Happy memories of first promotion
IT’S fair to say that Macclesfield Town’s return to the Football League has been a struggle.
From equalling Derby County’s unwanted record of 36 games without a win to players and staff regularly having to wait for wages beyond pay day, everyone involved with the Silkmen has been through the mill over the past eight months.
But it was a different story 22 years ago, when Town – managed by former Manchester United star Sammy McIlroy – were promoted from what was then the Vauxhall Conference for the first time in their history.
The Silkmen overcame the tragic death of chairman Arthur Jones – and the resulting financial problems, including a High Court writ from his former company demanding £500,000 - to finally take their place among English football’s top 92
clubs, after being denied a place in the league in 1995.
Andrew Ridgway was the chairman of Macclesfield’s supporters club during that 1996-97 Conference-winning season and received a phone call from the BBC on the day of Jones’ death.
“It was a hell of a shock, but I think it galvanised everyone. Everyone got together and Macc has always been that sort of a club where it has always been ‘against all odds’,” he said.
That slogan was memorably emblazoned on Efe Sodje’s bandana when the Nigerian defender scored the club’s first ever Football League goal in the opening day home win over Torquay in August 1997.
Sodje had signed from rivals Stevenage during the close season, but the majority of the promotion-winning team remained unchanged with most choosing to become professional for the very first time.
“The players were given the option. We lost one because he didn’t want to give his job up. He wanted to stay semi-pro so he moved on to another club,” recalls Ridgway.
“Steve Wood’s the one that stands out for me. He was just so proud that he could change his passport so that it said ‘professional footballer’. The players we had, they were a team.”
Far from being overawed by their new surroundings, the club took to league football like a duck to water and there was an air of expectation among the supporters.
“Before that first season started, everyone was so confident. No one even ascertained anything about relegation.
“It was like, we’re going to do this.
“I don’t think there was as much of a gap between the Conference and the league as there is now.”
Macc were helped on their way by exemplary form at the Moss Rose. They were the only side in the top four divisions of English football to go the whole season unbeaten at home, winning 19 and drawing four.
In contrast, McIlroy’s men gleaned just four victories on their travels, with the first not coming until after the turn of the year.
“We were always there or thereabouts. Everyone else was beating everyone else. But when people came to our place, that was it – no one could get anything off us at home,” says Ridgway.
“Maybe people didn’t know enough about us at our place.
“The only chance we had of playing them when we were in the Conference was in the FA Cup, so when we went up in our first season, every single game at home was like a cup tie.”
Memorable moments included a 2-0 win over runaway league leaders Notts County and a feisty 1-0 victory against promotion rivals Lincoln City in April - the only fixture Ridgway missed while following the Silkmen that season.
“My sister decided to get married that day! I timed it so I thought I could get a car from the wedding but all the speeches overran, so I missed it.
“That was a shame, as I would have been stood on the terraces in a morning suit, which would have been handy to watch.”
Despite being 12th in January, Macc would go on to lose only three more games and a 3-2 win at home to Chester City on the penultimate day of the season secured promotion in front of a crowd of 5,982.
“The one thing I remember from the Chester game especially was Steve Wood running along the pitch saying ‘where’s the Mayor?’”
“We knew we were getting promoted, so he was just looking for the Mayor all the time.”
“I think the kick-off was delayed because of the fans getting in. That added a bit of tension because obviously you just want to get out and give 100%,” added Phil Power, who scored the goal that clinched promotion.
“On the day, I don’t think it was a classic. It wasn’t one of our better performances but we got the all-important result.”
The following season, tiny Macclesfield were competing in Division Two with some of the most famous names in English football, including Preston North End, Burnley and, of course, Manchester City.
Unfortunately, that’s where the fairytale ended. Despite a spirited campaign, Macc finished rock bottom and were relegated straight back to Division Three, where they would remain until losing their Football League status altogether in 2012.
It’s now a year since Town bounced back, but Silkmen fans will always remember their first time.