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A former Premier League star achieved promotion during their first season as a manager.
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He moved up to England’s sixth division after clinching the title with a 20-point lead.
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A former
Premier League
A veteran who also works as a TNT Sports TV pundit has achieved promotion to the sixth tier of English football during his debut season as a coach.
A 2-1 victory over Bamber Bridge on Saturday afternoon secured the Northern Premier League team’s place in the National League North for the season of 2025-26.
The former Manchester United midfield player has had an outstanding season with Macclesfield, which currently leads the league standings by 20 points from the nearest competitor with just six matches remaining.
Robbie Savage initially took up the position of Director of Football at Macclesfield in 2020 before moving into the head coach role in June 2024.
After being presented with a high-ranking position at another club, he decided to take up the managerial role at Macclesfield. Following the departure of Michael Clegg, who left after the team lost the playoff final in the 2023-24 season, Savage stepped into the leadership vacuum.
When he joined Macclesfield, he brought ex-Premier League star Emile Heskey onboard as his assistant. They had previously played together at Leicester.
Birmingham City
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Over his 17-year career, Savage played in 346 matches in the Premier League for four distinct teams. Additionally, he represented the Welsh national side 39 times at the senior level.
For some time, he had the unenviable record of receiving the highest number of yellow cards among all players in Premier League history (89), though this achievement was later surpassed by several others.
Savage, who failed to secure a league championship during his playing days, disclosed that winning the Northern Premier League with Macclesfield has become his most cherished achievement in soccer.
He stated: “I’ve had the privilege of leading four squads in the Premier League, participating in almost 350 matches at the highest level, playing in Wembley finals, and earning 39 caps for my nation.”
But having Macclesfield crowned as champions of the Northern Premier League was the highlight I’m most proud of.
The former Leicester midfielder proceeded to enjoy showing his critics he was right, emphasizing that negative comments only intensified his determination.
Savage added: “To all the critics, skeptics, and online trolls, they’ve only intensified my determination and that of my team members.”
I’ve responded to each individual who has spoken negatively about us. Throughout my life, I’ve shown naysayers they were incorrect. Being let go by Manchester United at a young age turned me into a fighter.
At the start of the season, Savage acknowledged that his first stint as manager was do-or-die, and stated that he would be sacked if he failed to guide Macclesfield to promotion.
However, with ample time before summertime arrives, the ex-Premier League tough guy can relax knowing there’s nothing at stake until the new season kicks off.
If I don’t make it, I understand that my opportunity will end,” he said to The Mirror. “I can’t return to my role as a football director, watching from the stands and critiquing others if I haven’t succeeded. I realize that everything is at stake.
Some of the comments made when I started this job were far from pleasant. It was a terrible summer.
‘This squad will make it to the playoffs, and I am confident we’ll be promoted. However, if we fail to gain promotion, I’ll step down from my position in the dugout, remain involved as a partial owner, and observe from a distance.’
There will be individuals hoping to see me fail miserably, but should that happen, it wouldn’t be because I didn’t try hard enough.
Macclesfield will next take to the pitch on March 29 against Blyth Spartans, followed by their return home on April 5 for a match with Workington.
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