Macclesfield handed seven-point deduction

Football

Town had admitted two misconduct charges relating to an unfulfilled fixture against Plymouth and non-payment of players.

Macclesfield have been hit with an immediate seven-point deduction which leaves them just three points above Stevenage in Sky Bet League Two.

Town had admitted two misconduct charges relating to an unfulfilled fixture against Plymouth on December 21 and non-payment of players in February.

The Silkmen’s home game against Plymouth was postponed after they failed to get a safety certificate for their Moss Rose stadium.

The club announced an Independent Disciplinary Hearing had applied an immediate four-point deduction with a further two points suspended, and three suspended points relating to a previous charge have also been triggered.

The decision leaves them three points above Stevenage and seven behind third-bottom Morecambe, although the situation regarding the fate of the English Football league season plus relegation and promotion with the National League remains uncertain.

Macclesfield were deducted four points earlier in the campaign for similar misconduct charges, having achieved partial success in appealing against a six-point punishment.

Those charges included one for non-payment of players, who had gone public on recurring wage problems in early October. The Cheshire club also failed to fulfil a fixture against Crewe on December 7 after players refused to play in protest at missing wages.

The Silkmen have also faced several winding-up orders during the campaign with former manager Sol Campbell pushing for debts to be paid.

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