On near miss
available at the club. He said: “Our season ticket sales are set to comfortably exceed the number that we reached last year and not only will this benefit our playing budget, but it is sure to give us the best possible chance of continuing our formidable record at the Moss Rose as we seek to progress further next season.”
Blower knows just how important the fans of Macclesfield are to motivating the players and driving the club forward financially.
However, a priority on the agenda – and sure to be popular with supporters – is to keep hold of manager John Askey, who guided the Silkmen agonisingly close to the playoff positions.
Askey dedicated his whole senior career to Macclesfield Town, scoring more than 100 goals in over 500 appearances and his first steps in management suggest he can maintain his legendary reputation among Macc fans.
Having a manager as close to the club as Askey provides a sentimental conncetion.
During his playing career, Askey achieved promotion from the conference to Division Two with the Silkmen and the whole club will be hopeful that the magic Askey possessed in his playing days guiding them to promotion can be transitioned into managerial magic.
“The club has made great strides over the last 12 months and we want to keep that momentum. A crucial part of keeping our momentum going in to next season is retaining John as first-team manager,” Blower said.
“John has understandably been linked with a number of other jobs, but I’m sure he feels the job is unfinished at the Moss Rose and he has rightly been offered an enhanced contract.”
To build on last season’s sixth-place finish, the Silkmen will not only have to hold onto Askey, but also their top talent on the pitch, including last season’s top goalscorer Waide Fairhurst and goalkeeper Rhys Taylor, who kept 18 clean sheets in 46 league games.
With players’ contracts under discussion at the Moss Rose, the ideal scenario is to maintain the talent that performed so well together last season accumulating 21 wins in the league and seeing them fall short of just one point from fifth place Forest Green with the possibility of some new additions to the squad.
With lower budgets in football at this level, persuading players to resign is crucial.
“To come so close to the play-offs and just miss out hurts,” said Blower. “The priority now for the club is to keep as many of this group of players together as possible and then go from there.”
The bond Macclesfield share between the staff at the club, players and also the fans, Blower stated that everybody had a role in making the 2014/15 campaign a memorable one and that brighter things are to arise from the ambitious club.
He said: “We are all part of one team.
“From the owners, the volunteers, the players, to the supporters; each one has a big part to play in the success of Macclesfield Town.
“With the same effort next season, we can look forward to another successful campaign.”
As preparations are already developing for the new season, Blower will be hoping to see his club back in the Football League this time next year and provide an inspirational and positive future for all at Macclesfield Town.