10 reasons to be thrilled as a Silkmen fan

Squad mainstays commit their futures to Macc

Macclesfield’s assault on the National League North next season is gaining momentum following today’s announcement that TEN players have signed new contracts.

Max Dearnley, Tre Pemberton, Lewis Fensome, Paul Dawson, Rollin Menayese, Neil Kengni, Brandon Lee, Laurent Mendy, John Rooney and Luke Duffy have committed their immediate futures to the club. The length of their new contracts have not been disclosed.

The news is a huge tonic for Silkmen fans and manager Robbie Savage who has got these deals over the line with five league games remaining. It’s particularly satisfying that eight of the ten players are longstanding squad members, who have played key roles in our Northern Premier League title triumph, and chosen to stay as Macclesfield players for the next exciting phase of their careers.

Similarly, it’s comforting that goalkeeper Dearnley – a hugely significant summer signing who has been outstanding in his first season, and Rollin Menayese – a seasoned EFL defender who has provided a commanding presence in central defence, have put pen-to-paper to solidify our backline.

All ten players will not have been short of potential suitors elsewhere, whilst some were believed to have been coveted by clubs higher up the football pyramid. Getting them to commit to Macclesfield FC for next season is therefore a major boost to our chances of competing for yet another promotion.

Who else has committed to the club?

As per my previous article, a Silkmen News source suggested that some of Macclesfield’s summer signings may have promotion clauses in their contracts entitling them to a contract extension. As a reminder, our ‘summer signings’ were: Justin Johnson, Elliott Whitehouse, Danny Whitehead, Danny Elliott and Max Dearnley.

With the exception of Dearnley, there’s been no official word yet as to whether these players are already tied down or still in negotiations with the club. The obvious name causing anxiety amongst supporters is top-scorer Danny Elliott.

Danny’s omission from today’s announcement shouldn’t necessarily be a cause for concern, however. The club’s Commercial Director Jonathan Bull has stated on Facebook that Elliott is ‘already under contract for next season’. And breathe… :-). *update* Savage has since confirmed that both Danny Elliott and Justin Johnson have also signed new deals!

Who are we waiting for?

We (and Robbie Savage!) may have to be patient on the decisions of some players who are presumably mulling over their options, with the caveat that some may already be tied down but haven’t been confirmed by the club yet. And in contrast, not every player in the squad will have been offered terms for next season.

Sam Heathcote, Sean Etaluku, D’Mani Mellor, Dontai Gabidon, Tom Clare, Justin Johnson, Elliott Whitehouse and Danny Whitehead. And there is one notable addition, Diego De Girolamo, who is currently on-loan at Macclesfield from Buxton but out of contract with the Bucks in the summer.

The biggest uncertainties from the above list would appear to be D’Mani Mellor and Sean Etaluku. Mellor, if social media rumours are to be given credence, is attracting football league interest from Wigan Athletic, Bradford City and Bristol Rovers. D’Mani has been exceptional since joining the club in September, scoring 19 goals but impressing everyone with his pace and phenomenal workrate upfront.

But… IF he decides to move on the grass may not be greener for the former Manchester United youngster. Following his release from Old Trafford, Mellor joined Wycombe Wanderers but struggled to hold down a first-team place. Loan moves to Sutton United and Rochdale were similarly unproductive, although Dale did have him back for a second loan spell.

Mellor spent the summer on trial at National League clubs AFC Fylde and Hartlepool, in addition to Irish club Derry City – perhaps a measure of how far D’Mani’s stock had fallen. He did earn a short-team deal at Gateshead prior to joining Macc in September. To both the player’s and Savage’s credit, Mellor has been revelation at the Leasing.com stadium since day one, thriving in a more central role instead of being deployed out wide as has often been the case at previous clubs.

As ever, there’s always some twists and turns with contract negotiations, and no doubt the club will be doing everything it can to persuade Mellor to stay.

They’ll also be keen to retain the services of winger Sean Etaluku, a player signed by Macc in November after he terrorised our defence when playing for Matlock during our 3-2 away win against ‘The Gladiators’. The youngster took a little while to settle, but he’s really starting to flourish now as evidenced by his long-range goal against Blyth last weekend.

At times, Etaluku looks like the roughest of diamonds on and off the ball. But he possesses blinding pace and is notably developing both the attacking and defensive aspects of his game. Going forward his passing in the final third is underrated and he takes up some threatening positions. Whilst defensively, Etaluku shows a willingness to track back and is starting to learn what’s required of him when deployed at wing-back as well as a conventional winger in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

On Burnley’s books as a youth player, Etaluku joined NPL Division One West club Mossley upon his release. From there, he earned a deal at Barrow after a successful trial with the League Two club. Opportunities proved limited though and the rapid wide player enjoyed loan spells at Buxton and latterly Matlock to aid his development where he eventually landed on Savage’s radar.

Undoubtedly, the best is still to come from Sean, but will Macclesfield and Savage’s coaching staff be given the opportunity to help him realise it? Let’s hope so. *update* Savage has confirmed that Sean has also signed a new deal!

No letting up: Blyth 0 Macc 5 - recap

100pts, 100 goals is ON.

Despite winning the Northern Premier League title, Macclesfield FC WILL NOT be taking it easy for the remainder the season. With promotion to the National League North secured, manager Robbie Savage has set his players a target to exceed 100 points and 100 goals to finish this campaign in style.

Saturday’s 5-0 demolition away at already relegated Blyth Spartans puts the Silkmen on 94 points and 93 goals with five to play. But most pleasingly was a welcome clean sheet, five accomplished goals from five different scorers, all five substitutes got minutes to impress, including youth in the form of the gaffer’s son, Freddie Savage.

Dawson’s omission

Pre-match chatter focused on the absence of captain Paul Dawson from the 16-man squad. Dawson, who engaged with supporters in the bar, told some that he didn’t know why he’d been omitted.

In contrast, Savage’s pre-match interview with the Macclesfield Mixlr team presented a different narrative. Silkmen players had been given Tuesday off and returned for their usual Thursday morning training session. However, Dawson stopped training after two minutes due to experiencing discomfort from a sore foot he sustained against Bamber Bridge.

Dawson apparently was willing to feature at Blyth. But given he hadn’t trained, presumably Savage decided not to risk his captain’s fitness in a meaningless game. What should have been a non-story unnecessarily became one in the Blyth clubhouse. Let’s put this down to… ‘crossed wires’.

Thankfully, Daws seems ok, and in even better news, the skipper has signed a new contract to remain a Macclesfield player for a third season. Dawson is an exceptional talent at this level. And while his discipline on and off the pitch has rightly been scrutinised at times, it would seem that the penny is starting to drop after some stern words from Savage.

Since returning from a two-game ban in January after earning ten yellow cards, Dawson hasn’t been booked in his last nine appearances. In the interests of balance, Dawson has only started five of those games (with four sub appearances) having been kept out by the impressive form of Fensome and Menayese, but still, this represents progress.

A five-star performance

Savage’s shuffled starting line-up saw returns for Brandon Lee and Rollin Menayese in defence. Luke Duffy partnered Laurent Mendy in the midfield two with John Rooney earning well-deserved rest on the bench. Neil Kengni started on the right of midfield with Sean Etaluku occupying the opposite flank, with as ever D’Mani Mellor just behind top-scorer Danny Elliott in attack.

Even against a patched-up and already relegated Blyth, you had to admire the quality of the Silkmen’s goals. The opener from Elliott, his 30^th league goal of the season, capped a flowing move from back to front as the striker tapped home Kengni’s accurate centre. Sean Etaluku notched the Silkmen’s second, cutting inside and angling a precise shot into the bottom corner of the net from 20 yards which signified the prospect’s growing confidence.

Our third was probably the pick of the bunch. A lovely ball over the top of the defence from Luke Duffy landed into the patch of the onrushing Tre Pemberton. Tre still had a bit to do, but after turning a defender inside out he cooly finished with a left foot strike leaving the keeper rooted to the spot. Pemberton’s stamina and determination to push forward gets him into some great positions as a marauding full back. It’s a real coup for Macc that we’ve managed to hang onto him for next season.

A John Rooney ‘special’ gave him his tenth of the season and Macc’s fourth of the afternoon, although the Blyth keeper might have done better to keep out Rooney’s 25-yarder which was travelling but right at him. Finally, D’Mani Mellor flicked home a delightful finish following a corner routine to make it five.

Which players caught the eye?

Pemberton and Duffy were the two standouts, with Duffy notably revelling in a more central midfield position alongside Mendy as Savage decided to rest Rooney’s legs. Neil Kengni, playing further forward than he typically has been this season, also excelled on the right of midfield.

Of the squad players, I’m not sure anyone did enough to grab Savage’s attention. The game did provide a welcome 90 minutes for Brandon Lee – his first start since Basford in January where he was replaced by Kengni after an hour.

Sub Diego De Girolamo still awaits his first goal in a Silkmen shirt, but did show good hold-up play and a tidy lay-off to earn an assist for Rooney’s third goal. Diego doesn’t look 100% match sharp though and it would be useful to judge him as a starter.

Dontai Gabbidon did get 40 minutes to impress after coming on for Kengni, but his touch and control was slightly off when in possession. At the back, Sam Heathcote came on for Fensome to partner Menayese. We didn’t concede, but neither Sam or Rollin are natural ball players and we looked a little disjointed in possession in the final quarter of the game.

And finally, the manager’s son Freddie was rewarded for some fine performances as captain for the U21’s by entering the fray with 20 minutes remaining. The youngster was accomplished on the ball, except for one stray pass which put the defence momentarily under pressure.

Who might feature against Workington?

The injured Justin Johnson is set to miss out again tomorrow, as is Sam Heathcote who has picked up a knock. It remains to be seen whether Paul Dawson is fit enough to start. This could pave the way for our youngsters to get minutes.

Joining Freddie Savage could be forward Jamie Walker and 16-year-old left-back / central defender Kerr Dollochin who have been registered with the first-team. I’ve been impressed by all three when watching the U21’s on occasions, particularly with Dollochin who is cool in possession, likes to break forward from wide areas and is a good communicator at the back.

Upfront, it will be interesting to see if Savage starts De Girolamo alongside Elliott and gives another opportunity to Dontai Gabidon to stake his claim for next season.