In June a young man's thoughts turn to.... the new fixture list for the footy season ahead. And so what has the League's Computer given us as the Silkmen return to Division Two, but it's really still the old 3rd Division as the League are having a renaming exercise.
Because of copyright, we are unable to post up the full listing of the Silkmen games, but highlights of the season are as follows:
This is the eighth season in the Football League for the Silkmen and for the first time there is no home match for the opening day. August 7th sees a long (and usually fruitless) trip down to London for the game with Leyton Orient. The following Tuesday evening it's the return of Shrewsbury Town, no doubt featuring several well remembered ex-Silkmen defenders.
The four bank holiday matches pan out as follows. On August Bank Holiday it's a long trip away to Southend. On Boxing Day it's the first league meeting with Grimsby Town at Blundell Park. New Year's Bank Holiday (on Jan 3rd, 'cos the 1st is a Saturday) is away at Darlington and for Easter Monday, Boston United come to the Moss Rose.
The first Cheshire Derby since April 2000 takes place on the 4th of September as the Silkmen take on Mark Wright's Chester City at the Deva Stadium. The return match is on the 1st of January and no doubt ex-Silkmen manager David Moss will get a welcome return as Mark Wright's assistant.
Tony Adams and his Wycombe Wanderers visit the Moss Rose on the 28th of December.