Macclesfield welcome Radcliffe to the Leasing.com Stadium this week. We are taking a closer look at a player who has featured for both the Silkmen and the Boro.
There are a few players who have played for both the Cheshire and Greater Manchester outfits, but we are looking towards a recent Silkmen player in the form of forward Tunde Owolabi.
Owolabi was born in Belgium but moved to the UK when he was 18 years of age after being on the books of the Belgian side Royal Cappellen in his youth.
On his arrival in the UK, the forward joined the development setup of FC United of Manchester, where he spent one season with the Club developing his footballing career.
Tunde featured for a number of clubs across the North West before bursting onto the scene at Radcliffe.
The 2018/19 season saw Owolabi grab 22 goals as the Boro finished in second place in the Northern Premier League Division One West behind Atherton Collieries before going on to secure promotion via the play-offs.
Owolabi was on the scoresheet in both the play-off semi-final victory over Ramsbottom United and in the final at the Neuven Stadium as Radcliffe defeated Leek Town to secure promotion to the Northern Premier League Premier Division.
The striker picked up a number of accolades in the postseason, including the league’s Supporter Player of the Year Award.
He would depart Radcliffe that summer as he left for a new challenge overseas, as Owolabi’s career took him to Malta when he signed for Victoria Hotspurs.
That move would turn out to be only for a short-term period, as later that summer he returned to England and the place where it all started for Owolabi in the form of the FC United of Manchester.
Under the stewardship of Neil Reynolds, he scored 35 goals in just 41 appearances in all competitions during the 19-20 season.
Tunde Owolabi celebrates giving FC United of Manchester the lead against Morpeth Town back in 2019.
It was an impressive feat considering the season was curtailed in March as a result of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, with FC United sitting in second behind South Shields before the season ended.
The forward signed for Scottish Premiership side Hamilton Academical but failed to make a lasting impact as the Accies were relegated to the Scottish Championship.
After his departure from the Scottish side, Owolabi went on to have a successful three-year campaign in the League of Ireland.
He initially joined Finn Harps, where he scored 12 goals in all competitions in the 2020-21 season, before then going on to sign for St Patrick’s Athletic, who won the FAI Cup the year before.
It was at the Dublin-based side where he saw success, with his first goal coming in a 2-1 defeat to Sligo Rovers.
A successful season for the Dubliners saw them qualify for European football and would compete in the UEFA Europa Conference League Qualifying Rounds.
Owolabi made his European bow in a draw against Slovenian side NS Mura, as St Pats defeated them via a penalty shootout.
The forward had a brief spell at Cork City before returning to England, where he was snapped up by Alex Bruce, who brought him to the Leasing.com Stadium.
In his first start at the Leasing.com Stadium, Owolabi sprang onto the scene with a brace against National League side Dorking Wanderers in the Isuzu FA Trophy as Macc put five past the Wanderers.
Owolabi wheels away in celebration after scoring the Silkmen’s third against Dorking Wanderers.
After such a high, came a low the following week as he received his marching orders for a high foot in the Sikmen’s defeat to Owolabi’s former Club Radcliffe.
Owolabi scored 12 goals in all competitions for the Silkmen, including a hat-trick over Morpeth Town in March 2024.
Marine halted the Silkmen’s chances of promotion that season with a Play-Off Final defeat, which saw Owolabi leave the Club for football higher up the pyramid.
That Club was Southport, for whom he spent just over three months before making a return to his former Club Radcliffe in the National League North.
The striker pictured playing for Radcliffe against Oxford City in the National League North.
Owolabi scored the only goal of the game for the Boro as they recorded their first ever National League North win away at Brackley Town.
He spent the season with Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson’s side before leaving at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, when he was picked up by Warrington Rylands.
The forward is now plying his trade in Wales for Flint Town in the Cyrmu Premier League having signed for the Silkmen during the 2026/27 off-season.
