Sav’s bid to revive Macclesfield

The Silkmen have risen from the ashes and will start again in the ninth tier this summer. But as their famous head honcho explains, history won’t repeat itself

Last October, Macclesfield Town rose from the rubble of bankruptcy to reform as Macclesfield FC – and announced their resurrection with a big- name arrival.

From a distance, he appeared every inch the high- profile transfer, with his floppy mop of blond hair, Marbella tan and gleaming white teeth. But something didn’t add up. At almost 46 years old, Robbie Savage had been retired for nearly a decade, setting aside a brief comeback for Stockport Town in 2019. Still, here he was, as Macc’s figurehead for bold new days.

Silkmen fans needn’t have worried, though: Savage had been appointed director of football by new owner Rob Smethurst, as they get ready for life in the North West Counties League Premier Division – five tiers below the Football League.

“Rob is a good friend of mine who has had a really successful business career,” Savage tells FFT. “He wanted someone to help him run the football side of the business: finding coaches, appointing a manager and scouting potential signings. I couldn’t turn the opportunity down.”

Town’s 146- year history came to an end last September, wound up in the High Court over debts exceeding half a million pounds. But Savage insists a fresh business model will ensure it doesn’t happen again.

“The club has to be sustainable,” he says. “We’ve built a gym, a bar, a cafe, a 3G pitch, and we’re also working on an international programme – all of these provide income streams outside of ticket sales, so that we’ll be fine even if we had to stop playing football for whatever reason.”

Savage, a product of Manchester United’s acclaimed Class of ’ 92, has thrown himself into youth coaching alongside his punditry since retiring in 2011, and wants Macc to develop talent that will eventually move on to Football League outfits.

“I have a successful under- 15s side [ at Pro Football Academy] who beat Premier League academy teams last season,” he adds. “I think next year we’ll have four or five of those young lads in our first- team squad. I want to nurture young talent and offer them a pathway to pro football.”

Savage is also looking to replicate the recruitment strategy at Brentford. “That’s the model we want to create,” he explains. “We want to find uncut diamonds that have slipped through the net who will do well for us, help us to achieve our goals and perhaps move on to bigger clubs.”

Should COVID- 19 rules allow it, the phoenix club is expecting 4,000 fans to attend their first game at the old club’s Moss Rose home – a gate that would exceed several in League Two.

“We’re treating this like a Football League club,” enthuses Savage. “We already have League Two facilities, if not better. I hope there are players who’ll be tempted to drop a couple of divisions, or talented lads who see us as a great platform for their careers.”

Danny Whitaker, who made more than 450 Silkmen outings as a player, is now the gaffer, while Savage has hired some 30 academy coaches. But has he mulled tying up his laces and enjoying one last hurrah on the pitch?

“I actually came off the bench for the reserves and set up a goal from a free- kick with my first touch – but I won’t be coming out of retirement,” he laughs. “I don’t want this to be about me. I want to use my profile to give the club publicity through my channels, but this is all about giving a football club back to a community. I can’t wait for the season to start.”