Moss Rose: (Macclesfield)
League Two club Macclesfield Town have been playing football since 1876, though there have been some ups and downs for them during that time. The club’s history can be traced back even further than that, with the 8th Cheshire Rifle Volunteers having played football in the Cheshire town since around 1874. The Rifle Volunteers and Olympic Cricket Club merged two years later and the result was the formation of Macclesfield Town.
Though Moss Rose wasn’t built until 1891, it’s difficult to pinpoint exact locations where the club played its football in those formative years, but it’s probable that it was mostly on fields in the town and football pitches attached to pubs. The club remained a non-league side until the 1990’s, though it could’ve been promoted to the Football League sooner if Moss Rose had been up to scratch. Instead, they were denied entry in 1994 and had to wait until 1997.
Stats
| Moss Rose Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Opened | 1891 |
| Capacity | 6355 |
| Average Attendance | 1839 |
| Record Attendance | 9008 (Macclesfield Town v Winsford United (1967)) |
| Pitch Size | 100 x 60(6000) |
| Owner | Cheshire East Council |
| Clubs Hosted | Macclesfield Town, Chester City |
| First Fixture | 12/09/1891 |
| Final Fixture | Macclesfield v Salford City (29/02/2020) |
| Macclesfield Town Football Club Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1876 |
| Nickname | The Silkmen |
| Club Mascot | Roary the Lion |
| Rivals | Altrincham, Stockport County |
| Previous Stadiums | Victoria Road |
| Kit | Blue & White (Home) / Red & Black (Away) |
| Training Ground | Sandbach Community Football Centre |
| Shirt Sponsor | Arighi Bianci |
| Team Owner | Ramy Ltd |
| Record Goalscorer | John Askey (109) |
| Record Appearances | John Askey (679) |
Moss Rose Photos
Moss Rose Seating Plan and Where to Sit
The Moss Rose layout involves four different stands on each side of the pitch. Here’s a look at them:
- Silk FM or London Road Stand – Considered to be the main stand of Moss Rose even though it’s not the largest; the London Road Stand has a seated section for five hundred and sixty-three supporters next to a terraced area for more than a thousand
- Macclesfield Audi or Star Lane Terrace – Despite its name, the Star Lane Terrace does actually have some seats in it. There are four hundred and eighty-six of them, in fact, which are located next to a standing area that’s suitable for more than eight hundred fans
- Henshaw’s or McIlroy Stand – Despite having the word ‘Stand’ in its title, this part of the ground is entirely seated and is the largest section of the stadium
- Silk Men or John Askey Terrace – Visting supporters find themselves in the John Askey Terrace, which has room for more than one and a half thousand of them
Macclesfield Town Football Club Ticket Prices
Moss Rose has both standing and seated areas, so the amount you’ll pay for your ticket will be dictated by which section of the ground you want to sit in. Here’s a look at the standing and seated prices for adults and concessions:
- Adults: £15 – £22
- Concessions: £12 – £17
Executive seating is not including in the price list.
How To Get Macclesfield Town Football Club Tickets
Macclesfield Town’s website is the place to start if you want to buy some tickets, though the ground is unlikely to sell out so you’ll likely be able to buy a ticket on the gate. You can also by over the pone or from the Town Hall. There is a small surcharge of 50p to pay with a card.
Where to Buy
Getting To Moss Rose
Macclesfield is in Cheshire, not far from bigger cities like Manchester. Here’s a look at your best options for getting to the Moss Rose:
Train – Macclesfield Train Station is about a mile away from the ground, so it’s reachable on foot if you’re young and fit.
Bus – There’s a bus stop right outside the ground where the number 9 will drop you.
Car – If you’re heading to the stadium by car then the A523 London Road is the main road that you’ll be looking for.
By Air – Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Manchester Airport are the two closest to the venue, with the latter being a tad nearer than the former, though both are handy enough.
Taxi – A taxi from Macclesfield Train Station to the ground will cost about £7 and should take around five minutes to complete its journey.
Parking Near Moss Rose
Your best bet for parking is on the road around the stadium, though you should always makes sure that you’re keeping your eye out for parking restrictions in place.
Useful Resources
- Parking - Just Park
Moss Rose Hotels
With the greatest of respect, Macclesfield isn’t the most happening of places in the Cheshire region, so you might want to consider staying in Manchester, for example. If you’re determined to stay close to the ground, however, then here are some hotels for you to look at:
Hollin Hall Country House Hotel - £60
The Bridge - £100
Mottram Hall - £130
Pubs and Bars Near Moss Rose
Much like with the hotels, the nightlife is better in Manchester. Regardless, Macclesfield boasts a few pubs as you’d expect for a nice Northern town. Here’s a look at the best of them:
Park Tavern
The Society Rooms
The Silk Trader
Facilities
Moss Rose isn’t one of the best stadiums in the Football League, but there’s plenty about it to keep you busy on a match day. As well as places to get a bite to eat, you’ll also be able to water yourself, too. Just to be clear, we are talking about getting a drink, not going for a… you know.
Hospitality
There are numerous areas offering excellent hospitality areas at the Moss Rose Stadium, with the predominant one being the McIlroy Suite. The Match Day Dining package will bring you a team sheet and program, two course meal, tea and coffee at half time and access to a pay bar. You will also get access to the best padded seats in the stadium.
Private Hire
The McIlroy Suite is also the main area of the stadium available for hire, with weddings, birthday parties and business meetings have all been hosted here. If you have more modest requirements, though there are also some smaller spaces available for small meetings and the like.
Stadium Tours & Museum
There are no tours of the Moss Rose stadium available right now. That can change but it’s unlikely to any time soon. Equally there’s no museum at the ground.
About Macclesfield Town Football Club
Macclesfield Town have spent the majority of their existence in the lower reaches of the British footballing system. They joined The Combination in 1890 but withdrew from it at the end of the 1896-1897 season on account of the club undergoing financial difficulties. The club was then re-formed ahead of the 1900-1901 campaign, joining the Manchester League. They won it in 1909 and then again in 1911, fielding teams in both that and the Lancashire Combination Second Division in the 1911-1912 season. They were inaugural members of the Cheshire League after the First World War, becoming champions of it for the first time in 1932. In the 1933-1934 campaign the Huddersfield player Albert Valentine set the club’s record for goals scored in a single season with eighty-three.
The club’s modern era would have begun in 1995, but for the fact that Moss Rose wasn’t good enough to be allowed into the Football League. As a result the club remained in the Football Conference, only gaining promotion when they won the Conference again at the end of the 1996-1997 season. It wasn’t until they gained promotion that Macclesfield Town turned professional, with the momentum of their promotion to what was then Division Three carrying them forward to Division Two the following season. The Silkmen were relegated back to the Conference in 2012. They failed to get back into the Football League until the 2018-2019 season, having won what had then been renamed the National League the season before.
Moss Rose History
Despite having first opened its doors back in 1891, there’a not a huge amount to tell you about the history of Moss Rose. Because of Macclesfield Town’s relative lack of success in terms of making their way through the English football system, the ground didn’t even see Football League games until Chester City played there between 1990 and 1992. That was because they were waiting for the Deva Stadium to open and their former home of Sealand Road was being closed. Ironically, even the first Football League match played there wasn’t won by the team using it as their home, with Exeter City beating Chester 2-1.
Given that Chester City were allowed to use the ground to host their matches in the early 1990s, it was a source of frustration to Macclesfield Town that the venue wasn’t considered to be acceptable for Football League matches after they won the Conference in 1995. That was because rules had been tightened since the days that Chester played there on account of the Lord Justice Taylor report into the Hillsborough disaster. Chester offered to allow them to play their games at the Deva, but that was rejected by the Football League.
Future Developments
In 2007 the club confirmed that it was considering moving to a brand new location in the South Macclesfield area. At the time of writing that still hasn’t come to fruition, but it’s unlikely that any major changes to the Moss Rose will take pace until that has been decided.