THE UPS AND DOWNS OF THE SILKMEN

 http://www.footballsite.co.uk/Statistics/ClubbyClub/ClubHistories/MacclesfieldTown.htm

9th August 1997, was the Football League debut day for Macclesfield Town who played their first Football League match against Torquay United, beating them 2-1 at the Moss Rose Ground. They won the Vauxhall Conference by 5 points, whilst Hereford United "went down" to take their place.
Founded in 1873 as part of the 8th Cheshire Rifle Volunteers, they became a football club in 1874, joining with the local Olympic Cricket Club, they provided Football and Rugby matches from 1876. By 1878-9, the club was known as Macclesfield Football Club, not becoming known as Macclesfield Town FC (Ltd) until after the Second World War. In September 1891 the club moved to Moss Rose, their present ground, that holds around a 6,000 crowd.

Playing in the Conference they won the FA Trophy in 1970 and 1996. They lost the 2017 FA Trophy Final to York City at Wembley.

The Silkmen (a geographical note needed:- Cheshire seemed to be a perfect location for the silk industry with raw materials arriving at local ports in an environment that had water driven mills and a moist climate to prevent fibres from drying out and snapping- silk buttons were a speciality) won the National League title in 1994-5 and 1996-7, becoming members of the Football League between 1997-2012, reaching their highest Football League place in the old Division Two in 1998-9. 

They were relegated to the Football Conference in 2011-12 (they failed to win any games in 2012, a total of 25 matches) and stayed in the newly named National League in 2015-16 when the change over occurred.
 
In 2017-18 they won the National League title, beating Eastleigh 2-0 and were promoted to Football League Two. On August 4th 2018 they played their first football league game of the season, losing to Swindon Town and were 15th in the division after one game! In 2018-19, the club avoided relegation back to the National League, but financial issues continued to affect it. After a points deduction activated on 11 August 2020, the club was relegated to the National League, the 5th tier of English football, for the 2020–21 season. It got worse...

On 14 September 2020, Macclesfield Town played their final fixture, a friendly against Witton Albion in the Northern Premier League, Following the winding-up order, the club was initially suspended and then expelled from the National League with effect from 12 October 2020.

In October 2020, local businessman Robert Smethurst purchased the assets of Macclesfield Town, and rebranded the club as Macclesfield FC, entering it into the North West Counties' Football League in the 2021–22 season. The Official Receiver confirmed that the assets of Macclesfield Town had been sold to Macc Football Club Limited. Local businessman (and owner of 10th tier Stockport Town) Robert Smethurst had purchased the assets, intending to rebrand the club as Macclesfield Football Club  and enter the North West Counties FL in the 2021–22 campaign. Former Wales international Robbie Savage, now a Stockport Town player, joined the club's board, and former Town manager Danny Whittaker became team manager.

Pop this into your IT; it's an hour long but brilliant for those who want to see how clubs at the other end of the pyramid survive....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0011n50/robbie-savage-making-macclesfield-fc

https://www.macclesfieldfc.com/

Macclesfield FC can confirm that further to our league applications, the Football Association have accepted us into the North West Counties Premier Division for the 2021/22 campaign. This represents Step 5 of the non-league pyramid and with it, comes automatic inclusion into next season's FA Vase competition. It also means that our inaugural league season will commence on Saturday 31st July 2021 and we will advise our definitive fixture list once confirmed. The Club are delighted with this outcome and can now fully commit to our preparations ahead of the new season. We would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work and dedication throughout this process.

This is a Club steeped in history and is etched within the narrative of both the town and wider community in general. As such, I felt so privileged when I was asked by the new owner to take up the role of Director of Football. Grassroots football is something which I am incredibly passionate about and combined with the exciting plans for the Club overall, I am fully committed to playing my part in seeing all our dreams turn into reality.

ROBBIE SAVAGE