The fairytale money can’t buy! Champions Macclesfield have defied the odds to become legends

By Matt Badcock
After the celebrating Macclesfield fans had made their way out of Eastleigh‘s ground, most likely the bar, the Silkmen players re-emerged from the changing room.
Some made phones calls to share their title news with families, groups posed for pictures and selfies, a few sat on the grass just to take it all in.
A fairytale had its happy ever after ending. After six years away, the club is back in the Football League and legendary boss John Askey has got them there.
There have been times when the club has been close to closure, existing hand-to-mouth. Now they were toasting one of the National League‘s finest achievements.
“It’s so good to put smiles on people’s faces,” Askey said. “The likes of Andy Scott who was here five years ago and without people such as Andy, we wouldn’t have a club.
“It means so much to everyone. That’s what sport and football does. It brings everyone together. If you don’t show emotion on days like today, you may as well be dead.”
A blunt assessment but Askey has probably never felt so alive as when that final whistle blew to confirm the 2-0 win and the points they needed to be crowned. He’s Sir John to Macclesfield fans and the love flows from the players too.
Experienced midfielder Danny Whitaker played with Askey at Macc and he says the boss deserves every plaudit he’s getting.
“It’s an incredible achievement for him,” Whitaker said. “To stabilise the club and keep it in the league to start off with. Then to challenge for promotion is unreal. All credit to him for putting a team together season after season to compete, then push for play-offs. Then this year we’ve done it.
“It means the world to me to do it with my local club where I started my career. It was a sad day when they dropped out of the Football League. I came back and told the gaffer we would do it eventually. I was just praying I would be part of that.”
Rest assured Macc fans, Whitaker may be 37 but he’s still planning to go on for a “few years, easily” yet. Days like Saturday probably make him feel young.
“We had a fantastic Christmas,” Whitaker said. “If you get through that period and you’re still there or thereabouts you’ve got a fantastic opportunity. Then we had a double-header of two away games – Aldershot and Tranmere – which were massive turning points.
“We went to Aldershot and beat them, then we put in a fantastic performance at Tranmere on Tuesday night, beat them 4-1, and that sent out a message to the league we weren’t to be taken lightly.
“Sutton stuck at it, fair play to them, then Tranmere have come from nowhere really with their games in hand. We’ve seen them off now – unbelievable.”
Like Whitaker, left-back David Fitzpatrick has been outstanding this season. The former England C international has done it the hard way, playing for New Mills and Southport before joining Macc and eventually realising his League dream.
“It’s been a journey the last five years, it’s always been the intention to get out of it and play League football,” he said. “I’m finally there.
“There’s a few of us who haven’t played in the League. On a personal level it means a lot. I work full-time every day, I go to training every day and I put the hours in. To do it is a very special feeling. I’ve got some close mates in this team. We’ve talked about it all season. It’s just amazing.”
Askey sent cold beers up to the press box but it was a comment about sharing a pint with his players that said it all.
“They are good footballers,” he said. “Not only are they good footballers, they are good people. If you get enough good people in a team who can play then things like this happen. I’m so pleased for them because every single one of them get on. There’s not one I wouldn’t go out and have a drink with. I’m just glad we’ve got some reward for their hard work.
“They will always be remembered. You can have all the money you want, you can go and play for teams for money. But it’s about winning things. No matter what happens in their life, the people of Macclesfield will always remember this team, this squad. Money can’t buy that.”