On this day in 1933, Albert Valentine made his debut for the Silkmen at home to Buxton, and the rest is history!
Valentine signed for Macc the week prior from Crewe Alexandra as a player held in high regard following free scoring spells at Southport, Cardiff, Wigan and Chester.
Albert’s arrival was a welcomed addition to the Macclesfield Town side playing in the Cheshire County League that season, in which the striker excelled and exceeded all expectation with his record-breaking goal contributions, which saw Macc soar once more to a second place finish, only behind Champions Wigan Athletic.
The clinical forward scored 83 goals in all competitions in his single season with the Silkmen, which remains a Club record to this date of the most goals scored by any Macc player in a competitive season. 71 one of those goals came in 42 league appearances, with a further 12 goals coming in 13 cup appearances.
He is also one of only two Macc players to ever score a hat-trick in three successive games, and also scored a double hat-trick against local rivals Altrincham in February 1934.
Having won the division for the two consecutive leagues prior, even with Valentine’s incredible eye for goal, the Latics were too strong to deny the Silkmen a third successive regional league title.
Albert signed off from his time with Macc with five goals against Tranmere in April 1934 before departing for Halifax Town in July of that year for a fee of £500.
Keeping up his form in front of goal, Valentine immediately set a new Club goalscoring record for the Shaymen in the next season with 34 goals in 37 league appearances. Albert remained at Halifax for a further two seasons, before finishing up with 89 league goals in 114 appearances before moving on to Stockport County, Accrington Stanley and Oldham Athletic where he finished his career in 1941, aged 35.
We sadly lost Albert in the March of 1990, though will always be remembered as a Silkmen legend.
