HUNGRY FOR A MACC DOUBLE
MICHAEL CLEGG has told his Mac- clesfield players they want to be turning up for their Gateshead semi-final firmly in the NPL Premier promotion picture.
Step 3 Macc are the lowest-ranked side in the final four of the Isuzu FA Trophy and have been handed an away trip to last season’s runners-up.
The Heed are one of three National League sides left standing with 2022 winners Bromley hosting Solihull Moors.
And while boss Clegg, who took over at Macc just three weeks ago following the departure of Alex Bruce for a Salford City coaching role, is excited for the occasion, league business now takes over.
“Over the next eight weeks, the Macc fans are wanting to find themselves a hero – we’ve just got so much to play for,” Clegg told The NLP.
“We’ve got a really good following, we’ve got really good backing, so we’ve no excuses to go and do well. It’s over to us. We’ve got to want to enjoy that pressure.
Characters
“The squad seem ready. Listen, they’ve been brilliant since I’ve come in. They’ve been really receptive, they’ve tried to listen and learn.
“You’ve got to get in their shoes. It’s tough for them to lose a manager when they were doing so well under him. I’ve tried to not change too much. We’re in a good place.
“We’ve got some really strong characters. I’ll be dead honest, this week in training I’ve not heard any talk of the semi-final at all. The lads know how tough tomorrow is going to be. Then they know how tough the next game is going to be because our league is relentless.
“It’s going to be a tough run. Gateshead will be dealt with in a few weeks. Before that we’ve got 18 points to play for in the league. The lads who want to be playing at Gateshead know there’s a lot of football to be played before then to get in our plans for that game.
“It’s a bit boring, a bit cliché, but we can’t get carried away because we’ve not achieved anything.”
Clegg’s side swept aside Southern Premier Central
Coalville Town 3-0 in last week’s quarter-final.
And he hopes a rare Saturday without the favourites’ tag can help achieve the Wembley dream.
Clegg said: “We were always going to be the underdogs in the semi-final but that might be good for our group because, at our level, we’re kind of favourites for every game at the moment, probably barring Radcliffe.
“The lads are always feeling that pressure we have to go and win – and win well.
“Against Gateshead it’s probably one of the only games of the season we’re not favourites.
“We’re under no illusions how tough that is going to be but we feel we can hurt teams with what we’ve got.”
ISUZU FA TROPHY SEMI-FINALS Saturday, April 6 Gateshead v Macclesfield Bromley v Solihull Moors