And so to November and the Moss Rose and a NWCFL Premier
Division match between Macclesfield FC and Runcorn Town.
Macclesfield FC was founded on 13 October 2020 by local businessman Robert Smethurst as a phoenix club of the former Macclesfield Town FC, which was wound up on 16 September 2020.
The new club began their first competitive match in the North West Counties Football League in August 2021, with local legend Danny Whitaker appointed as manager and Robbie Savage taking up a Director of Football role. The Silkmen currently top the table with 39 points (12 wins and 3 draws) from 17 games. Coincidentally (or not !) BBC screened 'Making Macclesfield FC' last night, Bonfire Night, as the phoenix club rose from the ashes (and being shown on BBC1 on 13 November 2021).
The original Macclesfield FC was formed in 1874, playing at Moss Rose from 1891. Initially winning the Manchester League twice Macc became an inaugural member of the Cheshire County League at the start of the 1919/20 season, ultimately winning the league six times.
Renamed Macclesfield Town FC in 1946, the club was a founder member of the Northern Premier League in 1968, winning the league in its first two campaigns, as well as the FA Trophy in 1970, defeating Telford United 2-0 at Wembley. Macc were promoted to the Conference after winning their third Northern Premier League title in 1987.
Under manager Sammy McIlroy the Silkmen were champions of the Conference in 1993/94, but were not promoted as Moss Rose did not meet Football League criteria. A second FA Trophy success followed in 1996 with a 3-1 final victory over Northwich Victoria.
A second Conference title in 1996/97 saw promotion to the Football League, and second place in their first season elevated Macc to the old Second Division (now League One). Immediately relegated the Silkmen retained fourth tier status from 1999 to 2012 before being relegated to the Conference. Against all odds John Askey led the Silkmen back into the Football League as National League champions in 2017/18.
However amidst ongoing financial issues, with players regularly not being paid, a points deduction was activated on 11 August 2020. This meant Macc Town was relegated back to non league, the National League, and shortly after expelled.
The away team was established in 1967 as a founder member of the
Runcorn Sunday League under the name of CKD, a works team from the 'D' Section
at the local Castner Kellner plant. The club changed its name to Mond FC in
1970, representing the Mond Division of ICI which ran the Castner Kellner
works.
In 1973 there was a move to Saturday football in the form of Division 5 of the Warrington & District League. At the end of their first season Mond amalgamated with struggling Division 1 side ICI Weston, becoming Mond Rangers FC and 'securing' a four division promotion.
1984 saw a move to the West Cheshire League and there was another change to the club's name in 2005/06 - this time to Runcorn Town FC. After winning Division 2 a year later 'Town' was elevated to the North West Counties at the start of the 2010/11 campaign following a third place finish.
Promotion to the Premier League was achieved at the first attempt, and Town finished runners up in their first season at the higher level. However after 4th and 5th place finishes there followed two disappointing seasons and 2016/17 began with a new manager and squad, with not one player being retained. Thereafter Town finished third twice, the 2017/18 season beginning with 11 straight victories. Seventh in 2019, then two abandoned Covid ventures and Town now sit 19th (of 21) with 15 points from 18 games this time.
A short jaunt to Navigation Road past Healthy Mutts Premium
Treats then the Stubborn Mule Brewery at Radium Works, and the first
numberplate for today - 1ORD, subsequently followed by W3NDY and Y3 O YE and
then Vanoffee - a mobile coffee van. Onto the train, alongside a girl sporting
that many tattoos it's practically a gallery, and then via Skelton Junction
it's past the grounds of Wythenshawe Town, Wythenshawe Amateurs, Cheadle Heath
Nomads and Stockport County.
A change then the stopper to Macclesfield, with the signal box at Cheadle Hulme sponsored by MyHo Inspired Coworking. Then at Poynton a railway wagon transformed into a flowerbox with signage Poynton Collieries Lord Vernon.
That brings us to Macclesfield and the iconic Arighi Bianchi store; eschewing the Old Millstone and The Treacle Tap we head for the A523 Leek Road. Appropriately the rain starts as we come across 2 chippies side by side, Phil Morton Sewing Machines shop, Swindells Fireplaces and fingerposts to Sutton Langley and Wincle.
Then the Moss Rose, aka leasing.com stadium, and the ticket office where the gentleman ahead of us is returning an unused ticket - we gratefully take advantage (it has been paid forward !) so admission is halved to £5. We are directed beyond a rainswept open terrace and the artificial pitch to bar twenty seven, opened specially today for all spectators, and pre match entertainment is the Manchester derby and a pint of Camden Hells.
The bar stands above a new all seater covered stand spanning the whole of the touchline, opposite the old main stand - which only borders the half way line. Minimal terracing and 2 of the 3 exterior catering outlets make up the rest of that side, and behind is the Leek Road, countryside and hills. In front plenty of advertising hoardings, the most notable being Savages Mussels and Explore Macedonia, and to my right a packed covered terrace with flags featuring 'SK11 Silks On Tour' and 'Why Does A Love Kiss Stay In My Memory' (the Buddy Holly reference is lost on me - sorry !)
Macc are in blue and white, Runcorn in change pink and black,
with The Last Post respectfully honoured by a huge crowd of 3,420. An early
chance sees Town's keeper Adam Reid fumble a straightforward shot but Aaron
Dwyer's shot from a tight angle is just beyond the far post.
Thereafter Macc's veteran Neil Danns has two decent opportunities and Max Bardsley-Rowe passes up a good effort; at the opposite end Runcorn captain Richie Foulkes has their best attempt deflected away. The half, characterised by the Silkmen's lack of ambition (frequently two attackers surrounded by six defenders), ends goallless with a smart stop by Reid from Keilan Adams.
The second period begins messily, frustratingly and soporifically - after one dreadful offside decision, a Macc touch to a Runcorn forward, my neighbour exclaims 'No one knows what the hell they are doing !' In fact the only constant is the weather as the rain comes sheeting down, obliterating the hills and communication tower.
Then, in keeping with the game, a wayward Silkmen cross beyond the goal is nodded back and Danns heads home to give Macc the lead on 59 minutes. The expectation now is the floodgates will open and the Silkmen will ease home, but Danns skies their next chance before Luis Morrison-Derbyshire hits the side netting eight minutes on.
From the goal kick the ball is inadvertently flicked on by a Macc defender, and, amidst screams for offside, Craig Cairns nonchalantly chips Liam Lovell to equalise. A stunned crowd then sees Lovell superbly save a Tony Davies' header from a corner two minutes later.
With ten minutes to go Runcorn win a corner and the delivery sees a hand raised and deflecting the ball - impossible to see who or which side is the offendant, but from the players' body language it seems to be a Runcorn arm. The referee deems otherwise and awards a penalty, which Foulkes scores to leave Runcorn 2-1 up.
Amidst widespread anger and disgust the Silkmen fail to weave any magic, and with Runcorn using tactical injuries and time wasting, the crowd starts to drift away before the 90 (and six minutes of stoppage time) are up. Then two of my predictions come true - the referee will use any opportunity to level things up and the early leavers will miss a final goal. But even I could not predict that the lashing rain would cease with five minutes left.....
And so it proves - 95 minutes and sub Scott McGowan overruns the ball in the penalty box and is 'felled' for another dubious penalty. Danns scores with aplomb and it finishes 2-2.
