'We will never forget that lad, his position in the changing room will always be there. Before a game we'll put a programme on his seat. He's our 12th man in every game' Macclesfield owner on tragic passing of Ethan McLeod and inspired FA Cup run

"The team recently defeated holders Crystal Palace in the FA Cup which will go down as one of the competition's biggest shock results, and currently sit sixth in the table, vying for promotion to the National League. The Silkmen and their supporters have been on a rollercoaster journey since former club Macclesfield Town were wound up by the High Court in September 2020, leaving fans with the prospect of no longer having a team to follow."

""I didn't really have that much interest in it at the time, but when I started to really look into it and realise that actually, a community needed a football club. "Then obviously, with my addiction, I just thought, 'Look, maybe this is time for me to put all my energy into something different, get my focus, get my ambition and get my belief back.' And that's what I that's what I decided to do. I went into recovery, and then decided to set my journey, and all my heart and belief that I would build a football club that the whole town could be proud of.""

A memorial to former Macclesfield player Ethan McLeod is pictured. Macclesfield, now in National League North, beat holders Crystal Palace in the FA Cup and sit sixth, pursuing promotion to the National League. Fans endured upheaval after Macclesfield Town were wound up by the High Court in September 2020, risking loss of a local team. Local entrepreneur Rob Smethurst bought the club in October 2020 during a period of heavy drinking and a party lifestyle, sold his business to Autotrader, then entered recovery. Smethurst committed himself to build Macclesfield FC back up the non-league ladder since 2021.

Read at www.fourfourtwo.com