Relegation for Silkmen confirmed

The English Football League has turned down Macclesfield’s request to allow them to retain their League Two status.

The Silkmen were demoted to 24th spot in last season’s table earlier this month after the EFL won its appeal against a points deduction. Macclesfield subsequently asked for a reprieve, in line with EFL regulations approved by clubs in June. They argued that there “appeared to be no guarantee” when the next National League season would commence.

The regulation states that if no date is in place for the start of the 2020-21 National League season, then the club finishing bottom of League Two could be reprieved by the EFL board.

However, the EFL said in a statement on Monday: “The National League informed its clubs on 27 July 2020 of its intention to commence season 2020-21 on 3 October 2020 and has provided the EFL with further information alongside confirming the details relating to how it intends to do so in compliance with all relevant government guidance.

“The board is satisfied that competitive fixtures in the National League will commence within a reasonable period of time and that it should not utilise its power to reprieve.

“As a result, Macclesfield Town, the 24th-placed team in League Two are relegated from the EFL.”

After clubs had voted to end the League Two season early, Macclesfield appeared to have escaped relegation in June when they were docked two points, with four suspended, for breaches of regulations relating to payment of wages.

That decision left them above Stevenage in the table, but the outcome of the appeal meant the Silkmen dropped to the foot of the table, having been deducted a total of 17 points over the course of the 2019-20 season, across three disciplinary cases.