Fifty years of service at The Moss

Macclesfield Town Football Club pays the following tribute to Alan Cash, who will have completed fifty years of service with the Silkmen this month:

For the last half a century, Alan Cash has given the Club a wealth of support and expertise across a number of roles – including that of Chairman.

As he celebrates his illustrious milestone this month, we take a look back at Alan’s association with The Silkmen – which all began back in August 1970.

With the Club buoyed by our historic FA Trophy victory at the end of the previous season, Alan first volunteered his services as a programme seller here at the Moss Rose.

Twelve months later, Alan’s involvement with the matchday magazine was furthered when together with close friend Len Lee, he offered to help produce it ahead of the 1971-72 campaign.

By this point, the infectious nature of the Club began to have a tangible effect on Alan as he became Football Secretary as part of ongoing changes at the Moss Rose.

Ronald Sutton was made Chairman shortly after and this coincided with Alan’s ascension to the role of Company Secretary.

In 1975 Alan became a Club Director and a short time later, he assumed the role of Finance Director – a position he held until December 1996. At which point, Alan was elected Chairman following the tragic death of Arthur Jones. 

Alan not only played a vital role in safeguarding the Club at that time, but his defiance in the face of adversity helped Arthur’s dream of Macclesfield Town becoming a member of the Football League evocatively turn into reality.

Under the leadership of Sammy McIlroy and Gil Prescott, The Silkmen were promoted as GM Vauxhall Conference champions at Kettering Town’s Rockingham Road Stadium on 3rd May 1997 – a date which will remain etched into the hearts and minds of everyone involved forevermore.

Despite the fact that the 1997/98 season opened with the Club receiving a High Court Writ totalling £500,000 from the Receiver of Arthur Jones’ business associates, it proved to be a campaign never to be forgotten as McIlroy’s men secured back-to-back promotions courtesy of a second-placed finish.

Under Alan’s Chairmanship, Macclesfield Town became equals with the likes of Manchester City, Stoke City, Fulham and Preston North End – in what was undoubtedly one of the greatest footballing fairytales ever told.

Despite visibly giving our all, The Silkmen were to be relegated for the first time in our history in May 1999 and twelve months later, Alan stepped down as Chairman-  but remained on the Board in a Vice Chairman capacity.

Alan remained in this position until his retirement from the Board in 2005, at which point the Club rightfully acknowledged his incredible service by bestowing him with Life Presidency.

In addition to hosting the Board Room on matchdays, Alan also became heavily involved within the development of the Club’s Football in the Community scheme.  

Together with Mike Rance, Alan became a founding Director of the Community Sports Trust – a position which he still enjoys today.

In addition to a two-year return to the Club Board back in 2013, Alan remains as dedicated and as passionate as ever to promote youth football within Macclesfield. Working closely with Paul McGuire, Alan continues to play a critical role in advancing the Academy programme and is enthused by the level of talent which it currently nurtures.

Everyone at Macclesfield Town would like to thank Alan for his phenomenal contribution to our Football Club over the past five decades. Not only has he helped write our history, but he continues to shape our future with the same contagious enthusiasm that he held whilst selling programmes fifty years ago.

Alan, from all of us – thank you.