Brentford beat Macclesfield to end their magical FA Cup run that saw them knock out the holders Crystal Palace in the biggest upset in the competition’s history
The Macclesfield heroes stood together, soaking up the adulation from the Moss Rose supporters after being edged out by Premier League side Brentford.
Despondent and dejected, but undoubtedly immensely proud of the gargantuan effort that they put in over the course of the 90 minutes against a Brentford side, who came from behind to draw with Arsenal six days earlier, while some would argue it was a game that they could have won.
The stadium announcer expressed how everyone associated with the Silkmen felt. He said: “You did us so proud,” while factions of the supporters showed their affection to one of the key men behind the run, John Rooney. The chants soon shifted to Robert Smethurst, the businessman who brought the club back from the ashes.
The millionaire resonated with many for the emotional scenes during the FA Cup third-round win over Crystal Palace and for the incredible story of a drinking session that led to the purchase of Macclesfield, some months after the club was wound up by the High Court.
Commemorative half-and-half scarves, tin-foil FA Cup trophies and even tributes to Palace-slayer Paul Dawson after he displayed a Terry Butcher-esque bloodied head bandage in the previous round.
After the relentless media train and 90 minutes of nail-biting and pulse-raising moments, an exasperated Smethurst emerged into the boardroom.
“Jesus, hello,” he said. “I’m absolutely b*********.”
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To the surprise of no one, the Macclesfield players were too. Not just for the 96 minutes against the Bees, or the 100-plus against Crystal Palace, but this FA Cup journey began in August, when three second-half goals from Sean Etaluku, Ethan McLeod and D’Mani Mellor saw off the challenge of Atherton Laburnum Rovers, who ply their trade in the North West Counties Premier Division and the 10th tier of English football.
Marine and Tamworth are the recent success stories, teams that have broken the status quo and progressed into the proper rounds of the competition, both staging glamour ties against Tottenham Hotspur.
Macclesfield went one better, and if they’d taken advantage of first-half pressure, it could have been two.
Never in manager John Rooney’s wildest dreams did he think this would happen. It’s easy to forget that he only took the reins days before pre-season when Robbie Savage joined Forest Green Rovers, accelerating from new-campaign preparations to retirement overnight.
He said: “Something we spoke about early on the season was to try, make the playoffs and have a good FA Cup run.
“Did we think we’d get to the fourth round? I didn’t, I certainly didn’t.
“But for what the lads, myself and the coaching staff have achieved, the people behind the scenes in the office, everyone comes together, it’s a real community club, so for us to go on this journey and do it all together has been something I’m so proud of.”
The memories, infinite. The money, reportedly £400,000 for Monday night alone, is period-defining. But with the cash influx for the Silkmen and its endless benefits, there is an underlying issue in non-league football that is putting future incredible stories, like Macclesfield’s, into serious jeopardy.
For non-leaguers, managers and board members up and down the country, their pre-season objective is either “Survival and a good FA Cup run,” or “playoffs and a good FA Cup run.”
The common goal? The financial reward that only the FA Cup brings. Clubs are being forced to withdraw from leagues midway through the season, while gestures of goodwill from supporters and local communities are needed to keep the lights on, and even GoFundMe campaigns are being established to help clubs survive until the end of the season.
Silverware and cash windfalls are commodities; sustainability is the prize that non-league clubs desperately crave.
The FA Cup brings its own magic. While some of the joy has been sucked out of it, it is non-league clubs and part-time outfits that add the sparkle to the competition everyone loves and craves.