1997/98 Promotion Again
For the first time since their inception in 1874, Macclesfield became members of the Football League on their promotion from the Conference to give this season a very special place in their history.
The biggest change of all involved the playing staff moving from part-time to full-time contracts, Steve Wood was the oldest player to make this change at the age of 34.Only John Askey and Cec Edey remained on part-time contracts for the first season. Sammy McIlroy made six summer signings - Steve Hitchen, Richard Landon, Andy Mason, Colin Rose, Stuart Whittaker and Nigerian Efe Sodje who moved from Stevenage Borough for a then record fee of £30,000 which was set by a tribunal.
There was the best possible start in the first match at home to Torquay United when Efe Sodje scored in the seventh minute. Although Torquay equalised only two minutes later Richard Landon scored the winning goal in the second half.
The first away match was against Brighton & Hove Albion played at Gillingham's Priestfield Stadiumwhich was being used for Brighton's home matches. This was rather galling for Macclesfield as their application to play home matches at Chester City on winning the Conference the first time around had been turned down by the football authorities. This match ended in a 1-1 draw with Richard Landon scoring again.A home win against Doncaster Rovers saw the Silkman top the table, but this would not last.
Results continued to be almost perfect at home. Along the way there were some excellent performances including wins against Swansea City (3-0), Cambridge United (3-1) and Hull City (2-0).The most exciting match away from home came in November at Shrewsbury Town which still resulted in a defeat by 4-3, the Silkmen being undone by a Devon White hat-trick. During December Martin McDonald returned from Doncaster Rovers for a fee of £20,000. Having started the season on such a high note, poor away form saw the side slip to 12th position by the end of December.
In Cup competitions, there was elimination in the first round of Coca-Cola Cup by Hull City on an aggregate score of 2-1. The FA Cup saw a magnificent 4-2 victory at Hartlepool but in the second round Walsall ran out easy winners 7-0, bringing to an end the Silkmen's run of 29 consecutive home matches in all competitions without defeat. Having been awarded a bye in the first round of the Auto Windscreens Shield, the Silkmen were beaten 1-0 by Preston North End in the second round. However, the Cheshire Senior Cup was won for the 19th time by a single Stuart Whittaker goal against Runcorn.There was victory in the JC Thomson Shield, competed for each season by the Conference Champions and the winners of the FA Trophy, when the Silkmen beat Woking 3-1 thereby winning the Trophy for a third time to equal the record previously set by Wycombe Wanderers.
Fortunes changed for the better in the New Year with a good run of results in January, including the first away league win at Doncaster Rovers, which saw the Silkmen climb to fifth position for which Sammy McIlroy received the Nationwide Division Three manager of the month award.
Success continued in February including wins against Scarborough, Leyton Orient, Peterborough and Notts County to claim third position and whilst results in March only included a single victory, third position was retained. In order to keep the momentum going, midfielder Ben Sedgemore was signed from Mansfield Town for a fee of £20,000 and Kieran Durkan moved from Stockport County for a fee of £15,000.
In the first match in April, a late Steve Wood goal gave Macclesfield victory over Lincoln City at the Moss Rose but not before a mass brawl which resulted in the Lincoln 'keeper and newly signed Silkman Ben Sedgemore being dismissed. An automatic promotion place was achieved in the penultimate match of the season in an exciting 3-2 victory against Chester City at the Moss Rose.The Silkmen finished the season with a total of 82 points in runners-up spot, celebrating with a 3-1 victory at Exeter City when Peter Davenport scored his 100th league goal.
Macclesfield were the only club in the English professional game to remain unbeaten at home throughout the season with a record of Played 23 Won 19 Drawn 4 Lost 0, an achievement which even Premiership clubs were unable to equal.
