Silkmen set for summer rebuild after Retained List confirmed

9 players released and 5 return to parent clubs

Macclesfield FC are poised for a major summer rebuild following the announcement of its Retained List.

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