End of season reflections

109 points, 109 goals

What an incredible, never-to-be forgotten season. The Silkmen finished their title-winning campaign in style – 12 consecutive wins, avenging defeats over Mickleover and Leek, registering a remarkable 109 points and 109 goals to cement their standing as the greatest ever team in Northern Premier League history.

It’s a scenario that even the most bullish, optimistic Macclesfield fan could scarcely have envisaged after last season’s play-off heartache against Marine. A shock managerial switch in the summer from experienced non-league stalwart Michael Clegg to rookie boss Robbie Savage sent alarm bells ringing for many – let’s not re-write history or ignore the sentiment at the time. This website will always remain independent and call things as we see it.

But how little did we know (or appreciate) that placing Savage at the wheel was to be a masterstroke in enabling Macc to conquer all before them en route to a fabulous promotion triumph.

The manager, coaching staff and players deserve immense credit for their achievements, as does every Macclesfield FC employee and volunteer who have collectively played their part in creating wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.

How far can this current group take us? Well… that’s probably a debate for another day. And rest assured, The Silkmen News will be assessing Macclesfield FC’s chances of success in the National League North in the coming weeks. But for now, let’s look back over the final talking points of the season.

Macclesfield FC OFFICIAL End of Season Awards – the winners and runners-up

The following winners were announced at an awards ceremony following the Silkmen’s 4-0 victory over Whitby in our final league game on 26 April.

Sponsor’s player of year

1^st Max Dearnley

2^nd Paul Dawson

3^rd Danny Elliott

The Player’s Player of the Year

1^st Laurent Mendy

2^nd Max Dearnley

3^rd Lewis Fensome

Director’s Player of the Year

1^st Max Dearnley (no runners-up were announced)

Goal of the Season

1 Laurent Mendy at home vs Bamber Bridge

2 Dontai Gabidon at home vs Ashton in the FA Trophy

3 Danny Whitehead at home vs Lancaster City

Golden Boot

1^st Danny Elliott – 41 goals in all competitions

2^nd D’Mani Mellor – 20 goals in all competitions

3^rd John Rooney – 12 goals in all competitions (worth noting that Luke Duffy also finished on 12 goals following his brace against Whitby!)

Young Player of the Year

1^st Freddie Savage (no runners-up were announced)

Player of the Year

1^st Danny Elliott

2^nd Laurent Mendy

3^rd Max Dearnley

The Silkmen News comment

It’s hard to argue with the merits of the above winners and runners-up. It’s impossible to ignore (or undermine) the importance of Danny Elliott’s 41 league and cup goals this season which have been instrumental in the Silkmen’s promotion. Elliott held off a strong late-season surge from the impeccably consistent Laurent Mendy, who flourished when reverting to a holding midfield role from defence and scored three goals in our final eight games, including that unforgettable cracker against Bamber Bridge.

But at the other end, it is entirely fitting that the contribution of goalkeeper Max Dearnley in registering 23 clean sheets was also recognised. In a team that only lost three league games all season, conceding only 30 goals in 42 games, and finishing 26 points ahead of second-placed Worksop, Dearnley’s emergence as a permanent goalkeeper that Macclesfield could finally rely on was reflected in the voting.

It was slightly surprising that D’Mani Mellor didn’t feature more prominently, but undoubtedly his 20 goals, exemplary work ethic and unselfish play have endeared him to supporters, his teammates and the coaching staff alike. Special mentions should also go to Luke Duffy – a supremely talented footballer who recorded double-figures for goals and assists and Neil Kengni – a player who continues to defy his former critics due to his excellent form, versatility and direct style which has fans on the edge of their seats.

I’m not sure what the criteria was for ‘Young Player of the Year’, but the awarding of the accolade to Freddie Savage is more about the youngster’s progression and fine performances as captain of the Under 21’s. In total, young Freddie made five league and cup appearances, featuring off the bench towards the end of the season against Blyth and Workington. Alongside Freddie, fellow academy starlets Jamie Walker, Henry McNulty and Kerr Dollochin also rose to prominence to suggest the future is bright for the Silkmen’s youth production line.

It's worth noting too that winger Sean Etaluku, signed from Barrow in November, made 26 appearances, scoring three goals and four assists. Still only 21, Etaluku is a young player to keep an eye on who has improved aspects of his game in recent months.

Finally, there was one player who didn’t win an award but who was singled out for a special mention by Robbie Savage. Defender Lewis Fensome, who came second in the Players’ Player of the Year, was commended by the gaffer for his attitude, all-round performances and the improvements he has made to his game. It was a great moment for Lewis and his praise was entirely deserving. The spotlight was also shone on midfield maestro John Rooney, who Savage suggested will be given more coaching responsibilities alongside his player duties next season.

The Silkmen News UNOFFICIAL end-of-season awards

Far be it from me to go against the status quo, but for what it’s worth, here is where my votes went with some additional ‘unofficial’ awards thrown in for more good measure.

Player of the year

1^st Danny Elliott – 41 goals, enough said

2^nd John Rooney – 30 goals and assists in total. Still a magician and a fine wine that we can’t take for granted

3^rd Max Dearnley – the foundation for the team’s success and a rock between the sticks. Ultra reliable, 23 clean sheets along with some vital and excellent saves at big moments.

Young player of the year

1^st Sean Etaluku – coming on leaps and bounds after an uncertain start

2^nd James Edmondson - not our player granted, but the midfielder’s contribution during his 14 appearances on loan from Blackburn is worthy of mention

3^rd Freddie Savage – didn’t look out of place when entering the first team fray

Goal of the season

1^st Lauren Mendy vs Bamber Bridge – an iconic, exhilarating strike

2^nd Dontai Gabidon vs Ashton – technically brilliant, executed with aplomb

3^rd Neil Kengni vs Guiseley – started in his own half and sliced through the opposition like knife through butter

Signing of the season

1^st Max Dearnley – superb shot stopper who commands his box with distinction. Our greatest goalkeeper bar none.

2^nd D’Mani Mellor – provided a much needed spark upfront in the early stages of the season, scored 20 goals and improved his finishing, showing unrivalled workrate

3^rd Rollin Menayese – a welcome and important addition at the back. Calm and collected, eight clean sheets in 14 appearances with two goals

Most disappointing signing of the season

1^st Justin Johnson – this feels somewhat harsh given JJ has racked up eight goals and ten assists, with many coming against the NPL’s strongest teams. However, it’s fair to say that Johnson has lost his way since the turn of the year, losing his place to Sean Etaluku and looking out-of-sorts when coming on off the bench. Given he featured in the National League North’s team of the season for Chorley last season, we’ve only seen glimpses of Johnson at his best in a Silkmen shirt. Can he turn it around? Yes, absolutely, his ability at this level is obvious. Will he kick-on for us next season? I wouldn’t rule it out.

2^nd Elliott Whitehouse – like with Johnson, highlighting Whitehouse here feels harsh. After all, he only featured six times as a Silkmen player before getting injured against Hyde at the end of August which sidelined him for six months. But even before that, Whitehouse seemed unsure of his role in Macclesfield’s midfield and struggled to impress. A seasoned promotion-winning midfielder in the EFL, who had shone for both Scunthorpe and Chester as a box-to-box, regular goalscorer in the NLN, Elliott looked like a stellar signing at Step 3. Maybe the major injuries he has sustained in his career are catching up with him, or maybe this move simply wasn’t meant to be.

Whitehouse was sent on loan for the eventually relegated Matlock in February until the end of the season. There has been no official comment about his immediate future at Macclesfield, although as previously mentioned on this website, some of the Silkmen’s summer signings had promotion clauses included in their contracts entitling them to an extension. Whitehouse has the quality to make a difference, but will Savage afford him another opportunity?

3^rd Danny Whitehead – Returning to the Moss for a sixth spell in the Summer, the much-loved, promotion-winning Whitehead seemed like a sure thing to run the Silkmen’s midfield this season. But it hasn’t worked out like that. Left out following Macc’s shock loss to Mickleover in November, Danny had to wait until away at Guiseley in April before he was handed another starting berth after frequently coming on late on from the bench. In total, he made 27 appearances scoring one goal.

Whitehead found his first-team opportunities limited following the arrival of loanee James Edmondson, and latterly following Savage’s decision to move Laurent Mendy from defence into a holding midfield berth alongside John Rooney. As with Elliott Whitehouse, there has been no official confirmation of Whitehead’s future, but his vast experience could still be an asset for Macclesfield next season.

Howlers of the season

You can count on one hand how many mistakes the Silkmen have made this season. But in the interests of balance, we’ll highlight the few that spring to mind here.

1^st Paul Dawson – the captain’s weak back header handed Workington a second goal at home recently. But it mattered little as the Silkmen stormed back to win 3-2. Daws’ sending off against Altrincham after 17 minutes in the FA Trophy is also worth remembering for the wrong reasons.

2^nd Laurent Mendy – an uncharacteristically sloppy ball out of defence set up a Leek attack which resulted in the Staffordshire club’s equalizer en route to their shock 2-1 victory over the Silkmen on Boxing Day.

3^rd Neil Kengni away at Prescot Cables – first a poor clearance, followed by a needless dive-in to attempt to win the ball back on the edge of the area gifted Prescot a penalty which they converted at the second attempt. Whilst Kengni has been a revelation for the majority of this campaign, it’s surprising to note that he has been directly responsible for errors leading to Macc conceding five goals this season, all away from home.

Most underrated player

Labelling any of Macclesfield’s players as ‘underrated’ may be a contentious pill to swallow for some readers. So, in the face of potential criticism, I’ll caveat that the word ‘underrated’ in this category owes more to suggesting that the following players are even ‘better’ than perhaps we might think.

1^st Luke Duffy – Outstanding across the midfield, either out wide or through the middle as a holding player or as a ‘number 10’. Over 20 goals and assists this season, including some vital winners away at Worksop and Workington. Arguably the Silkmen player with the highest ceiling and capable of progressing to the football league, who has really come into his own this season.

2^nd Tre Pemberton – the best right back in non-league? Perhaps ‘underrated’ is unfair, but given that Tre wasn’t mentioned at the club’s awards ceremony it’s important to recognise just how good he is defending and going forward. Rumoured to have had interest from other clubs before he chose to re-sign for Macc illustrates how lucky we are to have him.

3^rd Paul Dawson – labelling our captain fantastic as ‘underrated’ may appear like a contradiction. However, but for some disciplinary issues earlier in the season, Dawson has been right up there as one of our most outstanding and consistent performers. A majestic passer and reader of danger from central defence, or as a creator from midfield with an eye for goal, Dawson is good enough to dominate the National League North and above. Booked only once since the turn of year also suggests that Dawson has worked hard to keep his short fuse in check

Most improved player

1st Lewis Fensome – Robbie Savage is always effervescent when acknowledging the outstanding qualities of his squad, heralding them as a collective rather than zeroing in on any individuals. So there is no bigger compliment to Lewis Fensome when Savage broke his own protocol to pay a personal tribute to Lewis at the player awards evening. Fensome, who has played over 100 games for the Silkmen, seemed like he may have been on his way out earlier in the season as he fell behind Laurent Mendy, Paul Dawson and Sam Heathcote in Macclesfield’s centre back pecking order.

But following a series of magnificent defensive displays, Fensome finished the season as Savage’s preferred central defender, even getting the nod ahead of captain Dawson and new signing Rollin Menayese when Savage faced a selection dilemma. And rightly so. As an old-fashioned defender and fearless competitor, Fensome clears and heads everything away in his path. But Lewis is also underrated on the deck with the ball and has been known to advance into the final third with some powerful runs which have led to assists.

2^nd Neil Kengni – Another squad stalwart who gets better and better. Regarded at the start of the season as a back-up, makeshift left back, Kengni finished it as a starring member of the first-team having earned widespread acclaim for some swashbuckling performances as a conventional full-back, marauding wing-back and terrifying winger when pushed further forward to devastating effect towards the end of this campaign. Rather like Lewis Fensome keeping out Dawson and Menayese, it says everything about Kengni’s improvement when he was preferred at left back to the fit again Brandon Lee.

During a season in which Savage has dabbled with multiple options out wide, Kengni’s dazzling displays will have given the manager a quandary as to which position will give him the most chance to shine next season.

3^rd Sean Etaluku – Confession, I missed Etaluku apparently running us ragged for Matlock earlier in the season. That prompted Savage to get his cheque book out (or is it Apple Pay?) and bring Sean to Macclesfield in early November. From there, probably until March, I wondered what the fuss was about as Etaluku cemented his place in the team ahead of Justin Johnson. Sometimes erratic in possession with a frustrating tendency to constantly cut inside rather than using his pace to take on defenders, I found the former Barrow winger to be a frustrating watch.

But slowly, but surely, Etaluku is finding his feet. He finished the season with three goals and four assists, but could have had many more assists but for some wayward finishing by others which failed to convert the chances Sean had laid on a plate for them. Defensively too, Etaluku has shown improvements when diligently tracking back when asked to occasionally play wing-back.

I chatted briefly with the amiable and approachable young man at the players awards bash. He’s excited to show Silkmen fans that there is much more to come from him next season, and admitted that his natural comfort zone is the left wing as he’d been playing there for years as a youth product at Burnley, hence why he naturally drifts inside when playing on the right. A rough diamond undoubtedly, but with a full pre-season behind him, Etaluku could become extremely hot property next season if he continues his upward trajectory.

Saves of the season

I think Max deserves a category of his own. The big man has made many brilliant saves, but some stand out more than others.

1^st Away at Bamber Bridge – brilliant reflexes to turn an effort onto the post from point blank range to preserve a clean sheet in Macc’s 2-0 win.

2^nd Away at Workington – a superb fingertip touch to turn a curling shot onto the post with the scoreline at 0-0. It was a vital save with 20 minutes to go, and even more so when Luke Duffy won the game for Macc in stoppage time.

3^rd Home against FC United – coming on the back of the shock defeat to Ashton, Macc held a slender 1-0 advantage in a competitive game. John Rooney uncharacteristically conceded possession, putting FC one-on-one through on goal. But Dearnley made himself big and made a crucial stop to deny the equalizer and the Silkmen went on to win 2-0.

And finally…

If you’ve made it this far, I’d just like to say ‘thank you’ to everyone who has read an article on this website, shared it with others or have provided comments and general feedback publicly and privately. It’s really appreciated. The Silkmen News is now approaching 150 subscribers and exceeding over 2,000 views each month – numbers I never thought were possible.

What started out as a spontaneous whim following Macc’s play-off loss to Marine has become an addictive hobby which saw me take in 33 games this season. And I hope to report on many more games next season, as well as commenting on the highs and lows on and off the pitch, along with transfers in and out.

For independent views on everything else Macclesfield FC, keep it right here and please spread the word to let others know too. Subscribers will continue to receive content for free over the summer.

Have a wonderful summer and catch you at the ground or on Ian Armitt’s coach soon!

Thanks for your support,

Ben