared to go underneath Ravenhill at his near post. It wasn’t quite the pea roller that the goalkeeper conceded away at Marine, but one of those shots where he may have done better.

After that, Ravenhill got lucky when flapping at a corner having completely misjudged the flight of the ball. He could have done nothing to keep out Spennymoor’s second - a superb strike from Ramshaw from the edge of the box, although some thought Ravenhill could have prevented the corner in the first place from which the visitor’s duly doubled their lead.

In total, Rogan has made 16 appearance in a Silkmen shirt, registering four clean sheets. He’s conceded 26 goals – an average of 1.6 goals per game. In contrast, Max Dearnley has made 28 appearances, 4 clean sheets, conceding 40 goals (1.4 goals per game). Pro-Dearnley supporters conveniently seem to overlook the errors Max made in a less than convincing start to 2026.

I’ve conducted some analysis on both goalkeepers a few weeks ago – see here. Personally, I don’t think there’s a lot between them, although my gut feeling is the defence does seem calmer when playing in front of Dearnley. Unfounded rumours suggest that Ravenhill’s parent club Barnsley has insisted that their goalkeeper must start for Macclesfield, unless he is unavailable through injury or suspension.

Regardless of whether Ravenhill has a clause in his contract or not, I feel that now is the time for Rooney to break his silence on this matter and ask for Silkmen supporters to put their differences to one side. Either publicly back him to the tune of…

“We’re lucky to have two great keepers at the club, but right now Rogan is my number one. He’s young and he’ll make mistakes, but please can all supporters get behind him. He was outstanding at Merthyr and again at South Shields, and I’m confident that he will be a huge asset to us in the play-offs etc etc.”

Or…. if Rooney is in any doubt after Ravenhill’s ability, now is the time to re-instate Max Dearnley and restore him in goal for our final two league games against Southport and Radcliffe.

Decide who is our first-choice defence

Injuries (Cameron Borthwick-Jackson) and suspension (Sam Heathcote) have disrupted Macclesfield’s defence. We’ve changed our back four in each of our previous three games, and before that have frequently alternated between Luke Matheson and Lewis Fensome at right back, and Luis Lacey and Kacper Pasiek at left back.

It would seem that Rooney’s preferred defensive line-up is Matheson, Heathcote, Borthwick-Jackson and Lacey, however this combination has started only 3 of our last 10 games.

Rollin Menayese, once a mainstay of the side, has endured a disastrous week. Torn to shreds at South Shield as Rooney adopted a high defensive line, Rollin was also at fault for Spennymoor’s opener on Saturday. He needlessly got drawn out of defence to track striker Glen Taylor who had dropped deep to collect the ball.

That created space for Spennymoor to float the ball over Matheson’s head into the area Menayese had vacated, Borthwick-Jackson couldn’t get across in time to prevent to McKeown’s strike and Macc were once again 1-0 down inside five minutes.

Spennymoor’s second goal also came about from a defensive mix-up as Borthwick-Jackson and Menayese both went to clear the corner. Borthwick-Jackson’s weak header fell to Ramshaw who leathered it past Ravenhill, but Menayese was arguably better placed to clear the danger.

Did Rollin call for it, or not? Like with Chester’s opener on Easter Monday, this was another example of a total lack of communication between the Silkmen’s centre backs (on that occasion Heathcote and Borthwick-Jackson).

It’s very late in the day now, but if Rooney is intent on protecting Sam Heathcote from suspension then maybe it’s high time to give Lewis Fensome an opportunity in his preferred position of centre back instead of as a makeshift full-back?

Less we forget, Fensome starred during the run-in to our Northern Premier League title success and was even preferred to Paul Dawson at centre back by Robbie Savage! Other than coming off the bench on Saturday to play in central defence, the only other time I can recall Fensome playing there this season is when he lined-up in a back five away at Spennymoor in August!

Address the drop-off in our attacking play

The drop-off wasn’t immediate, but over the last 6 games our attacking play in the final third has deteriorated and we now seem to be struggling without the potency, pace and tireless energy of D’Mani Mellor playing as a central striker. Here’s some stats:

Last 6 games vs Spennymoor, South Shields, Merthyr, Chester, Buxton and Hereford.

· Goals scored: 9

· Total shots: 83

· Shots on target: 24

· Shots inside the box: 42

· Shots outside the box: 41

· Crosses: 74 (20 accurate)

Previous 6 games vs Alfreton, Hereford, Telford, Curzon, Marine and Chorley.

· Goals scored: 12

· Total shots: 99

· Shots on target: 37

· Shots inside the box: 54

· Shots outside the box: 45

· Crosses: 85 (33 accurate)

Commentary: Comparing our last 6 games with the 6 games prior to that, we’ve scored 3 fewer goals, our total number of shots have reduced by 16%, shots on target by -35%, shots in the box by -22% and our total number of crosses by -12%.

In conclusion, we’re scoring fewer goals due to a significant drop-off in getting shots on target, having less efforts on goal and creating less quality chances (fewer shots inside the box).

In hindsight, perhaps the signs have been there. The free-flowing football which saw Macc sweep aside Radcliffe (3-1), Kidderminster (5-1), Worksop (4-2), Marine (4-2) and King’s Lynn (4-0), has been replaced by the Silkmen grinding out results in recent weeks. Against Curzon (20 shots) and Hereford (25 shots), we only had 4 and 3 shots respectively on target.

It was a similar story in our home defeats against Chorley (17 shots, 5 on target), Chester (16 shots, 4 on target) and on Saturday vs Spennymoor (17 shots, just 5 on target again) with Theo Chapman and James Gale particularly wasteful.

The 6 previous games Mellor started vs Darlington, Scarborough, Fylde, King’s Lynn, Leamington and Kidderminster before he was sold:

· Goals scored: 17

· Total shots: 90

· Shots on target: 40

· Shots inside the box: 52

· Shots outside the box: 38

· Crosses: 83 (36 accurate)

Commentary: I think it’s worth noting that we scored almost double the amount of goals WITH Mellor in the side (17) compared to our last 6 league games (9). And these 17 goals came against four sides who are in and around the promotion and play-off mix, albeit five of them came in the crushing victory over Kidderminster.

Don’t abandon 4-3-3 in favour of 4-2-3-1

Rooney adopted a more cautious 4-2-3-1 formation against Spennymoor, handing a debut to new signing Harry McHugh in a holding midfield role alongside James Edmondson. It simply didn’t work without Paul Dawson in the engine room.

Since abandoning 4-2-3-1 in favour of a more attack-minded 4-3-3, or a 4-1-4-1 set-up with Elliot Osborne policing just in front of the defence, the Silkmen have been scoring goals for fun. Luke Duffy has been transformed playing effectively as a right winger / inside forward, and the midfield trio of Dawson, Edmondson and Osborne complement each other well.

Striker James Gale is clearly struggling, no goals in 6 games, and just 2 since D’Mani Mellor jumped ship to Forest Green. Initially played as an impact sub, Gale had been tasked with starting 12 consecutive games before he was benched for our 4-1 to defeat at South Shields. He was re-instated against Spennymoor, but asked to play as a lone striker – a position he lacks the mobility and hold-up play qualities for.

The big man does know where the net is, he’s scored 8 goals in 20 appearances for the Silkmen, so let’s hope he comes good for the play-offs. Maybe Gale would benefit from a rest, but with loan striker Anjola Popoola absent from the squad at Spennymoor for reasons unknown, Gale may have to soldier on.

Our reliance on Dawson

Our dependency on captain fantastic Paul Dawson was again evident on Saturday. Rested as a precaution to avoid getting a 15^th yellow card and another suspension, Dawson’s absence and the impact on the team was plain to see. We simply lacked tenacity in the middle of the park and his leadership presence, not to mention his goalscoring threat which has seen him score 12 goals in 37 league appearances this season.

Our record in the league with and without Dawson bares some scrutiny, and highlights that we can ill afford to be without him for the play-offs.

With Dawson:

Appearances: 37

Started: 35 (25 in midfield, 10 at centre back)

Won: 20

Drew: 5

Lost: 10

Win percentage: 57%

Without Dawson starting:

Played: 9

Won: 3

Drew: 2

Lost: 4

Win percentage: 33%

*NB Dawson did come on at half-time in the 2-1 home win against Darlington when the score was 1-1, and late on in the away defeat at Chorley when it was 2-2.

With Dawson playing at centre half:

Played: 10

Won: 5

Drew: 3

Lost 2

Win percentage: 50%

Nail down Josh Kay’s best position

Josh Kay’s Silkmen career has been characterised by fleeting moments of quality and ill-discipline. The loanee from Oldham has made 25 appearances, but three red cards and an injury before Christmas have left him unavailable for 12 league games.

Now available again after a serving a five-match ban for being sent off after the full-time whistle against Chorley, Rooney seems intent on crowbarring Kay into the team any way he can. But establishing Kay’s best position remains something of a dilemma.

The Oldham loanee has played eight different positions during his Silkmen career to date: holding midfielder, central midfielder, right mid, left mid, attacking mid, left wing, right wing and even as a central striker against South Shields! Just 3 goals and 2 assists in the league have led some supporters to question Kay’s end product and true value to the Silkmen’s starting eleven, with good reason.

I’m not sure Kay possesses the pace, trickery or goalscoring composure to operate successfully in a front three. He’s also very wasteful in the opposition’s half the further he plays forward – just 36% passing accuracy vs Merthyr, 55% vs Chester and 63% vs Spennymoor isn’t good enough at any level.

However, in midfield Kay’s aggression, technique and ability to pick out a forward run does appear to be where his undoubted talent is most effective. In his 6 appearances playing at left midfield in a midfield three, Macclesfield have won 5 and lost 1, although the opposition includes Bedford (twice), Leamington, King’s Lynn, Darlington and Chorley (1-2 defeat).

On his day Kay can be a match-winner, but can Rooney trust him a) to deliver in the games that matter the most and b) keep his head in the play-off pressure cooker? It’s not as if we can’t prevail without Kay in the side. In the 12 games he’s been unavailable for, we’ve won 7, drawn 1 and lost only 4.

Justice for JJ?

It’s fair to presume that Justin Johnson and John Rooney don’t see eye-to-eye. Johnson was a peripheral figure at the start of the season, seemingly only getting his chance off the bench in an act of desperation from Rooney versus Darlington at home and Chorley away.

Johnson’s impressive cameos earned him a run in the side and the wayward winger duly delivered with a man-of-the-match performance and tremendous winner in the 3-2 victory over Curzon. Rather than sound like a broken record, I’ll share a link to the article I wrote about JJ at the time – many of points still stand six months later.

Johnson’s purple patch had extinguished somewhat prior to him getting injured before Christmas. Despite this, he had still registered three goals and two assists from 18 appearances, just nine of them starts, averaging a total of only 39 minutes per game.

JJ’s last start came against Chester on 30 December when he was hooked at half-time in the disappointing 2-0 loss. His last league appearance was as an 87^th minute substitute in our 2-1 loss at home to Chorley, and he’s not even made the bench since Curzon away on 14^th March – 9 games ago!

I don’t know what’s gone on behind the scenes, but given Macclesfield’s current struggles in the final third, surely there’s merit in Rooney and Johnson burying the hatchet? Or, are you honestly telling me that there’s no room for Johnson in our squad of 18, even as an impact sub who is capable of turning a game on its head with some sublime skill and unpredictability?

It’s not too late for both parties to swallow their pride, and arguably someone needs to quickly to give the Silkmen the best chance of triumphing in the play-offs.

The Silkmen’s unlikely rally was all the more dramatic due to them having to play with ten-men following Sam Heathcote’s non-sensical dismissal on the stroke of half-time following two yellow cards.

Merthyr took the lead on 66 minutes with a fine 25-yard strike from Tom Handley - a player who Macclesfield supporters will be sick of the sight of given Handley scored a hat-trick for the Martyrs in their 3-1 victory over the Silkmen back in September.

Out-of-sorts and (in truth) out of excuses for an abject display given they travelled down to South Wales on Friday night, Macclesfield were staring down the barrel of successive league defeats. Something needed to change, and to his credit manager John Rooney and his coaching staff found the answers.

Rooney’s tactical masterstroke

A poorly Luke Duffy, only well enough to take his place on the bench having commuted to Merthyr separately from the rest of the squad, was introduced as a 64th minute substitute for James Gale. It helped to turn the game on its head, even if the home side did take the lead almost immediately afterwards.

Rooney switched Isaac Buckley-Ricketts from out wide to a central striking position, supported by Duffy and Josh Kay on the flanks. IBR’s movement occupied Merthyr’s defenders for the first time, but it needed a textbook pass from Duffy to pick out Kay’s run from the right channel. Kay took it in his stride and finished cooly to draw Macc level just three minutes after going behind.

We could have settled for the draw, but the resilient Silkmen had other ideas. A flowing move from back to front, involving Edmondson and substitute Anjola Popoola, saw the latter square the ball for Edo, who found the bottom corner with an accurate finish to make it 2-1 to send the travelling away contingent into raptures.

In total, the Silkmen enjoyed just 31% possession, had only five efforts on goal and scored with their only two shots on target. Pretty it wasn’t, but effective it was in the end…

Did you know?

The come-from-behind win at Merthyr means that Macc have now rescued 25 points from losing positions this season, almost a third of our overall points total!

Play-offs guaranteed

Victory at Merthyr takes Macclesfield to 76 points and guarantees us a play-off place with still four league games remaining - a remarkable achievement from everyone concerned, and even moreso when you consider that the Silkmen were languishing in 15th place in the table, six points adrift of seventh place at the start of 2026.

Rooney’s men are almost certain to finish at least fourth, unless Macclesfield lose all of their remaining league games and Merthyr win their remaining three games, AND, overturn a current goal difference swing of eight goals. Given the Welsh side have only won three of their last 16 league fixtures (losing 11 of them!), this scenario seems unlikely.

Can we overtake Kidderminster and finish third?

Yes. We’ve played a game less and currently sit two points behind Kidderminster. However, our game in hand is against South Shields on Tuesday night who can overhaul Fylde and go top of the league if they beat the Silkmen. What a high-stakes battle Tuesday promises to be!

Remaining fixtures

Macclesfield: South Shields (a), Spennymoor (h), Southport (h), Radcliffe (a)

Kidderminster: Radcliffe (a), Leamington (a), South Shields (h)

Realistically, I think Macc will need to secure a minimum of 84 points to seal third place - three wins, or two wins and two draws. It’s probably likely that Kidderminster take maximum points from Radcliffe and Leamington, putting them on 84 pts going into a tantalising final day game against promotion-chasing South Shields at home!

Providing the Silkmen can take it to the wire against a Radcliffe side on the beach, we’re in with a shout of claiming third, even if we lose at South Shields. But that scenario would leave us probably needing to win our final three games.

Spennymoor still have an outside chance of reaching the play-offs (but their negative goal difference should put paid to that). Southport are in mid-table but have been one of the form sides in the NLN although they surprisingly lost against relegated Leamington yesterday. Whilst Radcliffe are bottom of the form table with just 1 point from their last six, whereas in contrast the Silkmen are top after winning 5 out of 6. Kidderminster have rebounded from back-to-back defeats with three successive wins.

You really couldn’t call who takes third place and, more importantly, which team will ultimately triumph in the play-offs as we stand.

See you soon, Kidderminster?

As a reminder, the team that finishes third will be rewarded with a home game in the play-off semi-final and with one less game to play. This is how the National League North play-off format will pan out.

• Eliminator A (5th v 6th) - Tue 28 April

• Eliminator B (4th v 7th) - Wed 29 April

• Semi-final - 2nd v Eliminator A winner - Sat 2 May

• Semi final - 3rd v Eliminator B winner - Sat 2 May

• Promotion Final - Sat 9 May, with the team who finished highest in the league gaining home advantage.

A final word on the ‘invincible’ Fylde and South Shields

There seems to be a prevailing opinion that IF AFC Fylde don’t win the league and finish second, they are likely to go up via the play-offs. Following Fylde’s loss to Chester yesterday and South Shields demolishing Radcliffe, the race for the National League North title and automatic promotion is well and truly back on.

If you’re a Silkmen fan you’ll want Fylde to go up automatically after they have easily beaten us 5-1 and 4-1 this season. In reality, neither Fylde or South Shields are in good form right now. Fylde have lost three of their last six, all away from home (including four of their last 5 away) yet remain very strong at home (17 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses) which would make them favourites for the play-offs if they end up there.

Meanwhile, Shields have only won three out of their last eight, but like Fylde have an enviable home record (16 wins, 3 draws, 2 losses). One of these sides is going to have to pick themselves up after the heartache of missing out on the league title.

There’s no reason then why the Silkmen can’t take advantage in what is the lottery of the play-offs! Keep the faith!

For many Macclesfield supporters this will come as little surprise, given the lavish spending the club embarked on to win promotion from the Northern Premier League last season.

Under former manager Robbie Savage, the Silkmen made a raft of major new player signings (with promotion clauses) on considerable wages from higher up the football pyramid, which included: Danny Elliott, Justin Johnson, Danny Whitehead, Elliott Whitehouse, Max Dearnley, D’Mani Mellor and Rollin Menayese, amongst others.

Increased investment from the Board, but an increased reliance on the Smethursts

Short-term liabilities have risen sharply from £1.82 million to £2.39 million, of which £2.21 million is to ‘related parties’ and directors.

Broken down, the figures highlight the amounts owed to ‘related parties rose’ from £1.03 million to £1.55 million, while directors’ loans increased £688,000 to £838,000. On a positive note, these numbers reveal a major commitment from Rob and Sarah-Jane Smethurst to back the Silkmen’s aim to eventually return to the Football League, alongside contributions from newer board members such as Jonathan Bull.

Asset base remains strong

Macclesfield’s fixed assets – largely the club’s infrastructure ie the stadium and associated leisure facilities remain its most valuable long-term strength. The net book value of tangible assets stands at £2.31 million, slightly lower compared to £2.45 million the previous year.

The club continued to upgrade its facilities, albeit somewhat modestly following additional spending of £43,378 on new fixed assets. In reality, Macclesfield have pushed harder on and off the pitch to achieve success, which naturally comes with higher operating costs.

Cashflow stable

Cash in the bank increased to £124,110 from £101,747. In addition, trade receivables have increased from £71,854 to £132,145 which indicates a strong uplift in the club’s commercial performance following promotion to the National League North. The club’s staff numbers also remained static at 48 – identical to the previous year.

Heavy financial losses, but reasons for optimism

There’s no sugarcoating a £624,000 loss, however, it’s worth keeping in mind that A LOT has changed since these figures were compiled reflecting Macclesfield’s financial performance for the year ending 30 June 2025.

Following Robbie Savage’s departure and the appointment of new manager John Rooney, the Board has exercised greater financial prudence, helped in part by Savage raiding his former club to sign Tre Pemberton, Laurent Mendy, Neil Kengni, Sean Etaluku and more recently D’Mani Mellor.

After previously considering stepping back from the day-to-day running of the club, Rob Smethurst has also returned as Chairman at the beginning of this year much to relief of Silkmen supporters.

Summary

Why did the losses increase so much?

Although the accounts don’t break down player‑related spending, several things clearly contributed:

· The club significantly increased its player budget

· Short‑term debts increased

· General operating costs rose…

• But he club continued upgrading facilities, spending £43,378 on new fixed assets.

Is the Board still supporting the club?

Yes, in a major way. Amounts owed to owners and related parties rose to £1.55 million, showing that the board (predominantly Rob and Sarah-Jane Smethurst) has continued to back the club moving forward.

And whilst understandably many supporters bemoaned the loss of Pemberton, Kengni and Mendy to Forest Green without like-for-like replacements being brought in, the Board have not been shy at putting their hands in their pockets and supporting John Rooney.

Since the end of last season, 21 new players have arrived through the door – 15 of them as permanent signings (with 6 loans), although Josef Yarney, Max Woltman, Luke Griffiths and Shea Callister have subsequently been allowed to leave.

How significant is the FA Cup run?
It could potentially be transformational in the short and medium term, particularly if Macclesfield’s boost in profile attracts new investors from at home or even overseas. A proportion of the money generated from the FA Cup run is likely to have been allocated to fund the acquisitions of nine new players since January alone to spearhead a play-off push.

Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Mikey Stone, Elliot Osborne, James Gale, Theo Chapman and most recently Harry McHugh have arrived on permanent deals, whilst Anjola Popoola, Kacper Pasiek and Rogan Ravenhill have arrived on loan as the Silkmen strive for promotion to the National League.

As a reminder, teams finishing between second and seventh in the league secure a play-off spot. But crucially, those finishing second and third go straight through to the play-off semi-finals AND will have home advantage. Whilst either AFC Fylde or South Shields will finish second, third-place remains up for grabs for the Silkmen.

Remarkably with games in hand, late surges in form and alarming drop-offs in results, up to 11 teams have a chance of making the play-offs, from third-placed Kidderminster to Marine currently in 13^th. In this updated article of my previous piece, we’ll predict which teams are looking most likely to secure a top seven finish, and estimate how many points will be needed to secure 7^th and 3^rd place.

How many points will Macc need for a play-off place?

Yesterday’s results saw defeats for Kidderminster and Darlington, Macclesfield and Merthyr didn’t play, whilst Scarborough and Telford (in seventh and eighth respectively) could only manage draws at home. But the chasing pack of Buxton, Chester and Spennymoor picked up wins to narrow the gap to the play-offs.

Teams are running out of road with the majority having only five or six games remaining, in contrast to Macc who have eight fixtures left in what will be a busy end to the season. My original prediction stands in that I believe 73pts will be enough to secure 7^th place, but given how many of the play-off contenders have to play each other, a low of 71pts might be sufficient to scrape over the line.

For Macclesfield, two more wins from our final eight games would put us in a very strong position to secure a play-off place.

Is third place up for grabs?

Absolutely. It was even before yesterday, but following Kidderminster’s shock loss to Oxford City the battle for third is well and truly on between the Silkmen and the Harriers, with Merthyr and Darlington rank outsiders. Kidderminster currently occupy third on 69 points having played 39 games, with Macclesfield two points behind them with a game in hand.

As you’ll see below, Kidderminster’s run-in is much easier compared to ours though making them the favourites to clinch a home semi-final tie in the play-offs with either Fylde or South Shields claiming the other. To grab third, I think the Silkmen are probably looking at a low of 81 points and a high of 84 points, which would possibly require five more victories from our last eight – a tall order given the difficulty of our run-in.

If you’re glass half-full you’ll be looking upwards at the National League North table. If you’re glass half-empty (like me), you’ll be nervously looking over your shoulder and gladly take fourth or fifth place which will guarantee home advantage in the play-off quarter finals.

The leading contenders

Kidderminster Harriers

Current position: 3^rd, 69pts

Games remaining: 7

Home: Hereford, King’s Lynn, South Shields

Away: Radcliffe, Spennymoor, Telford, Leamington

Current form (last 6): 9^th, 10pts

Average PPG of remaining opponents: 1.33

Comment: Kidderminster blew a chance to go five points clear of Macclesfield in third place by suffering a 3-2 loss at the improving Oxford City. The Harriers’ defence has been the cornerstone of their promotion push – no team has gained more clean sheets than them in the NLN (16). So what a time to concede three at lowly Oxford without their number one goalkeeper Christian Dibble and enterprising full-back Joe Foulkes.

Dibble and Foulkes were stretchered off following a sickening clash at Radcliffe last week which led to the game being abandoned. The fixture will need to be replayed, but it would be a surprise to see either player feature again this season – a huge blow for the Harriers. Whilst manager Adam Murray did bring in reinforcements before Thursday’s transfer deadline day, Kiddy fans are suddenly nervous about their promotion chances.

They remain favourites to finish third, but still face tricky fixtures against Spennymoor, Telford and South Shields in their remaining seven games. If they do have a wobble, Macclesfield are the most likeliest to overtake them.

Macclesfield FC

Current position: 4^th, 67pts

Games remaining: 8

Home: Chester, Spennymoor, Southport

Away: Hereford, Buxton, Merthyr, South Shields, Radcliffe

Current form (last 6): 7^th, 12pts

Average PPG of remaining opponents: 1.54

Comment: Despite disappointing recent defeats to Chorley and Telford, back-to-back wins over struggling Hereford and Alfreton have catapulted Macclesfield up to fourth in the table – their highest position of the season. In 2026, the Silkmen’s league currently stands at: Won 12, Drawn 1, Lost 4, which equates to 37 points from 17 games and a PPG of 2.17. Had Macc replicated this over the course of the season, we’d currently be vying for automatic promotion with Fylde and South Shields!

The FA Cup run has enabled manager John Rooney to strengthen his squad at a crucial point in the season, with midfielder Harry McHugh being the latest addition. The Silkmen still look light upfront, although the loan signing of Anjola Popoola will lighten the burden on James Gale following the departure of D’Mani Mellor.

Macclesfield’s run-in is tough and their results over Easter against Buxton and Chester may determine whether we are looking upwards towards 3^rd, or looking anxiously over our shoulders to secure a play-off berth. On a positive note the Silkmen are in the ascendency, it’s very much in our hands, and having improved their shaky away form from earlier in the season Macclesfield fans will quietly fancy our promotion chances.

Merthyr Town

Current position: 5^th, 66pts

Games remaining: 6

Home: Oxford, Macclesfield, AFC Fylde

Away: Hereford, Marine, Scarborough

Current form (last 6): 17^th, 6pts

Average PPG of remaining opponents: 1.48

Comment: As stated last time, Merthyr’s drop-off in form is so disastrous that they are in danger of missing out on the play-offs altogether after they previously occupied third place from mid-November until only a couple of weeks ago. 9 defeats in their last 13 league games, and just 3 wins is more like relegation form. The loss of star striker Ricardo Rees to Forest Green has hit the Welshmen hard, and whereas the Silkmen have dusted themselves down and rebounded after also losing D’Mani Mellor to Robbie Savage, clearly Merthyr don’t have the same squad depth.

The Martyrs still have to play the Silkmen, Fylde, Marine and Scarborough in their remaining games, not to mention the vastly improving Oxford City – currently fourth in the form table with 13pts from their last six. It would be no surprise If Merthyr capitulated on missed out on the play-offs given their current trajectory.

Darlington

Current position: 6^th, 65pts

Games remaining: 5

Home: Scarborough, Marine, Oxford

Away: South Shields, Telford

Current form (last 6): 12^th, 9pts

Average PPG of remaining opponents: 1.61

Comment: Darlington have lost three of their last five games against Buxton, Kidderminster and Fylde, and yesterday’s loss to the Coasters consigned them to back-to-back defeats. On paper, Darlo also have the toughest run-in of any play-off contender. In Cedric Main and Jack Maskell, the Quakers have quality upfront, but they are not the most resolute defending. Whilst they do currently have a cushion on eighth place, it could go right down to the wire as to whether Darlington cling on for a play-off place.

Scarborough

Current position: 7^th, 63pts

Games remaining: 5

Home: Spennymoor, Merthyr

Away: Darlington, Buxton, Bedford

Current form (last 6): 11^th, 10pts

Average PPG of remaining opponents: 1.49

Comment: Whatever happens, Scarborough have had a magnificent season and overachieved. Whilst they’ve not been able to sustain their brilliant start, they’ve remained firmly entrenched in the play-offs for the most part and continue to pick up points. The Seadogs are unbeaten in seven games, but five of these have ended in draws, which could end up costing them dearly given that four of their remaining five fixtures are against their play-off rivals.

Telford

Current position: 8^th, 61pts

Games remaining: 5

Home: Kidderminster, Darlington

Away: Chester, Peterborough, Southport

Current form (last 6): 13^th, 8pts

Average PPG of remaining opponents: 1.39

Comment: After a superb run, Telford are just starting to run out of steam at a vital time in the season. Just two wins in their last six (one of them against Macclesfield), which include a damaging defeat against basement side Leamington and a home draw against struggling Bedford. With star striker Matt Stenson still out injured, the Bucks are not looking as threatening in front of goal.

It’s still in Telford’s hands though given they have Kidderminster, Darlington and Chester to play, plus away trips to relegation threatened Peterborough and an in-form Southport (but who have nothing to play for). Don’t count Telford out!

Buxton

Current position: 9^th, 60pts

Games remaining: 6

Home: Macclesfield, Scarborough, Leamington

Away: Worksop, Alfreton, Curzon

Current form (last 6): 15pts, 1st

Average PPG of remaining opponents: 1.24

Comment: Buxton are on the coat tails of teams in the play-offs having capitalised on a very charitable run of fixtures to accumulate 15pts from their last 6 games. With by far the easiest run-in of any play-off contender, the Bucks look a great bet to secure a top 7 finish. Good Friday’s clash against the Silkmen at Buxton will be huge – if the Bucks can draw or win that they will be in a strong position to earn a play-off spot for the second consecutive season.

Chester

Current position: 10^th, 60pts

Games remaining: 5

Home: Telford, Fylde, King’s Lynn

Away: Macclesfield, Oxford

Current form (last 6): 13pts, 6th

Average PPG of remaining opponents: 1.56

Comment: Chester’s seasoned looked doomed, however the departure of much-maligned manager Callum McIntyre and subsequent appointment of caretaker Connor Rawlinson has sparked the Seals into life. Seven wins in 11 have given Chester a chance of making the play-offs, with a huge game against the Silkmen on Easter Monday to come in front of a bumper crowd.

The Seals are in the ascendency, but also accident prone as evidenced by their defeats to Hereford (5-2) and Southport (2-1) in recent weeks. There’s little margin for error for Chester in their five remaining, tough games and they may just run out of time to make the play-offs, not helped by their -3 goal difference.

Spennymoor

Current position: 11^th, 60pts

Games remaining: 6

Home: Kidderminster, South Shields, Worksop, Marine

Away: Scarborough, Macclesfield

Current form (last 6): 5^th, 13pts

Average PPG of remaining opponents: 1.53

Comment: Spennymoor have been sneaking up on the blindside, slowly but surely creeping up the table and are now just three points outside of the play-offs following four wins in five. Their run-in though is amongst the most challenging of any of the chasing pack – Kidderminster, South Shields, Marine, Scarborough and the Silkmen all to come which makes them outsiders to break into the play-offs. Spennymoor have finished eighth in the last two seasons, and the smart money is on them to agonisingly miss out again, particularly given their goal difference currently stands at an eyewatering -9 which is by far the worst of any play-off contender.

Radcliffe

Current position: 12^th, 56pts

Games remaining: 7

Home: Kidderminster, Curzon, South Shields, Macclesfield

Away: Worksop, Fylde, Hereford

Current form (last 6): 24^th, 1 pt

Average PPG of remaining opponents: 1.61

Comment: Six defeats in seven and a nightmare run-in to come, Radcliffe’s play-off hopes are in ruin. They’ve slipped from 5^th in January to 12^th and it would take a miracle now for them to address this slide in fortune to have a remote chance of competing for the play-offs. Radcliffe’s players should be on the beach when they entertain the Silkmen on the final day.

Marine

Current position: 13^th, 55pts

Games remaining: 9

Home: Chorley, Hereford, Merthyr, Alfreton

Away: Fylde, Southport, Darlington, Hereford, Spennymoor

Current form (last 6): 16^th, 7pts

Average PPG of remaining opponents: 1.34

Comment: Marine can now concentrate on the league following their gallant FA Trophy semi-final defeat to Wealdstone. They are the rank outsiders to make the play-offs – currently eight points adrift of seventh, but they have as many as four games in hand on their rivals. However, 9 fixtures in 26 days between now and the end of the season will put enormous strain on Marine’s threadbare squad, although their run-in looks relatively favourable on paper. The Mariners will probably need to win 6 more games to stand a chance – not impossible, but with fatigue thrown into the mix a play-off place looks beyond them.

The Silkmen News predictions

Champions: AFC Fylde

2^nd: South Shields

3^rd: Kidderminster Harriers

4^th: Macclesfield FC

5^th: Buxton

6^th: Darlington

7^th Telford

Tired legs after playing back-to-back on Saturdays and Tuesdays since the turn of the year, or simply a bad day at the office? Possibly a combination of both. Either way, the players and coaches have been magnificent during Macclesfield’s climb up the table from 15th to 6th.

Despite Tuesday’s setback, we’re still in a strong position to secure a play-off spot with ten league games remaining. In terms of the maths, see my previous analysis on the race for the National League North play-offs and the likely points total needed to secure 7th place or higher in the table.

Following Tuesday’s results, I think Macclesfield will need between 72 and 74 points to get over the line. We currently have 61 points from 36 games, so possibly require four more victories from our final ten matches. Doable on paper, although as Brian Clough once uttered: “Football is played on grass” and the Silkmen’s run-in is tougher than most of the other chasing play-off pack.

Scroll further down for reasons to be optimistic!

There are lots of reasons for Silkmen fans to remain positive, and if you scroll further down this article you will find some interesting stats and analysis which compare our dramatic improvement in form from the 20 league games up to 26 December (including our Boxing Day loss to Buxton), and from our subsequent 15 league games from 30th December (starting with the 2-0 loss vs Chester) until 14 March (prior to our defeat to Telford - I’d crunched the data prior to Tuesday night, for context!).

Telford analysis - what went wrong?

Firstly, it’s worth making the point that we lost to a very good side who have been on a similar form trajectory to Macclesfield FC, adapting from a slow start having gained promotion from Step 3 last season.

Not dissimilar to league leaders AFC Fylde, Telford have a clear possession-based style and their team is littered with talented young footballers who are likely to attract interest from National League clubs (and possibly above!) in the summer.

18-year-old goalkeeper Josh Gracey has impressed on a season-long loan from Wolves. I really like the look of cultured centre back Oliver Cawthorne who scored Telford’s opener against us. Cawthorne joined Telford having played for clubs in Venezuela and Panama, and his actual nationality is Venezuelan due to his parents originally working there as journalists. Box-to-box midfielder Thakgalo Leshabela was a real handful - he started at Leicester U21’s before playing in South Africa and returning to the English non-league pyramid. Whilst full-back Ammar Dyer, who provided a perfect through ball for Telford’s second, is comfortable on the ball and attracting admiring glances from teams higher up.

Upfront Telford have the dangerous Remi Walker (ex-Birmingham City youth) who has bagged 14 league goals, including scoring at the Leasing.com stadium when Macclesfield and The Bucks drew 1-1 earlier in the season. Top scorer Matt Stenson (16 goals) has been sidelined with a toe injury, but in Adan George Telford have found an able deputy. Released by Halifax in the summer and beset by injuries, George has recently returned to full fitness and is a dangerous marksman. His two goals against the Silkmen (one via the penalty spot) takes his tally to 9 goals from 13 starts.

The point I’m making is that Telford are getting better and better, and Bucks manager Kevin Wilkin has made some very shrewd acquisitions. While their form has been patchy of late, Telford will be a serious threat IF they make the play-offs and losing to them is no disgrace.

Poor goals conceded

Macclesfield never recovered from going a goal behind after two minutes - a corner floated in which somehow evaded all Silkmen players and was turned in at close range by Cawthorne. Abysmal defending, poor marking. However, the corner itself was entirely preventable.

Kacper Pasiek embarked on a foray forward, but his underhit pass intended for James Gale was intercepted. Telford then cleverly switched play to the right channel to fill the void that Pasiek had left behind. Pasiek wasn’t quick enough to get back, nor could he prevent the inswinging cross that followed which Rogan Ravenhill couldn’t gather cleanly under pressure. Ravenhill then received lengthy treatment before the subsequent corner was taken. Everything from our attacking build-up to how we defended the eventual corner leading to the first goal was just sloppy.

Telford’s second goal was good play rather than poor defending from the Silkmen. But it did highlight how we struggle with speed and movement. A perfect pass from Dyer was placed inside Cameron Borthwick-Jackson into the path of George who made no mistake.

Our response in the second half was disappointingly flat. Isaac Buckley-Ricketts missed a huge chance to halve the defecit and we never really looked like getting back into it until Telford capped a fine performance to make it 3-0 from the spot.

The Silkmen needed reinforcements following the sale of D’Mani Mellor and Josh Kay’s latest suspension after his red card against Chorley. At least new arrivals Anjola Popoola (on loan from Accrington) and Theo Chapman (signed from Scarborough) got 20 minutes to familiarise themselves with their new teammates.

Match stats

Possession: Telford 49%, Macc 51%

Total shots: Telford 8, Macc 12

Shots on target: Telford 5, Macclesfield 5

Corners: Telford 4, Macclesfield 3

There’s no getting away from this being a disappointing performance from the Silkmen, but I do think there has been an over-reaction from some as to how ‘bad’ we played. This wasn’t of AFC Flyde proportions - Telford were simply more clinical and managed the second half relatively comfortably as we huffed and puffed.

The big penalty decisions didn’t go our way, and on another day Buckley-Ricketts may have scored two goals.

Player ratings

Ravenhill 6.5 - Fairly, or otherwise, I feel like I’m scrutinising his every move, but some of his erratic performances have warranted that and Tuesday was another example. Could he have done better to gather the cross cleanly to prevent the corner which led to Telford’s opener? He was under pressure… But do you expect your ‘keeper to be stronger in claiming the corner once it was floated in? Possibly…. but our defenders should have dealt with it, the penalty box was crowded, and Ravenhill had just been clattered and needed treatment.

In the second half he made a fine smothering save after Menayese gifted Telford possession, showing agility and bravery to come off his line. But… it was Ravenhill’s poor clearance which put Menayese under pressure in the first place which resulted in Rollin’s eventual error. Ravenhill is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you’re going to get.

Matheson 8 - our best player, and one of the few to emerge with any credit from a difficult evening. Going forward he was our most likely threat - he whipped in four crosses, one of which almost saw Buckley-Ricketts turn in Gale’s flick to draw us level. In total, Matheson made 2 ‘key passes’ which led to a goalscoring opportunity. Defensively Matheson was also sound - winning 6 out of 10 ground duels, in addition to making 2 interceptions and 1 clearance.

Heathcote 7.5 - good numbers from Sam who did his best to hold the defence together. He won 9 out 12 ground and aerial duels and recovered the ball 15 times. His passing accuracy was also high at 81%. He did touch the ball (68 times) more than any other Silkmen player, which perhaps tells its own story as we struggled to find any penetration in midfield. Was pushed up front as an emergency striker late in the second half.

Borthwick-Jackson 6 - limped off after 55 minutes after going down of his own accord with no one near him, which is a major concern given his fine form. It looked like a muscle injury which makes him a major doubt for Saturday’s fixture against Hereford. He lost George for Telford’s second goal, but his defensive numbers were good apart from that - 5 out of 6 aerial duels won and 88% passing accuracy.

Pasiek 6 - subbed at half-time for Lacey as manager John Rooney tried to shore up the left side which had a difficult first half. Pasiek’s loose pass to Gale turned possession over which eventually led to Telford’s first goal. It set the tone for the remainder of the half as his passing accuracy was only 56%. He only won 2 of his 8 ground duels, so can’t really have any arguments with Rooney’s decision. We did look more solid down the left when Lacey came on.

Edmondson 6.5 - struggled to impose himself against a very polished Telford midfield and didn’t have any attempts on goal. Was decent on the ball - 4 out of 4 successful dribbles, 73% passing accuracy with 2 key passes. But less effective without it - just 5 out of 16 ground and aerial duels won. James was also dribbled past on 3 occasions, highlighting that he struggled to deal with Telford’s speed and movement at times.

Osborne 5 - ‘Ozzy’ has been excellent since coming in from Altrincham, but he had a ‘mare’ against Telford. He’s normally so composed in possession but his overall passing accuracy was 67%, and just 43% accuracy for passes played in Telford’s half, whilst just 3 of his 10 attempted long balls found a Macclesfield shirt which is an area he usually excels in.

Osborne wasn’t given the time and space in the engine room that he is normally accustomed to. He was dribbled past twice and made 2 errors which directly led to Telford shots. Replaced by debutant Popoola on 70 mins who went upfront.

Dawson 6.5 - tried in vain to get us back into the game and was clearly frustrated at the end. The captain attempted four shots, all from distance, of which 3 were on target without really troubling the keeper. Off the ball he made 3 tackles but surprisingly won only 4 of 19 contested ground duels.

With the ball our captain wasn’t as effective as he normally is - 66% passing accuracy and only 2 out of 8 accurate long balls. A frustrating evening was capped by him conceding a penalty in injury time for a foul on George - there seemed minimal contact, but Dawson’s attempts to grab George round the shoulder to check his run obviously made the referee’s mind up.

Duffy 7.5 - Will be disappointed by his defending on the front post for Telford’s corner which led to them scoring. Along with Matheson though he was our brightest threat. Was unlucky not to win a penalty on ten minutes - it looked like the defender tugged his shirt from my vantage point? Could Duffy have stayed on his feet? Yes, I think he could and probably should of as the contact on him wasn’t strong. He was in a goalscoring position, 12 yards out, allbeit on his left foot.

In the second half he laid on a brilliant chance for Buckley-Ricketts to make it 2-1 which was spurned. Good numbers from Duffs overall - 2 key passes, 4 out of 5 accurate long balls and 81% passing accuracy in Telford’s half.

Gale 5.5 - put in two hard shifts away at Darlington and Marine, and I thought he looked weary against Curzon on Saturday. But following Mellor’s departure he’s having to do more work and was largely isolated against Telford. His flick from Matheson’s cross almost produced an equaliser, but other than that was ineffective. Just 1 out of 21 ground and aerial duels won suggests mentally and physically Gale is running on empty. Needs a rest, hopefully the loan signing of Popoola can take away some of the burden on him upfront currently.

Buckley-Ricketts 6 - almost equalised but couldn’t turn in Gale’s flick at full-stretch. Missed a guilt-edged chance when put through by Duffy. The keeper was quickly off his line to close the distance, but Buckley-Ricketts’ shot was straight at him. Didn’t carry the same threat as Duffy on the opposite flank, or provide enough steel to alleviate some of the pressure on Pasiek in the first half.

Subs:

Lacey 6.5 - was an improvement for Pasiek on at half-time. Made 5 defensive contributions (1 tackle, 1 interception and 3 clearances), though won only 1 of 7 ground duels. Was tidier on the ball than Pasiek - 72% passing accuracy compared to 56%.

Menayese 5.5 - on for the injured Borthwick-Jackson. Almost gifted Telford a goal when conceding possession in a dangerous area, only for Ravenhill to make a fine save. Interesting to note that he made 29 passes when coming on after 55 minutes - that’s only 3 less than Dawson made in the entire game! I think Rollin having more of the ball highlights how ineffective we were in midfield, even when we were trying to chase the game!

Popoola 6 - did ok, and almost found himself one-on-one with the keeper but was adjudged to have committed a foul. Looks to have decent mobility and strength, knows the National League North well, could be a decent signing.

Chapman 6.5 - had one lofted effort after replacing Buckley-Ricketts on 70 minutes. Kept the ball well (5 out of 5 passes completed) and made one pass which led to a shot. A promising debut for the winger signed from Scarborough.

Now for some good news…

Inspired by supporter Rob Vernon who commented on Macclesfield’s excellent form and increased goalscoring threat since the start of 2026 on the Macc FC Fans Facebook page, I decided to run some comparisons on how we have improved before and after 26 December. Or more specifically, with and without star striker Danny Elliott.

For the avoidance of doubt, I’m in no way implying that we are more effective without Elliott. But certainly John Rooney has had to adapt and change our style of play from a rigid 4-2-3-1 formation, to a more fluid 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1 set-up. Imagine how potent we’d be if Elliott was fit right now!

Our attacking and defensive numbers for the 20 league games, up to and including Buxton on 26 December, compared to our 15 league games from Chester on 30 December to Curzon Ashton on 14 March.

Up to Buxton (26 December)

• 20 league games

• 27 goals scored = 1.35 goals per game

• Our expected goals (xG) figure was 27.86. So we scored as many goals as we were expected to based on the quality of chances created

• Danny Elliott was our top scorer with 11, contributing 40% of our league goals

• 10 different goalscorers

• Average number of shots per game: 11.6

• Average number of shots on target per game: 4.4

• Average number of shots in the box per game: 6.75

• 30 goals conceded = 1.5 goals per game

• Our goals conceded xG figure was 24.56 - 6 more goals than we were expected to concede based on the quality of the chances we gave up

Up to Curzon (14 March)

• 15 league games

• 38 goals scored = 2.53 goals per game, an increase of 87% on our first 20 league games

• Our expected goals (xG) figure was 28.29. So we scored 10 more goals than we were expected to, but our finishing was of a much higher quality

• 10 different goalscorers: Mellor 8, Gale 7, Duffy 6, Dawson 4, Edmondson 3, Buckley-Ricketts 3, Kay 2, Pasiek, Osborne and Heathcote (1 each), with 2 OGs

• Average number of shots per game: 13.7 - an increase of 18%

• Average number of shots on target per game: 5.8 - an increase of 31%

• Average number of shots in the box per game: 8.46 - an increase of 25%

• 23 goals conceded = 1.5 goals per game

• Our goals conceded xG figure was 18.63, 5 more goals than we were expected to concede based on the quality of the chances we gave up (think the lobs conceded vs Leamington, Fylde and Scarborough as a case in point!)

• So despite a much bigger emphasis being placed on attacking, or defensive numbers (although not great!) have hardly changed

Keep the faith

I’m a typical glass-half-empty person. And even though I’m still sulking following our loss to Telford, I wanted to publish these numbers because I think they show how well the team has done and that we’re still in with a great chance of making the play-offs, even though we’ll face some nervy moments en-route.

It is, however, crucial that we get back-on-track against a resurgent (but still relegation haunted) Hereford on Saturday. Losing three games back-to-back at home seems almost unthinkable, but the pressure is undoubtedly on the Silkmen.

The players need us more than ever, so let’s do everything we can to give them a lift.

Here’s a review of the main talking points from Curzon yesterday to include various stats and player ratings.

Cruise control at Curzon

Goals in each half from the scintillating James Edmondson and Luke Duffy saw the Silkmen cruise to victory at the Nash, registering their first away clean sheet since beating Leamington 1-0 in October. Macc started brightly with James Gale and Paul Dawson going close, but then fell a bit flat.

The game was delayed for fifteen minutes whilst a Silkmen supporter received treatment following a medical episode. Thankfully the gentleman is ok. Ironically, the break in play seemed to galvanise Macclesfield and we resumed on the front foot. Birthday-boy Isaac Buckley-Ricketts’ backpost cross was converted at close range by the onrushing Edmondson to make it 1-0 on 37 minutes.

Curzon rarely threatened, with the exception of a free-kick from former Silkman Alex Curran which Rogan Ravenhill got the faintest of touches on to turn it over the bar. Macc began the second half in the ascendency. Luke Duffy narrowly failed to turn in Gale’s cross, but then Duffy atoned by drilling in an effort from just inside the area to double our advantage. 0-2.

It might have been three had Edmondson’s stinging effort not struck the woodwork, and the Silkmen also had a penalty shout turned down for handball. Overall, a professional and comfortable performance from Macclesfield who are now looking up the table to see if they can catch fourth-placed Kidderminster (who drew against Chester) and wobbling Merthyr (who lost to Spennymoor).

If we can emerge with a draw or a victory in Tuesday’s tricky test away at play-off rivals Telford, the Silkmen will really be in the box-seat.

Match stats

Possession: Curzon 43%, Macc 57%

Total shots: Curzon 8, Macc 20

Shots on target: Curzon 4, Macc 4

Shots off target: Curzon 4, Macc 16

Corners: Curzon 2, Macc 6

Player ratings

Ravenhill 7.5 – a much more assured performance from Rogan who kept his second clean sheet in seven appearances. Nothing spectacular, but thankfully, no hearts in mouths moments either. Four saves in total (two inside the box) – the pick being a sprawling dive to keep out Weston’s well drilled effort mid-way through the second half. Rogan’s passing accuracy is also improving – 88% against Marine and 78% yesterday, compared to just 46% at Darlington.

Matheson 7 – made his seventh consecutive start and has been really consistent since returning from injury in mid-December after being sidelined for almost four months. Defensively he surprisingly won only 1 of his 7 duels, although it’s hard to recall Matheson being unduly troubled. As always, he got forward in an attempt to support our attacks – 13 of his 20 passes were in Curzon’s half with an accuracy rate of 85%.

Heathcote 8 – really good, particularly in the second half when Sam made a crucial block at point-blank range to prevent substitute Stubbs from pulling a goal back. Strong, commanding and unruffled throughout – 6 defensive contributions (3 interceptions, 2 clearances and 1 blocked shot) underline Heathcote’s solid contribution yesterday. I felt Sam needed a rest physically and mentally after Brentford, and since returning to the side at Scarborough he’s been in fine form. Curzon attempted 5 through balls compared to none from Macclesfield – they tried to play through us centrally but invariably Heathcote and Borthwick-Jackson closed the door.

Borthwick-Jackson 8.5 – proper Rolls-Royce performance by CBJ yesterday who is flourishing at centre back alongside Heathcote. He makes the game look really easy at this level, with and without the ball. With it, his passing accuracy was 89% overall including 15 out of 18 successful passes in Curzon’s half which is impressive. The highlights will show Buckley-Ricketts’ assist for Edmondson’s opener, however they may not show CBJ’s intelligent run into the penalty area in the build-up to create space and occupy Curzon’s defenders. He then laid the ball back and Isaac and Edo did the rest.

Defensively, Cameron was exceptional. He won 7 of 12 ground and aerial duels, and is becoming more dominant in the air following two strong performances against Marine and Curzon – 4 of 6 aerial duels won yesterday and 5 out of 6 aerial duels won against the physical threat of Marine on Tuesday. At Curzon, CBJ made 4 defensive contributions (1 crunching tackle, 1 interception, 1 interception and 1 blocked shot).

He also reads the game so well and is in the right place at the right time – Borthwick-Jackson made a whopping 16 ‘recoveries’, a term used to describe a player retrieving possession as the result of winning a second ball, such as collecting / intercepting a misplaced pass. He’s so important to allowing us to play on the front foot.

Pasiek 6.5 – didn’t carry the ball as much as he did at Marine on Tuesday, but then again he didn’t need to as Buckley-Ricketts was giving Curzon fits further forward. Kacper’s job was to keep it tight up against the dangerous Curzon forward Weston who has bagged 13 goals for the Nash this season. Kacper was largely second best against his dangerous opponent – just 3 of 12 ground duels won, however this rarely presented Curzon with any clearcut openings.

Osborne 7.5 – like Borthwick-Jackson, ‘Ozzy’ is a bit like a fine wine at this level. He strolls, rather than struts across the turf, and is a quietly effective screener in front of the back four. 78% overall passing accuracy with 13 of 15 completed passes in our own half – Osborne rarely gives the ball away. And his defensive diligence has been crucial in allowing the likes of Dawson, Kay and Edmondson to get forward more often and express themselves in an attacking sense. See below for more context on this.

Dawson 7.5 – great to have the skipper back following his two-game suspension. He went close with an effort from a corner early on which sailed narrowly wide and also had a long-range effort which failed to trouble the keeper in the first half. Generally, Dawson bossed the midfield and took the game to Curzon – 3 out of 3 successful dribbles, 2 shots, 2 interceptions and 69 touches of the ball – the highest of any Silkmen player.

Edmondson 8.5 – I think Edmondson has really stepped up a gear over the last month. He’s becoming more dominant, more dynamic and more of a threat in the final third. He was outstanding yesterday – 5 shots in total, which included scoring our opening goal and hitting the post late on. 82% passing accuracy, including 15 out of 19 completed passes in Curzon’s half.

James can also put his foot in when needed – 2 defensive contributions (both interceptions), and he won 7 out of 10 ground and aerial duels. A really complete midfield performance from the 20 year-old who is showing his best form at a crucial time in the season.

Duffy 8 – excellent energy, persistence and dangerous throughout. Duffy really grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck after the interval – 4 efforts on goal in 6 minutes, his final one seeing him make it 2-0 with a strong, accurate drive into the net. Duffs has been a revelation so far in 2026 and is so much more effective playing further forward in a 4-3-3 formation.

As well as his goal yesterday he made 3 ‘key passes’, which are passes which directly lead to a teammate having an attempt on goal. Give Duffy the ball and he’s more likely than not to create something.

Buckley-Ricketts 7.5 – the birthday boy (now 28) built on his impressive performance against Marine with an effective pain-in-the-a**e type showing against his former club. Isaac was in the mood yesterday and was a constant menace against Curzon giving full-back Richards a torrid afternoon. IBR had 5 out of 8 successful dribbles, two shots including a curler which went narrowly wide, and made 1 key pass. He was always looking to get to the byline, and whilst not everything came off, IBR was always dangerous.

Gale 7.5 – the big man has done brilliantly since arriving from Altrincham (7 goals in 11), but he’s left his shooting boots at home over the last week. After missing good chances against Chorley and Marine (I know he scored at the end), he also missed another very presentable opportunity early on against Curzon. It was similar to some of his other recent misses, in that he did brilliantly to work the opening but then screwed his shot wide.

I don’t want to be too critical of James though as notably he is working so much harder for the team since Mellor’s departure. 50 touches yesterday, including 5 out of 6 successful dribbles – for a gentle giant he’s quite nimble on his feet! He also made 2 key passes, including laying on an excellent cross for Duffy at the start of the second half which was begging to be converted.

My worry about James is that we’re relying too heavily on him as our sole striker. He’s taken excellent responsibility and has shown there’s much more to his game than just goals. However, Rooney and co need to look after him otherwise he’s going to burn out.

This edition of The Silkmen News will focus on the play-off picture itself which is constantly evolving. But it’s time to try and make sense of the unfolding drama.

How many points will be needed to make the play-offs this year?

In the last three seasons, 77, 75 and as low as 68 points have been sufficient to secure seventh place and the final play-off berth, equating to a high of 1.67 points-per-game (PPG) and a low of 1.47 PPG.

This year the NLN is ultra-competitive, literally any team can beat anyone and invariably does, which is likely to result in a lower points total to guarantee a play-off spot. Looking at current PPG totals, the form guide and the remaining fixtures of the play-off contenders, I estimate that between a low of 71 points and a high of 74 pointswill be enough to get over the line.

For context, Macclesfield currently have 58 points from 34 games, which equates to a PPG of 1.71. If we can maintain this for the next 12 remaining league games (starting with Curzon tomorrow), we’ll finish on 78 points, which should comfortably earn us a top seven finish. And perhaps even more crucially, this may be enough to earn us third, fourth or fifth place in the final table which will guarantee us home advantage in either the play-off quarter final (if we finish 4^th or 5^th), or the semi-final (if we finish 3^rd).

As a reminder, the play-off quarter-finals pit fourth vs seventh, and fifth vs sixth. The winners of those one-off ties play away at the teams who came second and third in the league in the semi-final, with the winners of those games meeting in the final. The highest ranked play-off team is granted home advantage. Last season’s NLN play-offs unfolded like this:

Quarter-finals

Chester (4^th) beat Buxton (7^th) 2-1 after extra-time

Chorley (5^th) beat King’s Lynn (6^th) 1-0

Semi-finals

Scunthorpe (2^nd) beat Chorley 4-1

Kidderminster (3^rd) lost 2-1 at home to Chester

Final

Scunthorpe (2^nd) beat Chester (4^th) 2-1 after extra-time and were promoted to the National League.

For now, let’s just focus on making the play-offs first and foremost! The league title and automatic promotion will be decided between South Shields and AFC Fylde, but everyone from third-placed Merthyr to 14^th placed Chorley (at a miracle!) still have an outside chance of making the play-offs. Realistically, the race for the top seven will be contested from Merthyr on 66 points (38 games) and Chester currently occupying tenth position (56 pts, 38 games).

What makes it so difficult (and fascinating!) to predict the final table, is because some teams have as many as 12 games remaining (Macclesfield and Marine), whilst Chester, Merthyr and Scarborough have only eight. The fixtures are coming thick and fast, with many teams playing twice a week between now and the end of the regular season on 25^th April. Injuries, suspensions, last-ditch new signings (and departures!) could have a huge influence on a team’s play-off destiny.

The contenders

Merthyr Town

Current standing: 3^rd, 66pts from 38 games

Run-in: 4 at home, 4 away

Form guide (last 6): 8^th place with 9pts

Comment: It would be a huge surprise if Merthyr didn’t make the play-offs, but don’t let their recent form guide fool you. Since losing prolific striker Ricardo Rees to Forest Green at the turn of the year, the Martyrs have effectively been in free-fall as they dropped out of the automatic promotion race.

To put this into perspective, on 1 January the Welsh side sat third on 50pts, four behind Fylde and six behind South Shields having played the same number of games. Merthyr’s 2026 league record reads: played 14, won 6, lost 7, drawn 1. They actually won their first three games of 2026, but since then have lost 7 out of 11, with two of their three wins coming against lowly Leamington and Bedford. As a consequence, they now sit 13 points behind Fylde and 15 behind South Shields.

It would take a major collapse for the Martyrs not to make the play-offs from here. However… the average PPG totals of their remaining opponents stands at 1.59, the highest of any of the current top ten teams in the table, which suggests Merthyr have the toughest run-in. From a Silkmen perspective, arguably you’d want Merthyr to scrape into the play-offs - based on their current form, and without Ricardo Rees, they would be very much outsiders to secure promotion.

Kidderminster Harriers

Current standing: 4^th, 65pts from 35 games

Run-in: 4 at home, 7 away

Form guide (last 6): 2^nd place with 14pts

Comment: The Harriers have bounced back well from a blip which saw them trounced 5-1 at the Leasing.comstadium and are now on a six-game unbeaten, winning their last three which has put them only a point behind Merthyr in third.

Kidderminster have endured a massive turnover of players over the course of this season which has impacted the quality of their performances and potency in front of goal under manager Adam Murray. But 4-0 triumphs over Marine and Peterborough Sports, combined with a 3-1 victory away at Buxton, suggests they’ve turned a corner and now look favourite to land third place in the table.

The Harriers face play-off chasing Chester at home next, followed by a run of five consecutive away fixtures which include difficult games against Radcliffe and Darlington, which could check their momentum. With a nine-point cushion currently to eighth placed Darlington, Kidderminster are almost guaranteed a play-off place.

Macclesfield FC

Current standing: 5^th, 58pts from 34 games

Run-in: 4 at home, 8 away

Form guide (last 6): 7th place with 10pts

Comment: The Silkmen climbed to fifth, their highest place of the season after an excellent 4-2 win at Marine on Tuesday night to bounce back from Saturday’s shock home defeat to Chorley. The Moss Rose has been a fortress for much of this campaign, however back-to-back defeats in front of our own fans against Chorley have Fylde have piled on the pressure for John Rooney’s men to pick up more points on the road which has been lacking.

After winning only three of their opening ten away fixtures, Macc have won three of their last five (one draw, one defeat), collecting an excellent return of seven points against fellow play-off hopefuls Scarborough (2-2), Darlington (2-1) and Marine (4-2). We’ll need to continue this trajectory given that eight of our remaining 12 fixtures are away, including testing trips to AFC Telford, Buxton, Merthyr, South Shields and Radcliffe on the final day.

A play-off position is in Macclesfield’s hands now after a strong turnaround in 2026 which has seen us win nine of 13 league games. Rooney’s men probably need another four or five victories from their remaining games to make certain – no easy feat considering our challenging run-in, alongside the backdrop of the sale of striker D’Mani Mellor and Josh Kay’s ban following his third sending off of the season. The Silkmen are trying to bring in reinforcements, which could make the difference between us finishing strongly in the play-offs or facing a nerve-jangling scrap for 7^th place.

Scarborough Athletic

Current standing: 6^th, 58pts from 38 games

Run-in: 4 at home, 4 away

Form guide (last 6): 10th place with 9pts

Comment: Whatever happens Scarborough have had a magnificent season to be in the play-off mix, given their financial challenges and that they’ve had to temporarily move from their own stadium and play their home fixtures at neighbours Bridlington Town’s ground 17 miles away. The Seadogs have been in and around the top seven for the majority of this campaign, showing resilience to recover from patchy runs of form.

Currently unbeaten in five, and statistically facing the easiest run-in of the current top ten, Scarborough are a live bet to make the play-offs despite having played more fixtures than most. Their remaining eight opponents have a combined PPG of just 1.26, although this stat is skewed given they have to play doomed Leamington and free-falling Bedford Town.

AFC Telford

Current standing: 7^th, 56pts from 37 games

Run-in: 5 at home, 4 away

Form guide (last 6): 11th place with 8pts

Comment: Like Macclesfield Telford have done exceptionally well to come up from Step 3, recover from a poor start and surge up the table after a string of fine wins, most notably an 8-0 annihilation away at Curzon. For the data geeks amongst us (it can’t just be me?), Telford are a good example of a team’s early results significantly failing to replicate their expected goals (xG) totals as The Bucks missed a host of presentable goalscoring chances.

But in striker Matt Stenson (16 goals) and attacking midfielder Remi Walker (14 goals), Telford are a handful going forward. They are going through a sticky patch though, just two wins in their last six, which also includes a damaging 2-1 loss to Leamington and a disappointing 0-0 at relegation-threatened Oxford.

With the Silkmen, Marine, Chester, Kidderminster and Darlington to play in their remaining games Telford will need to rally, and quickly, if their play-off ambitions are not to fizzle out.

The chasing pack

Darlington

Current standing: 8^th, 56pts from 36 games

Run-in: 6 at home, 4 away

Form guide (last 6): 9th place with 9pts

Comments: Darlington were flying – six wins in eight, but they’ve now lost their last three games against the Silkmen, Chester and Buxton which has seem them tumble out of the play-offs. But a couple of wins could quickly change that, and in fact only two points separate Macclesfield in fifth and Chester in tenth.

The Quakers have a far from ideal run-in, however, which includes a nightmare four-game spell against Kidderminster, Fylde, Scarborough and South Shields which could go a long way to determining their play-off fate. It could go down to the wire and Darlington’s current +13 goal difference is the best of any team outside of the top seven by some distance which may prove pivotal.

Radcliffe

Current standing: 9^th, 56pts from 37 games

Run-in: 4 at home, 5 away

Form guide (last 6): 14th place with 7pts

Comment: The wheels have been slowly coming off Radcliffe’s play-off charge since the turn of this year, after The Boro looked in pole position to secure a top seven place after thumping play-off rivals Merthyr (5-0), Kidderminster (5-1), Scarborough (3-0) and Darlington (3-1). But ultimately it’s all about how many points you acquire, not about who you beat to acquire them.

Without a win in four (three losses), combined with the loss of joint manager Anthony Johnson who has left to take over at Bury (though former joint boss Bernard Morley has been put in sole charge), has knocked the wind out of Radcliffe’s sails. They still have Kidderminster and back-to-back fixtures against Fylde and South Shields to play, not to mention the Silkmen at home on the final day.

Like Scarborough, Radcliffe have been a surprise package this season, but look set to run out of steam at the most crucial time.

Chester

Current standing: 10^th, 56pts from 38 games

Run-in: 4 at home, 4 away

Form guide (last 6): 1st place with 15pts

Comment: What a rock and roll season its been for Chester. A disastrous start, supporter calls for longstanding manager Calum McIntyre to step down, then an announcement that McIntyre would leave at the end of the season, only to subsequently leave his post with immediate effect on 28 February.

The period between the announcement of McIntyre’s impending departure and confirmed subsequent exit has seen Chester win six out of their last eight games, with interim boss Connell Rawlinson making it three victories out of three since taking the reins. This unlikely run of form has catapulted Chester into the play-off picture, but can they sustain it and gatecrash the top seven?

After Merthyr and Radcliffe, Chester statistically have the hardest run-in based on the combined PPG totals of their remaining opponents (1.51) which include Kidderminster, a resurgent Southport, Telford, Macclesfield and Fylde. But if they remain in the mix after that, their final two fixtures against Oxford City and King’s Lynn offer the Seals genuine hope of rescuing a promotion push which previously looked impossible.

The outsiders

Buxton

Current standing: 11^th, 48pts from 36 games

Run-in: 4 at home, 6 away

Form guide (last 6): 20th place with 6pts

Comment: Buxton occupied the final play-off place last season and were expected to build on this success this campaign. But they’ve been wildly inconsistent for long periods, losing almost half (16) of their league fixtures so far. Two wins in their last three over Merthyr and Darlington have given the Bucks the faintest of hopes. Their run-in too (combined PPG of 1.21) is by far the easiest of any remaining play-off contender.

However, Buxton’s own current PPG is 1.33. They’re going to need to average something like 2.3 PPG over their last ten games to stand any chance, which based on the streaky form for the majority of this season seems absurd.

Marine

Current standing: 12^th, 48pts from 34 games

Run-in: 5 at home, 7 away

Form guide (last 6): 13th place with 7pts

Comment: Three defeats in a row, including Tuesday’s setback at home to the Silkmen, have given Marine a mountain to climb. But they have games in hand on all of the play-off contenders (except us), and as many as three and four games in hand on Telford (7^th, 56pts) and Scarborough (6^th, 58pts) respectively so all is not lost.

Marine have a less taxing run-in, but an FA Trophy semi-final against Wealdstone is likely to be command their attention possibly over a late push for a play-off position. The Mariners’ estimated final points tally is 65 points, which won’t be enough to make the play-offs.

Final predictions

Automatic promotion: AFC Flylde

Second: South Shields

Third: Kidderminster Harriers

Fourth: Macclesfield FC

Fifth: Merthyr Town

Sixth: Darlington

Seventh: Scarborough Athletic

I’ll regularly review the Silkmen’s progress as the drama unfolds, but based on these predictions, don’t go booking any holidays until after the 25^th April just yet!

Jokes aside, the debate over who should be the Silkmen’s number one rages on with opinion divided in favour of Max Dearnley and recent loan signing Rogan Ravenhill.

So it’s high time the Silkmen News waded in with some thoughts and analysis of our own, supported with analysis rather than being led by sentiment.

John Rooney’s decision to prefer new signing Rogan Ravenhill between the sticks in preference to established no.1 Max Dearnley has been the talk of the terraces recently.

Ravenhill, signed on loan from League One Barnsley until the end of the season, had caught Rooney’s eye during his previously impressive loan spell at National League North bottom club Leamington. This included a standout performance in restricting Macc to a solitary goal when they defeated Leamington on their own patch in October.

The 6 ft 6, 20-year-old goalkeeper is well thought of at Barnsley. So much so that on the same day as him signing for the Silkmen, the Tykes awarded Ravenhill a new contract which will keep him at the club until 2029.

Rogan earned a clean sheet on his Macclesfield debut and looked a commanding figure against Kings Lynn.

However, the Silkmen’s new stopper has had a mixture of outstanding and shaky moments in his subsequent games versus AFC Fylde, Scarborough and Darlington. We’ll spotlight Rogan’s performances later on, but let’s focus on Dearnley initially.

Dearnley dropped, injured or rested?

Max Dearnley became a huge favourite amongst Silkmen supporters during last season’s Northern Premier League title triumph - 23 clean sheets and just 30 goals conceded in 42 games made him a ‘keeper that Macclesfield could finally rely on after a plethora of previous loanees and mediocre permanent signings in net.

Dearnley has had a solid, if less spectacular second season at the Leasing.com stadium, retaining his position as the undisputed number one, supplemented by young understudies Joe Nicholson and Shea Callister.

But Callister’s decision to leave in search of first-team football at Irish side Derry, combined with some erratic recent performances from Dearnley, appear to have forced John Rooney’s hand in seeking genuine competition for the goalkeeper’s jersey.

Opinion amongst Silkmen supporters is divided as to whether Dearnley can consider himself unfortunate, or may benefit from being taken out of the firing line following some recent errors.

Is the criticism of Dearnley unfair?

In my opinion ‘yes’, but that doesn’t mean I’m opposed to Rooney drafting in a capable keeper in Ravenhill to provide overdue competition in this department.

Overall, Dearnley has been solid for the majority of this season. Max is an excellent shot stopper and safe handler of the ball. But his kicking can be erratic, as on occasion so is his decision making. At Step 2 though there are few better goalkeepers around at this level.

Dearnley was a standout performer in our 1-1 draw at home to Alfreton when Macc were all at sea in the second half, he made a big save at 1-1 at home to Peterborough, not withstanding his crucial penalty save at 2-0 in last month’s big win against Radcliffe to prevent the visitors pulling a goal back before half-time. And who can forget his sensational double save at Slough in extra time which effectively sealed our passage into the FA Cup third round?

Dearnley’s mistakes have been few and far between, and some of the recent criticism levelled at him by a minority has been harsh. Let’s take a look at some of his more high profile incidents.

• Away at Southport - early into the season Dearnley made a poor clearance to a Southport player, and then failed to regain his composure as he allowed the speculative follow-up shot to squeeze inbetween him at the near post. A genuine howler. Macc went on to win 2-1.

• The 1-0 home loss to Marine. This may be contentious. Sean Etaluku was injured and Marine took advantage by floating in a left wing cross that was turned in at close range as Dearnley remained static on his line. The post-match vitriol focused on Macclesfield’s poor form and Rooney not taking Etaluku off when he was clearly struggling.

• 1-1 draw vs Telford at home. Dearnley again remained static on his line as Telford took the lead as Walker latched onto a through ball to slot home. But Edmondson was guilty of conceding possession in the build-up and Macc’s centre halves played Walker onside. Criticism of Dearnley therefore feels harsh here.

• 2-1 win v Radcliffe. Dearnley blotted his copybook in an otherwise good display by spilling a cross late on which saw the visitor’s claw a goal back. A clear error.

• Peterborough Sports away in the disappointing 4-3 loss. A mix-up between Dearnley and Menayese sees Peterborough equalise. Dearnley comes racing off his line to clear a long ball, Menayese decides to take ownership and Dearnley connects with fresh air, leaving Peterborough to tap into an empty net. Dearnley got the blame, but if Menayese didn’t touch the ball would the mishap have occurred? For me, both players are at fault in this instance due to miscommunication.

• Leamington at home. The infamous chip from the halfway line. Yes, Dearnley was off his line, but how often do you see freak goals like that? I don’t think any keeper could have anticipated it or necessarily have saved the shot either. And as we know, keepers can get lobbed!

My personal view is that Dearnley has had a bad wrap. However, what is clear is that Max’s errors have become more frequent and his kicking and general command of his penalty area has been suspect at times.

He also appeared to have an injury to his right leg which saw him receive treatment for a number of minutes against Leamington, which may explain why his kicking was notably poor.

But if he’s injured, or carrying a knock, it would be good to have some clarification of this now that Rooney has taken him out of the firing line. I also understand tactically why Rooney wishes to remain tight-lipped.

Dearnley out, Ravenhill in

It’s fair to say that Rogan Ravenhill hasn’t entirely convinced every Silkmen supporter that he should be Rooney’s number one.

In his four starts in a Macclesfield jersey he’s conceded seven goals and recorded one clean sheet. To offer balance, three of those games have been against play-off contenders AFC Fylde, Scarborough and Darlington.

In contrast, I did think Ravenhill made a real hash in allowing Paul Dawson’s header to squirm under him for Macc’s equaliser against Leamington which ultimately saw us triumph 3-1 last month!

• A clean sheet in his debut versus King’s Lynn where he was relatively untroubled

• Fylde – produced a brilliant save to turn a shot onto the post at 1-1. Moments later Fylde made it 2-1 after a long punt forward was latched onto by Omerod, whose first time shot went under Ravenhill’s body. The shot was well struck, but might Rogan have done better? I’m not sure. I doubt I’d be applying the same scrutiny to Max Dearnley but for the debate on the merits of Macclesfield’s number one!

Omerod’s second and Fylde’s fourth was proof that lightening can strike twice as this time it was Ravenhill who was beaten by the halfway line by an outstanding strike. And just like Leamington’s goal, I think you’ve got to hold your hands up and concede that it was a superbly struck finish. But at what point does it become more than a coincidence? See Scarborough…

• Scarborough – Ravenhill gets done off his line again, but you have to say once more it’s an excellent strike from Walker for Scarborough’s opener. By the time the shot was in motion, Ravenhill had retreated to his goal line, however, at the time Walker contemplated whether to try his luck Ravenhill presented an inviting target. Keeper to blame? Not for me per se, but clearly teams are targeting long-range shots against us now…

Scarborough’s second was bundled in from a corner. Could Ravenhill have been stronger? Possibly… although he did make a good point blank save from Walker to keep the scoreline at 2-1 before James Gale later equalised.

• Darlington – see my previous article where I cover the Darlington game extensively and Ravenhill’s flashpoints within it. He was at fault for Darlo’s equaliser when rushing off his line and failing to get there ahead of striker Maskell who prodded home. But Rogan did produce two outstanding saves in each half, the second a superb reactionary save to keep out a header from a corner, to preserve all three points.

Dearnley v Ravenhill – stats comparison in the league

Enough of the emotion, let’s look at the cold, hard stats which compare how good each goalkeeper has performed in a variety of key disciplines.

League appearances vs goals conceded (Ravenhill played 18 times for bottom-of-the-table Leamington)

• Dearnley 28 apps, 40 conceded = 1.4 goals per game, 4 clean sheets

• Ravenhill 22 apps, 36 conceded = 1.6 goals per games, 4 clean sheets

Total saves made and overall ‘save percentage’ versus shots faced on target

• Dearnley 88 saves made at a save percentage of 71.5%

• Ravenhill 91 saves made at a save percentage of 74.5%

Passing accuracy overall

• Dearnley 81%

• Ravenhill 63%

Long-balls accuracy

• Dearnley 55%

• Ravenhill 54%

High claims

• Dearnley 16

• Ravenhill 17

Defensive contributions (tackles won, interceptions, clearances, blocked shots – more relevant for defenders obviously, but applicable to goalkeepers if they come off their line to act as a defender)

• Dearnley 50

• Ravenhill 29

Conclusion

I’m not sure these stats do anything to prove one goalkeeper’s superiority over the other, but I think they do highlight that Macclesfield are fortunate to have two players who will provide genuine competition for the number one jersey, which surely can only help to bring the best out in both of them?

Unsurprisingly, Ravenhill has been the busier keeper of the two playing for rock-bottom Leamington and has made more saves in his 22 league appearances compared to Dearnley’s 28. His overall save percentage is slightly higher.

The stats also indicate that Dearnley’s kicking accuracy is better and he’s more proactive off his line in making defensive contributions, which might explain why Ravenhill was a jack-in-the-box against Darlington in his eagerness to come off his line at all costs?

What is clear is that the debate over who should be Macclesfield’s first-choice goalkeeper won’t go away any time soon. But for now it’s Ravenhill’s shirt to lose.

Last night’s pulsating encounter had just about everything – goals, controversial incidents, near misses, super saves and goalkeeping errors. But it was the Silkmen who ultimately prevailed in a hard-fought, white knuckle ride type spectacle which resembled a basketball game on occasions.

Luke Duffy’s penalty was saved by Darlo keeper Rory Watson after four minutes after Luke Matheson ‘won’ a penalty after stooping low in the box to win a header. The Darlington defender made contact, Matheson went down and the ref pointed to the spot. Duffs’ spot kick was decently hit, but not placed with sufficient force in the corner of the goal and Watson guessed right to palm it away. Play was kept alive via a game of head tennis. D’Mani Mellor won two headers, which eventually found Duffy whose looping header cleared the crossbar.

The Silkmen had another shout for a penalty on 11 minutes when Gale appeared to be tripped by full-back Scott Barrow on the edge of the area. But upon watching the replay, it seemed like Gale was the one who engineered contact and the referee came to the correct conclusion.

Macc were cutting through the home side easily as they took the game to Darlo in the early stages. Despite this, we also looked vulnerable at the back as Rooney elected to shuffle the defence once again. Out went Pasiek and Borthwick-Jackson, in came Luis Lacey at left-back whilst the Silkmen boss paired Dawson and Heathcote at centre half.

Defensive vulnerabilities and all hands to the pump

Did it work? Well…. yes, we won, but I don’t think we looked particularly comfortable at any point and Dawson himself could have cost us on 15 minutes following an error which Rogan Ravenhill seems to be picking up the tab for online.

Darlington broke forward, Osborne got a toe-in which only resulted in prodding the ball further towards Macclesfield’s goal. Ravenhill burst off his line, Dawson deduced (rightly) that he wasn’t going to get there, but then the Silkmen captain dallied instead of clearing his lines as Ravenhill (of his own making) was stranded in no man’s land. A Darlington player attempted a lob which fortunately cannoned off the crossbar and the Silkmen escaped.

The tide turned in the home side’s favour, and they almost scored directly from a corner on 22 minutes. Ravenhill helped the ball on its way, but couldn’t get a strong enough connection on it and nearly palmed the ball into his own net, only for Heathcote to bail him out and hook clear off the line. Another heart in the mouth moment.

I’m picking on Ravenhill, but only because I want to be balanced in highlighting his weaknesses to be able to also champion his positives. On 27 minutes Rogan made a superb stop to keep it 0-0. A left wing cross found Stanton who looked poised to score. Ravenhill guessed which way he was shooting, flung himself to his left and produced a brilliant save to smother the ball through a crowded penalty area. Good keepers make hard saves look easy and this was a good example of that. Ravenhill anticipated the danger, made his mind up early and then executed the save with precision. Top drawer keeping from the young man!

Ten minutes later we took the lead. Lacey found Gale in space. The big man looked up and picked his spot with a low drive right into the bottom corner. Precision over power. Get in. 0-1.

Deep in first half-half injury time the Silkmen survived another scare. Cedric Main was picked out at the back post and his drilled effort sped inches past the post to end a back-and-forth 45 minutes.

Second half

Macclesfield were more comfortable after the break, only to concede a poor equaliser after 55 minutes. Lacey didn’t do enough to cut out a right wing cross, Ravenhill came out and didn’t get there, allowing Darlo striker Jack Maskell to beat him to it and stab the ball into the net. If you come that far off your line you better get there, Ravenhill didn’t, and both he and Macc paid the price.

Not only that, but Ravenhill’s over-eagerness meant that Heathcote (who was arguably better placed to deal with the danger) remained static and left the keeper to finish what he’d started. Egg on faces all round. 1-1.

The response from Rooney’s men was swift and decisive. Heathcote ventured forward and tried a low drive, not dissimilar to his defected goal against Scarborough at home. It was a scuffed effort which inadvertently fell to Mellor with his back to goal with the close attentions of a Darlington defender. D’Mani did brilliantly to flick the ball into the path of Gale, who instinctively applied a sweeping, first-time finish which raced into the bottom corner to make it 2-1. A clinical, confident striker’s finish from the big man. Did anyone tell you that he’s PROLIFIC?

We should have made it 3-1 moments later. Good work by Edmondson released Kay on the left, but Josh’s centre was just a fraction overhit and Gale on the stretch couldn’t turn the ball into the net on the back post. A let off for Darlington. And they had another one when substitute Borthwick-Jackson (on for Lacey) saw his header cleared off the line from a corner.

Just prior to that Rogan Ravenhill went on another wander. I don’t know if this lad has ants in his pants, or is taking the ‘sweeper keeper’ role to new extremes. A through ball saw Rogan come bounding off his line like a labrador pursuing a tennis ball, he didn’t get there and was never going to. Dawson was the covering defender who made a sliding tackle, the ball broke to Maskell who launched an effort towards the gaping goal but it veered just wide with Ravenhill stranded. Alarm. Bells. Ringing.

There was one final element of drama for Macc to negotiate, starting and ending with Ravenhill. Initially he made a poor clearance, Darlington picked up the loose ball and won a corner. But from there Rogan sealed us the points with a spectacular and outstanding save.

The corner was floated in, a Darlo player won the header in the six-yard box and the ball was heading towards the net in slow motion. Ravenhill flung himself across his line at full stretch to claw the ball away from danger, showing agility and bravery to get ahead of Main who was poised on the line to guide it home. A truly brilliant, match-winning save from the goalkeeper.

In injury time, Rogan again came flying off his line to deny Main once again who would have been clean through on goal. Another gamble by the goalie, but this was one that he got absolutely spot on.

Full-time: Darlington 1 Macclesfield 2. Huge win.

Match stats:

Possession: Darlington 58%, Macclesfield 42%

Shots: Darlington 17, Macclesfield 16

Shots on target: Darlington 4, Macclesfield 6

Corners: Darlington 5, Macclesfield 7

Player ratings:

Ravenhill 8 – this might seem high, but the mark is based on two tremendous saves he made in each half. Outside of that he was at fault for Darlington’s equaliser and showed questionable judgement when coming off his line. Rogan’s a talented keeper though, and for me, we need to stick with him as he’ll get better and better.

Matheson 8 – excellent. Was really solid defensively, won us a penalty which Duffy failed to convert. He also almost produced an excellent assist for Kay, who couldn’t quite turn Matheson’s excellent deep cross goalwards when at full stretch.

Heathcote 7.5 – I felt Sam needed a rest after Brentford, but he was very good last night. Made a vital clearance off the line when Ravenhill fumbled a corner and was generally dominant at the back in coping with some intense Darlington pressure. Three interceptions, three clearances, one blocked shot, and nine of 13 aerial duels won.

Lacey 7 – started off well and was involved in the build-up to Gale’s opener. Lost his way in the second half, picked up a stupid booking for a lunge on Maskell when the Darlington player was in his own half, and could have been tighter to stop the cross which led to the home side’s equaliser. Correct decision from Rooney to withdraw Lacey after 70 minutes.

Dawson 7 – mixed bag. Never looked truly comfortable at centre half and was guilty of some dubious decision making in the first half when failing to clear his lines, and generally him and Ravenhill were not on the same wavelength in terms of communication and understanding. Dawson was also dribbled past three times and found the slippery striker Cedric Main a challenge on occasions.

Osborne 7.5 – atoned for his own error when almost gifting Darlington the lead after three minutes following a poor back pass. Mopped up well in the middle of the park and played some clever balls in the final third which led to goalscoring opportunities, most notably for Mellor whose well-struck shot was saved in the second half.

Edmondson 7 – struggled to influence the game defensively or offensively as he typically does, but nevertheless he was effective in pockets. Four interceptions were key to keeping Darlington’s momentum in check, along with two clearances and one blocked shot. Macc hit a number of long balls last night, but James’ aim was surprisingly off – just 1 of 12 long balls found a Silkmen shirt.

Duffy 7 – missed a penalty and got a knock which meant he had to be withdrawn after 62 minutes. However, his workrate and battling qualities on the right of midfield saw us compete and earn the right to play in the first half. Has been a hugely important asset in our climb up the table so let’s hope he’s fit for Chorley on Saturday, or not on the sidelines for long.

Kay 7.5 – three shots, two on target, and was generally at the heart of our attacking play. But end product is lacking for all Kay’s talent, which some ignore. We’re talking fine margins. He almost steered in Matheson’s searching cross in the first half – a really difficult chance to convert. And in the second half, his cross to Gale was almost inch perfect but was fractionally too hard and the tap-in went begging. Terrific energy throughout.

Mellor 7 – actually gets the credit for the assist for Gale’s winner. Didn’t get much by way of service, but you know he’s always going to cover so much ground in doing everything he can to support the team.

Gale 9 – his most complete performance since joining from THEM. Two excellent finishes, but beyond that I think he led the line better than any previous game in terms of workrate, even if he did turn the ball over more than most. Five shots in total emphasised his threat throughout the evening to Darlington. Eight Silkmen appearances in the league, six goals and two assists in a limited number of minutes (just three starts). This lad is PROLIFC.

At 6’4 he’s not the target man you expect him to be, but boy does he know where the onion bag is at this level and he’s a very accomplished finisher. A really important signing and on a permanent basis too!

Subs:

Buckley-Ricketts 6.5 – replaced Duffy and contributed well defensively – five out of ten duels won.

Borthwick-Jackson 7 – on for Lacey and helped to steady the ship with 20 minutes remaining.

Dos Santos – no rating. On for Kay after 83 mins.

Fensome – no rating. Replaced Matheson on 89. Great to see him back from injury.

The club’s profile has literally been transformed overnight which could provide a major boost to our short-term and long-term ambitions, such as boosting our chances of achieving promotion to the National League and attracting overseas investment.

From Atherton Laburnum Rovers in the second qualifying round, to the unforgettable, unbelievable upset to knock out the FA Cup holders Crystal Palace, culminating in the Silkmen going toe-to-toe with Brentford only to be denied by a heartbreaking own goal. We may never see anything like this ever again. What a ride its been.

This edition of the Silkmen News will provide a more in-depth view of how the players performed against Brentford and attempt to ‘go behind the numbers’ and focus on analysis you may not have read about.

How good were Macclesfield in the first half?

In short, very. John Rooney’s men started on the front foot and took the game to their Premier League opposition. Paul Dawson headed James Edmondson’s inswinging free-kick over the bar after a couple of minutes (though it wouldn’t have counted due to offside). Then on ten minutes, Luke Duffy latched onto a misplaced pass and lashed an effort on the half-volley high and wide from a central position 20 yards out.

But how different might the tie have been had Paul Dawson’s 25-yard effort nestled in the bottom corner in the 18^th minute? D’Mani Mellor did brilliant to win possession and feed Duffy, who slipped a perfectly weighted ball into Dawson’s path whose eventual shot was fractionally wide.

Dawson’s shot was the Silkmen’s last notable effort of the half as Brentford began to grow into the game and dominate the ball – unsurprisingly the visitor’s enjoyed 77% possession overall. In the first half, the Bees had seven attempted efforts on goal, six of them inside the box, but crucially five of these were blocked thanks to some brilliant defending by Macclesfield.

This restricted Brentford to only two strikes of note. Furo flashed a header wide from a left wing cross, whilst Reiss Nelson’s well-struck shot inside the penalty area produced an excellent reactionary save from Max Dearnley on 36 minutes.

Overall, Macc were magnificent defensively. In total, we made 18 tackles (11 from Brentford), 44 recoveries and a whopping 46 defensive clearances. The Silkmen also won 41 of 72 contested ground duels compared to 31 from Brentford. Outstanding.

Brentford’s pressure eventually paid off

At half-time you sensed the whiff of another unbelievable upset. However, to their credit, Brentford showed their quality and bossed the second half. They had nine shots, eight were inside the box and six of them were on target. In contrast, Macc just had two headed attempts from Duffy and Mellor.

The Bees notably upped the tempo and turned the screw ten minutes into the second half and had three efforts in four minutes as the Silkmen heroically hung on. It’s somewhat disappointing, or perhaps heartbreaking is a more appropriate choice of word, that it took an own goal from Sam Heathcote to separate the two sides after 70 minutes.

At the time, Macclesfield were down to ten men as Luke Matheson was waiting in the wings to replace the injured Lewis Fensome. I’m not quite sure why Rooney decided to introduce James Gale for Isaac Buckley-Ricketts for his first substitution on 68 minutes before fetching on Matheson for Fensome. Maybe he was waiting to see if Fensome could recover whilst Matheson was warming up?

Did it matter? Well, given the goal originated from a left wing cross in an area where Dawson had gone to fill in at right back, combined with Duffy switching off for a split second in failing to track Brentford’s runner, then YES, this was pivotal to breaking Macclesfield’s hearts.

However, despite the extra man advantage for the away side, I’m not sure whether a fully-alert Duffy would have been able to prevent the cross. And in truth you can’t really legislate for Sam Heathcote failing to adjust his positioning and heading into his own net instead of putting it behind for a corner. It’s impossible not to feel sorry for Sam who was having another solid game on the back of a fine season.

How well did Macclesfield respond?

I can’t praise the players highly enough for rolling their sleeves up and not feeling sorry for themselves after going a goal behind in agonising circumstances. At the time, it appeared that Rooney’s men had weathered Brentford’s second half storm as they had gone 12 minutes without registering an effort.

Despite this, to their immense credit the Silkmen refused to let their heads drop. D’Mani Mellor’s strike on 81 minutes was blocked in a move which saw Brentford’s Michael Kayode handle the ball, not once, but twice in the melee. Replays suggested it was ball to hand on both occasions, but it was a heart in mouth moment for the travelling supporters. Mellor also saw his header saved a minute later where he couldn’t get enough power on it to trouble Valdimarsson in goal.

Macc kept going and gave themselves a chance to the very end by maintaining their defensive discipline, despite Brentford forcing seven corners and flashing a left footed shot high and wide from Donovan from inside the area.

If there’s one tinge of frustration I could level at the players, it would be their failure to make the most of set-plays and general deliveries of crosses into the box. We actually won 14 free-kicks to Brentford’s seven, but how many of these asked questions of the visitors? Very few.

Outside of Edmondson’s dangerous whipped in ball in the second minute, I can’t recall the Silkmen producing a ball into the box of similar quality, with perhaps the exception of a Louis Lacey cross. Duffy, Elliot Osborne and Edmondson couldn’t quite find the desired level of quality on the rare occasions Macclesfield were presented with openings. Only four of 13 attempted crosses (31%) found a blue shirt, but I appreciate this is me nitpicking.

Player ratings

Dearnley 7 – no chance with the Heathcote own goal as Sam’s header flew into the net from close range at pace. Max showed generally sound handling (apart from dropping and reclaiming one ball) and made one crucial stop from close range to keep it at 0-0 in the first half.

Fensome 7.5 – maybe the result would have been different had Fenners not been forced to go off injured which left us briefly down to ten men. Let’s hope his injury isn’t serious. As with the Palace game, Fensome justified his selection over Luke Matheson with a solid defensive display. He made seven defensive clearances, and won five out of six ground and aerial duels he contested.

Heathcote 7 – he’ll be feeling terrible and I don’t want to stick the boot in. Sam made an unfortunate mistake and it proved to be costly. He doesn’t make many. Generally he was resolute – five out of seven ground and aerial duels won and six clearances. He even found himself playing upfront in the final stages and whipped in a deep cross as an unconventional right winger.

Borthwick-Jackson 8 – the left centre back spot appears his to lose now following another assured display. Physically he was less dominant than Fensome and Heathcote, winning only two of seven ground and aerial duels. However, Cameron’s reading of the game was impeccable as he made a huge 17 defensive contributions overall, comprising 12 clearances, 1 interception and 4 blocked shots. A very effective and confident performance by the former Manchester United man.

Lacey 8.5 – no, that’s not a typo. After a shaky start in the first ten minutes up against the dangerous right winger Donovan, Lacey was magnificent and performed even better than he did against Palace. The left back was a revelation, both in terms of defending and leading the charge for Macclesfield in an attacking sense. Luis made 16 defensive contributions, including eight clearances and two interceptions.

No Macclesfield player made more tackles than Lacey (five) and he also blocked a shot. He also won 13 out of 18 contested ground duels, and won all three aerial duels. In contrast, Donovan lost possession 22 times and Lacey’s constant terrier-like harrying was a big factor in this.

Going forward, Luis was also very good and did more than any other player to get us up the pitch. He successfully completed five out of five dribbles, two out of two crosses and his passing accuracy at 71% was higher than any other Silkmen player. Much maligned at times this season (with justification), but he’s shown the quality he does possess against Palace and Brentford. The bar has been well and truly set – can he make this level of performance the norm, rather than the exception?

Osborne 7 – played as the midfield shield just in front of the back four, as Rooney adopted a 4-1-4-1 formation. Understandably he struggled against Brentford’s possession heavy style but did win two tackles and make five recoveries of the ball from the middle of the park. His passing accuracy at 53% was better than most, but his normally pinpoint long passes were off the mark – just one of six finding at teammate.

Dawson 7.5 – how close did he come to another magical FA Cup moment? His shot on 18 minutes was a yard or so past the post. Like Lacey, he tried his upmost to take the fight to Brentford, as evidenced by three out of four successful dribbles and he also attempted seven carries – a description which indicates when a player attempts to advance forward with the ball rather than electing to pass, where he was less effective with a passing accuracy of 39%. He was booked late on, but thankfully kept his head!

Edmondson 7.5 – worked tirelessly and acted as a strong, defensive foil when Dawson went roaming. Edmondson made seven defensive contributions and won four of his seven ground duels in the engine room. He attempted the most passes (22) compared to Dawson (18) and Osborne (17) and more tackles (three). Covered a lot of ground. Had a penalty shout late on but hit the deck way too easily after encountering slight contact.

Duffy 7.5 – in general play he was really good and showed excellent leadership qualities in driving us on. Duffy had more attempts on goal (four) than any other Macclesfield player and on another day would probably have hit the target instead of slightly snatching at his half-chance on ten minutes when Brentford presented the ball to him. He rarely had the ball, but utilised it well when he had it – 70% accuracy and he played a good pass into Dawson’s path which led to the skipper narrowly shooting wide on 18 minutes.

Where I think Duff’s can be slightly disappointed are on his set players – his corners and free-kicks seldom beat the first man. And he also switched off for a millisecond in not tracking the runner who put the cross in for Heathcote’s OG. I’m not sure he’d have cut off the supply regardless though.

Buckley-Ricketts 6 – one of the heroes of Round Three was unfortunately a peripheral figure against Brentford. Isaac only touched the ball 14 times and lost possession on seven occasions, completing only one of his three passes. A really difficult night for him against a very strong Brentford midfield.

Mellor 7 – toiled upfront as the lone striker feeding off scraps, until he was switched to wide left when Gale came on. D’Mani did brilliantly to rob a Brentford player in possession in the build-up to Dawson’s near miss in the first half. In total, he won six ground and aerial duels and made four tackles – Mellor never stopped and he tried his best late on with a headed effort.

So much still to play for

The Silkmen’s season isn’t done yet. With 18 huge league games to go, and Macclesfield sitting just outside of the National League North’s play-offs, we could be set for a grandstand finish!

I’ll do some analysis on the race for the play-offs in due course, but for now I’m going to catch my breath back.