Macclesfield’s game at home to Chorley is set to go ahead this weekend despite a suspected arson attack on the FA Cup giantkillers.
Emergency services were called out in the early hours of Tuesday after a toilet area in the corner of the Leasing.com Stadium was set alight, and fire crews battled to ensure the blaze did not spread to other parts of the ground.
People were told to stay away from the area and local residents advised to keep their windows closed to avoid breathing in the fumes.
The National League North club issued a statement saying: ‘Macclesfield FC are aware of a suspected arson attempt at the Leasing.com Stadium in the late hours of yesterday evening/early hours of this morning.
‘Emergency services have responded immediately and are on site tackling the blaze in the affected areas. Despite understandable concern, we urge everyone to please avoid the area. Anyone nearby to keep windows shut and not to approach the stadium or disrupt the progress of the emergency services.
‘We would like to reassure everyone that the situation is under control. There are no casualties and investigations are already underway in to the cause of the fire.
Macclesfield’s Leasing.com Stadium was set alight in the early hours of Tuesday morning
The club have enjoyed a fairytale season, dumping holders Crystal Palace out of the FA Cup before pushing Brentford all the way
‘We would like to thank everyone for their concern and the timely response of those who alerted emergency services so quickly. Macclesfield FC will be making no further comment at this stage whilst the investigation develops.’
Macclesfield are playing away at Darlington on Tuesday night, and it’s understood that Saturday’s game at home to Chorley will also go ahead despite the minor damage.
The Silkmen shot to nationwide prominence in January when they caused arguably the greatest upset in FA Cup history, beating holders Crystal Palace 2-1 in front of a 5,300 sellout crowd at the Leasing.com Stadium. They were drawn at home to another Premier League club, Brentford, in the fourth round but went out after losing 1-0 to an own-goal.
Including TV revenue from BBC and TNT Sports, the cup run earned the non-league club around £800,000.
Macclesfield were wound up by the High Court in 2020 with debts of £500,000, but relaunched as a phoenix club after local businessman Rob Smethurst bought it off Rightmove and paid £4million of his own money to renovate the stadium. It now features a public gym and a 4G pitch that cost £1m but can be hired out, bringing in about £250,000-a-year.
The Cheshire club has enjoyed three promotions in its first four years and are currently in ninth place in the National League North with games in hand on the teams above them.
