CARL’S AT HIS WITT’S END!
Loyal Macauley to leave Albion role
CARL Macauley’s status as the longest-serving manager in the Northern Premier League’s top flight is scheduled to end this month.
His contract with Witton Albion, relegated after finishing second bottom in the Premier Division, will not be renewed when it expires, bringing to a near seven-year stay in Northwich.
“The emotion that’s strongest right now is sadness,” he said. “I love the club; I played for them, and to return and do this job for as long as I have is something I’ve never taken for granted.
“I have given it absolutely everything, and those aren’t just empty sentiments.”
Albion almost avoided the drop, winning four of their final five matches to narrow a gap to those in front that felt insurmountable at the start of April.
Bittersweet
It left them two points adrift of Basford United, who survived themselves because their points-pergame average was higher than that posted by rivals in the other divisions at step three of the National League System.
Coincidentally, Witton hammered the Nottingham-based outfit in what turned out to be Macauley’s last game in charge.
“It was bittersweet,” he said.
“However, it is important to be honest and admit that we’ve been relegated because we’ve been second best too often.
“This is a brutal division, one of the toughest – and that’s proven by the fact that we’ve got 43 points and it’s not been enough.”
The 52-year-old, who departs along with his assistant Gary Martindale, succeeded Scott Dundas at
Wincham Park in October 2015.
Albion were at a low ebb after losing half of their matches until that point, and Macauley had to assemble a team almost from scratch.
They finished 11th in the then First Division North, and were promoted through the play-offs the following summer following a transfer to the league’s southern section.
Witton occupied a position inside the Premier Division’s top 10 at the end of the next two terms, a sequence they were on course to extend when the pandemic ended early the 2019-20 season.
After winning five of their first seven games at the start of the following campaign, they were fifth in the table when that was curtailed.
Constraints
“We savoured that moment when we were promoted, and it’s a memory that will stay with us,” added Macauley, who picked the team close to 300 times during his tenure and watched them win on almost half of those occasions.
“Of course, we’ve made mistakes along the way and are courageous enough to say that.
“But we’ve also been genuine, loyal, and committed. I can sincerely say we gave it our best shot.”
Albion’s interim chairman Graham Wood, who hopes to continue in that role following the club’s annual meeting, echoes that sentiment.
“Given the constraints that Carl had, he’s done a remarkable job,” he said.
The club have started a search for his Macauley’s successor, and hope to make an appointment in the coming weeks.