How will the Silkmen fare next season?
National League North preview part 1
We are 72 days away from the start of the new season, which still seems an age to wait for excited Silkmen fans. The 2025/26 campaign promises to be Macclesfield FC’s most intriguing one yet as we compete in the National League North for the first time.
Manager Robbie Savage, fresh off signing a two-year contract extension to remain in post, is ambitiously targeting a play-off place or above having kept his record Northern Premier League title-winning squad together.
But how realistic is another promotion challenge for the Silkmen, or are we likely to find the climb to Step 2 a bridge too far next season?
It promises to be a fascinating conundrum and one I’m eager to make sense of before a ball is kicked. Joining Macc in securing promotion to the NLN are our old friendsWorksop Town, along with Merthyr Town, AFC TelfordUnited and Bedford Town. In addition, AFC Fylde are also expected to provide formidable opposition in the NLN following their relegation from the National League.
Below are my five initial observations of the NLN, from what we can expect to tackling some potential myths.
Newly promoted teams rarely struggle in the NLN
Last season saw the four newly promoted teams struggle for large parts of it. After disastrous starts Marine and Radcliffe rallied to escape the drop zone, finishing in 15thand 20th place respectively. There was no such luck forNeedham Market who succumbed to relegation in 21stplace, 12 points behind Radcliffe. Meanwhile Leamingtoncame 16th in the table, one point ahead of Marine, despite a winless seven-game run to end the season.
31 teams have been promoted or transferred to the NLN since the 2014-15 season
In their first season, 2 were promoted as champions (Tamworth & King’s Lynn), 5 finished in either the top 5 or top 7 (Altrincham, Salford, Darlington, AFC Fylde and Chorley) but none secured promotion through the play-offs
4 teams (Needham Market, Bishop’s Stortford, Ashton and Corby Town) were relegated and went straight back down
So while a fourth promotion in five seasons might seem a stretch for the Silkmen, it’s certainly not beyond the realms of possibility either as King’s Lynn and more recently Tamworth have proven.
The struggles of last season’s promoted clubs suggests the leap from Step 3 to Step 2 could be problematic, but this tends to be the exception rather than the norm. And if we focus on Marine and Radcliffe specifically, both teams got to grips with the NLN after getting off to nightmare starts and occupying the relegation spots on New Year’s Day.
Marine only won two of their opening ten games, but went on a superb nine-game unbeaten run (7 wins, two draws) from mid-February to the end of March to haul themselves out of trouble. In the form table, the Mariners finished the campaign averaging 1.75 points-per-game (PPG), a significant improvement on their 1.26 PPG since the beginning of the season. Radcliffe’s form was more erratic, however they finished the campaign with only two defeats in six games which included a huge 1-0 victory at home over the eventually promoted Scunthorpe. It took Radcliffe until their 11th league game before they recorded their first victory, ironically away at later champions Brackley.
The NLN is competitive…. but wide open
The NLN has similarities to the EFL’s Championship as it seems extremely competitive in that anyone can beat anyone, with struggling sides regularly causing upsets against teams at the top of the league. For example, last season’s promoted clubs Brackley and Scunthorpesuffered shock defeats against Radcliffe, with Scunthorpe also losing to relegated Rushall.
And it’s also worth remembering that the division’s long-term title challengers, Kidderminster Harriers, were 90 minutes from winning the NLN title only to fall at the final hurdle with a shock reversal away at 19th placed Southport which cost them promotion. The Harriers also lost to relegated Rushall and Warrington, in addition to being turned over 3-1 at Marine.
Beaten play-off finalists Chester finished the season strongly, finishing fourth in the table after flirting with automatic promotion. However, the Seals actually spent more time out of the top seven than in it and were languishing in 12th place on New Year’s Day after a stuttering start to the season. In contrast Curzon Ashton were top of the league at the start of 2025, but finished eighth and missed out on a play-off place at the death.
Just three points separated 10th placed Hereford and fifth placed Chorley (79 pts) who lost in the play-off semi to King’s Lynn. Chorley may have been pushing for the title had they not suffered damaging defeats to Marine, Radcliffe, Leamington and Needham Market.
In the last three seasons 77, 75 and as low as 68 points have been sufficient to secure a play-off berth, equating to a high of 1.67 PPG and a low of 1.47 PPG, which certainly doesn’t feel beyond Macclesfield.
A league high in physicality, but footballing sides can thrive
After taking advantage of broadcaster DAZN’s £10 special offer for a month’s subscription to include all of the National League’s play-off games, I’ve watched around a dozen 90-minute matches. So far, I’ve been pleasantly surprised but disappointed by the lack of quality on show, none more so than in the turgid play-off final between Scunthorpe and Chester.
Scunthorpe’s physicality and superior fitness in extra-time proved pivotal in getting them over the line in a game where Chester struggled to impose themselves, but for a brief period in the second half either side of their equalizer.
There appears to be a general consensus that the NLN comprises more direct, physically imposing teams and that is valid to some extent. Certainly Scunthorpe are testament to that, as are set-piece specialists Chorley who Scunny defeated in the play-off semi. But, overall, there seems little for Macclesfield to fear, although it remains to be seen whether the Silkmen’s defence will stand-up to the aerial pressure that some teams will subject them to next season.
It’s certainly a myth though that footballing and attacking sides can’t compete and do well in this division, which bodes well for Macc. Chester are probably the best team in the league for keeping the ball on the deck and topped the NLN in February and March. Kidderminster, who play a fluid 3-4-3 formation, threw promotion away on the final day of the 46-game season but had the best attack (86 goals) and second meanest defence (37 goals).
And whilst possession-based sides such as Curzon Ashton (who lead the division in January) and Hereford (fourth in the league with 10 games remaining), ultimately finished outside of the play-off places, they highlight that you don’t necessarily need to be the biggest side playing long-ball tactics to succeed.
The Silkmen’s goal threat, array of forward options and explosive pace in wide areas should see them pose NLN teams a lot of problems.
Full-time teams have the edge, but part-time sides can still succeed
Macclesfield’s decision to stick with their part-time, two mornings a week training sessions may have surprised some following their promotion from the Northern Premier League. But given the current model works for our existing players and manager, who has all but retained everyone from last season’s squad, you can understand the club’s decision.
Four of the sides who finished in the top-seven of the NLN are full-time – Scunthorpe (2nd), Kidderminster (3rd), King’s Lynn (6th) and Buxton (7th). Other clubs that are expected to continue with a full-time training model next season are South Shields and AFC Fylde.
However NLN champions Brackley Town operated a part-time training set-up and eventually won promotion to the National League after failing in the play-offs in six of the last seven seasons. Other clubs such as Chester and Darlington operate a hybrid model by adopting three training sessions a week.
Stability could be key to Macc’s chances of success
As we’ve discussed, Macc have retained both their players and manager from our record-breaking NPL title-winning season. Robbie Savage has said that new signing Isaac Buckley-Ricketts will be the Silkmen’s only permanent addition in the close season, emphasising that he is delighted with the quality and continuity he has within his current group.
The same can’t be said for other teams who are in transition though. Relegated AFC Fylde are still to appoint a new manager after David Longwell and Chris Neal left the club at the end of the season after taking the reins following previous boss’s Kevin Phillips’ departure in February.
Kidderminster made the shock the decision to dispense with Phil Brown after failing to win promotion, but have since appointed former player Adam Murray as their new manager. Murray led Fylde to promotion when winning the National League North in 2022-23 and looks to be a sound appointment. Kidderminster have retained the services of the division’s top-scorer Ashley Hemmings for next season, but Murray may elect to freshen up the ageing squad he’s inherited and impose different tactics.
Surprisingly, four other NLN teams will have new managers in the dugout in the upcoming season:
King’s Lynn have recruited former Chesterfield manager James Rowe after firing Adam Lakeland who expressed his disappointment at having to operate with a reduced playing budget for the 2025/26 campaign. King’s Lynn are currently going through a takeover by Singaporean investors so their fortunes are worth keeping an eye on.
Southport have hired former Silkmen boss Neil Danns having parted ways with Jim Bentley. Port, who finished 19th last season, have recently signed striker Mo Touray from Chorley – a player Macc were linked with last summer
South Shields are searching for a new manager following the sacking of Elliott Dickman. The Silkmen demolished the North East side 5-0 in an FA Cup qualifier last season
Marine have promoted long serving player Bobby Grant to first team manager, following Neil Young’s decision to take up a Director of Football role at the club.
We’ll be analysing the Silkmen’s prospects in more detail throughout pre-season. In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts on how we’ll do in the National League North!