Football Season Guide

League 2

England

League 2

2019/2020

Macclesfield Town

In

Owen Evans (Goalkeeper, Wigan Athletic, Season-long loan), Eddie Clarke (Defender, Fleetwood Town, Season-long loan), Fiacre Kelleher (Defender, Oxford United), Fraser Horsfall (Defender, Kidderminster Harriers), Theo Vassell (Defender, Port Vale), Emmanuel Osadebe (Midfielder, Cambridge United), Jak McCourt (Midfielder, Swindon Town), Jacob Blyth (Attacker, Barrow AFC), Joe Ironside (Attacker, Kidderminster Harriers)

Out

Kieran O’Hara (r) Goalkeeper, Manchester United, Loan ended), Rhys Taylor (Goalkeeper, released), Callum Evans (sp) Defender, Port Vale), Jamie Grimes (sp) Defender, Ebbsfleet United), Jared Hodgkiss (r) Defender, released), Keith Lowe (sp) Defender, released), Stelios Demetriou (Defender, released), Zak Jules (sp) Defender, Walsall), Callum Maycock (sp) Midfielder, Coventry City, Loan ended), Danny Whitaker (sp) Midfielder, retired), Enoch Andoh (Midfielder, released), Koby Arthur (sp) Midfielder, released), Liandro Martis (Midfielder, released), Reece Cole (r) (Midfielder, Brentford, Loan ended), Ryan Lloyd (sp) Midfielder, Port Vale), Botti Biabi (Attacker, Swansea City, Loan ended), Harry Smith (k) (Attacker, Northampton Town, undisclosed fee), Scott Wilson (r) Attacker, Oldham Athletic), Shamir Mullings (Attacker, released), Tyrone Marsh (sp) Attacker, Boreham Wood)

Macclesfield Town completed a remarkable escape from relegation on the final day of last season. Most of the credit for their survival should go to manager Sol Campbell, who arrived in November with the side in a desperate position on the pitch and in a state of chaos off it. Campbell has shown remarkable loyalty in remaining at the Moss Rose this summer despite continued disarray under majority shareholder Amar Alkadhi. Half-a-dozen fringe players have sued the club for unpaid wages whilst a number of crucial players who guided the club to safety have left for pastures new. They include loanees Kieran O’Hara and Reece Cole and strikers Harry Smith and Scott Wilson, who scored 20 goals between them. Stalwart Danny Whitaker has announced his retirement whilst creative midfielder Elliott Durrell has yet to sign a new deal. The precarious financial situation is illustrated in the one-year deals agreed with new signings. Midfielders Emmanuel Osadebe and Jak McCourt weren’t regulars with their previous clubs whilst strikers Jacob Blyth and Joe Ironside were both playing in non-league football last season. Campbell will be relieved to have re-signed defender Fiacre Kelleher on a permanent deal whilst retaining the services of full-back James Pearson, centre back Nathan Cameron and experienced midfielder Michael Rose.

Target

Survival. Campbell will be hoping to repeat last season’s achievement, but will be fighting against the odds once again.