Macclesfield Situation

#1

Sad to see another club in such a mess but there have been worsening developments at Macc today that could impact us depending how it goes. Their players are refusing to play tomorrow (v Mansfield) if they arn’t paid by 6pm tonight. A postponement would lead to a points deduction, as was the case with Bolton (-12 for failing to play two games), they’re currently 5 points ahead of us.

EDIT, just read elswhere that their fans are also organising a boycott of the game so looks like they’ve had it unless a takeover can be sorted.

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#2

That’s a shame.

Whilst it could guarantee our league status for another year, it’s not the best way to do it.

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#3

I don’t want to see any club go out of business. I hope that somehow they can survive. As for us we need to start climbing the table and get out of the mess we have got ourselves into.I would not want to survive in the league simply because of others failing to fulfil fixtures.

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#4

Bury, Bolton, Macclesfield…plenty more of this as the top two divisions drive off into the sunset with their TV and sponsorship money.

Couldn’t have picked a worse time to be heading on a downwards trajectory as a football club.

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#5

The thing that worries me,is that Macclesfield have got more points than us,and yet they have absolutely no reason to play for the club.

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#6

Yep it’s really poor particularly as one of their best players in their great escape was Zak Jules!

#7

I’m not sure where I stand exactly on these struggling clubs to be honest. Any business gets penalised for being ran shoddily, football clubs should be no different.

I feel for the every man working for the club, but as someone whose had to see us be absolutely ■■■■■ for years while turning a profit and getting crushed by over cautious (to put it kindly) owners I struggle to feel sorry for the club it’s self.

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#8

The financial “game” off the pitch is a part of the success of a football club in 2019 as the Match itself on a Saturday afternoon , if a club can’t survive financially within the rules it no more deserves to survive than one that gets 40 points from 46 games.

The sad thing is the number of clubs cheating on steroids , going unpunished

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#9

They have paid all bar 3 of their players in full so their game against Mansfield is going ahead. I can see this coming up again though at some point,

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#10

If a club lives beyond its means it is only right that there are consequences. However, the Macc’s Aren’t exactly setting the world alight but just struggling to survive on low gates. Meanwhile, those higher up the scale are cheating. The EFL has put reasonable fair play rules in place, yet these bigger clubs get round them by “selling the ground” or “training ground sponsorship” recent examples are Pride Park, Villa Park and now Hillsboro all bought by subsidiary company’s for over £50M too balance the books. Whilst premiership clubs are devising obscure sponsorship deals with subsidiary companies of the foreign owners.

It’s no wonder the likes of Macc can’t survive let alone compete and we should all be worried about the long term feasibility of the 92 club structure.

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#11

Have to say I have no sympathy for any club that can’t pay its way or lives beyond its means, as we know only too well we have been a club that penny pinched at every opportunity, who have never chased dreams or had the courage to look beyond our perceived rung on the ladder, right or wrong? Whilst we have suffered through lack of vision and leadership from the top for many years one man has benefited enourmously, and still does, if only we could turn the clock back!!!

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#12

Neither were Bury. It’s not a question of performance or setting the world alight, it’s a question of living within your means.

Most of the football clubs within the league structure manage to do it. We ourselves have felt the short hand of living within your means but that’s just the way it is.

I don’t see it as a danger to the 92. Investment in national league sides is higher than its ever been and they will replace whatever clubs drop out. It’s happened throughout history.

As for the bigger boys “cheating”. Well, rich owners have always been an advantage to football clubs, that’s nothing new. Like it or not, Boro and now Villa aren’t going under any time soon. Those rules are there to prevent the Macclesfields of this world doing something that could leave normal people without a job and fans without a club.

#13

If the worst happened to Macclesfield do you think they would have no relegations this season? I couldn’t see it myself, wouldn’t it lose the little interest the league has as half of the ‘excitement’ is gone? Surely they’d come to some agreement so that there’s still a relegation but an extra side comes up from the conference.

#14

I don’t know the answer to that question for sure, but historical precedent shows that when issues occur its the relegation places that are reduced/removed all together. Remember that the remaining EFL clubs have to vote on these matters, so the chances are they will protect their own interests. For example the Bury situation has resulted in only 3 relegation places in L1 and 1 relegation place in L2, you would imagine everyone in those leagues will be happy with that!

#15

Just going back to what may or may not happen and how it might impact on us. Macc are still is disarray and are still subject to disciplinary action from the EFL, if that takes the form of financial sanction then that would push them closer to oblivion, so I would imagine it will more than likely be a points deduction. Talking purely hypothetically here (and I really hope Macc get taken over and bounce back as I love going there), but…If this situation unfolded unfavourably, and we continued to be down the bottom end come January, with little or no chance of reaching the play-offs but let’s say zero chance of going down, what do we do in January? Personally I wouldn’t do a fat lot, maybe sign a right winger on loan. I’d use the rest of the season to give our own players, the CCM, Bates, McDonald, Hardy, and even Candlin’s of this world half a season to see what they’re capable of, and save the budget for next summer.

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#16

I can see maybe a points deduction or something but there’s no way they wind the club up and we end up with a “Bury”. Not this season anyway, these things take ages to resolve, Bury and Bolton we’re struggling for years before the football league bit the bullet.

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#17

i agree Geordie.

McDonald’s contract is up soon though. So a big priority has to be to get him signed up as he has been one of the few bright sparks.

Given that he has struggled to get into this awful team he might be reluctant to dive at whatever we offer to be honest.

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#18

I think they are some really good points, and a sound strategy. I’ve been pondering similar, like what’s the point of throwing more money at it when the season is over already, or the chances of any success are so, so small. It wouldn’t be popular though, and I wonder with an eye to Early Bird renewals the powers that be wouldn’t have the bottle for it. Instead looking for yet more quick fixes, and given our recruitment success recently possibly saddling us with additional duds on two-year deals.

#19

Its going to be an interesting week with the Macc situation. Sealy’s takeover has stalled, their players are due to be paid on Friday, and their game against Bradford that was due to be played on Tuesday has been put back to Saturday, ie. after payday.

#20

Credit to the players though, they’ve got out in last two weeks and dug out 0-0s v Mansfield and Salford, two opponents who recently beat Walsall.

I get the stench of Bonser is still looming but the players are still getting paid every week so how is it Macc are still above in the league?

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