The Silkmen are back in league action at the Leasing.com Stadium this Saturday as we welcome Ilkeston Town.
Last time out, Macclesfield progressed to the Quarter Finals of the FA Trophy with victory over Hampton and Richmond Borough.
Our opponents Ilkeston have been in strong form in the league and make for strong opposition.
We take a closer look at our opponents from Derbyshire.
HISTORY
On 30 June 2017, a company, Ilkeston Town F.C. Ltd was registered at Companies House. On 20 July 2017, it was confirmed that Ilkeston Town was bought by Alan Hardy. The club was formed in July 2017 after the previous football club in the town, Ilkeston F.C., folded months earlier. Taking the name of two earlier clubs to represent the town, Ilkeston Town were admitted into the Midland Football League as a late entry for their inaugural season, and were allocated a place in Division One.
In their first season, Ilkeston finished 2nd in the league on 95 points, 15 behind runaway league champions Walsall Wood, to gain promotion to the Midland Football League Premier Division.
The 2018–19 season would be much more successful for the Robins as they clinched the Midland Football League Premier Division title on 27 March 2019 and to earn their second promotion in two seasons as a club. They won the title in style, beating Loughborough University 8-1 on the final day of the season, pipping Walsall Wood to a spot in Step 4 on goal difference.
On 16 October 2019, Alan Hardy sold the club to then Manager Mark Clifford.
In 2019, Mark Clifford announced a restructure at the club. As part of this restructure, the club appointed Martin Carruthers as Manager, reuniting him with Clifford with whom he had worked at Basford United F.C.
In November 2021, Mark Clifford announced he was to step down from his role as chairman and hand sole control of the club to local businessmen David Hilton and Andrew Nally, whom had helped oversee extensive improvements to the club’s ground, including the installation of a state-of-the-art 3G pitch, with further plans in place to expand and renovate the New Manor Ground facilities.
Ilkeston Town won the Northern Premier League – Division One Midlands title for the 2021-22 season, gaining the team automatic promotion and on 13 May 2022, the FA’s National League System allocated Ilkeston Town F.C. to the Southern Football League for the 2022/23 season.
CURRENT FORM
The Robins currently sit third in the Northern Premier League form guide. Last time out, Ilkeston were inflicted their first defeat since the start of January as Lancaster City took all three points away from the Microlise New Manor Ground. Despite taking an early lead, Lancaster strook three times before a late consolation from Tom Marshall.
Marine visited Derbyshire in back to back home games for The Robins and shared the spoils with a 1-1 draw. Three games before that were all victories for Ilkeston as wins against Stafford Rangers and Basford United saw Ilkeston pick up a good run of results which started their last five with an impressive victory on the road at Worksop Town.
ONE TO WATCH
JAMIE WALKER
Jamie Walker is one to watch for The Robins. The forward has 16 goals in all competitions this season including a hat-trick against Basford United recently.
Walker has had spells with a number of Midlands sides in the past with Basford United and Alfreton Town just to name a few and recently penned a new deal with The Robins at the end of January.
PREVIOUS MEETING
The last time the sides met was back in September where 10 man Macclesfield had to settle for a point. Kane Drummond gave Macc the lead before Laurent Mendy was dismissed 15 minutes from time. Ilkeston equalised almost straight after the red card to secure a point.
