Macclesfield Town

Husbands to join Telford on loan
AFC Telford United are expecting to sign Macclesfield striker Michael Husbands on loan. The Bucks hope to complete the deal in time to make the 24-year-old eligible to play in Tuesday night's Setanta Shield tie with Redditch United. Manager Rob Smith has been desperate for attacking options in recent months after being plagued with injuries. Telford are waiting on the fitness of striker Gary Birch but Husbands' arrival will ease the pressure on him.

Chairman will leave Macclesfield
Macclesfield Town chairman Rob Bickerton has announced that he is to leave the Moss Rose. Bickerton will stand down from the club's board following Macclesfield's game against Morecambe on Saturday. He has been chairman since November 2002 following two previous years as a board member. "I think it's the right time for me to seek new challenges. Five years in a role like this is a long time," Bickerton told Macclesfield's website.

Macc defender loaned to Tamworth
Macclesfield Town defender Andy Teague has joined Blue Square North side Tamworth on a one-month loan deal. The 21-year-old, who came through the Moss Rose academy, broke his leg against Stockport in November 2006. "Andy has great potential but clearly his progress in the game has been hampered by the awful injury he sustained over 12 months ago. "While he is back to fitness what he doesn't have is games under his belt." said Macc boss Ian Brightwell.

Alexander agrees new Silkmen deal
Keith Alexander has agreed a new two-year contract as manager of League Two side Macclesfield Town. The Silkmen have won four and drawn three of their nine games since Alexander took over as boss in February to climb away from relegation trouble. Chairman Mike Rance said: "Results since he arrived have been just what we needed and whilst we are not safe yet, we are very close." Alexander said: "The players have responded well to my management." "Credit to them for getting us to the position we are in today,"added Alexander. "We aren't taking our foot off the pedal yet, but we can also start to plan for next season as well and I expect us to be challenging at the other end of the table."

Brain signs new Macclesfield deal
Macclesfield goalkeeper Jon Brain has signed a two-year deal to stay at the Moss Rose until 2010. Brain, 25, has established himself under manager Keith Alexander, after recovering from a broken leg which kept him out for 12 months. Alexander said: "He showed a lot of character to come back from an injury that could have ended his career. "He is enjoying the game and that showed in his performances in the second half of the season." He continued: "It's great news he has agreed to accept the deal as I know he can get better." Brain, who joined the Silkmen two years ago from Port Vale, will play alongside experienced striker Simon Yeo next season after he joined from Chester last week.

Silkmen tie up Walker and Hessey
Macclesfield have signed defenders Richard Walker and Sean Hessey on permanent deals. Hessey, 29, spent much of last season on loan from Chester and has signed a two-year deal, while 27-year-old Walker has penned a 12-month contract. Walker finished the season on a short-term deal at Moss Rose after being released by Port Vale. Gareth Evans, Matthew Flynn, Christian Millar have also signed one-year deals. Silkmen boss Keith Alexander told the club website: "It is important to be strong at the back in League Two. "Richard did very well for us despite not having played competitive football for a while before arriving at the Moss Rose. Together with Sean, he formed a very solid partnership at the back. "Sean is a very committed and passionate player and the sort of character you need in the dressing room. "Both Christian and Matthew deserve their chance and have a fantastic opportunity to force their way into the side."

Silkmen boss dampens expectations
Macclesfield boss Keith Alexander says that Town fans must become more realistic in their hopes for the club. The Moss Rose side has finished in the bottom eight of League Two for the past three seasons. Alexander told Radio Manchester: "People have to realise this club has struggled for three or four years. "We haven't got a magic wand to wave overnight to make that form better and you have to work within budget and we're not far off budget now." He added: "Obviously, we had a good run towards the end of last season and I can understand people being optimistic - I am always optimistic. "However, we certainly need another goalkeeper as we've only got Jon Brain at the moment, and we need another centre-back. "With Paul Morgan being injured, if we get another knock then we'll be struggling. "You're always looking to strengthen as and when players become available, so it's a question of just wait and see if anything does come up that I can afford."

Silkmen snap up Wrexham defender
Macclesfield Town have signed defender Nat Brown on a one-month loan from Blue Square Premier side Wrexham. Silkmen boss Keith Alexander told the club website: "Nat's a confident lad with a lot of ability and presence. "He's also versatile and can play in the centre of midfield as well. The fact he knows some of the lads in the squad already is a big help." The 27-year-old, who joined Wrexham in the summer from Lincoln, is eligible to play for Macclesfield in the FA Cup.

Macc are under-rated - Alexander
Macclesfield boss Keith Alexander has insisted his team are under-rated. The Silkmen are within two points of being in the top half of League Two after their 2-0 win over second-placed Brentford, their ninth league win. Alexander told Radio Manchester: "We're a bit better than people give us credit for. "We've now just got to keep working away. In the last half a dozen games we have looked very decent defensively and that is a starting point for any team." He added: "If you don't concede goals then you've always got a chance and we certainly did very well against Brentford. "Looking at the Brentford, Wycombe and Rotherham games, we knew we had three tough games coming up and we would all have settled for three draws and three points but now we want to push on."

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