Young footballers aiming for a place at Macclesfield FC’s Junior Academy can step onto the pitch at the Leasing.com Stadium during talent identification events this month. The club has invited children aged 7 to 12 to attend one of three sessions, offering a direct route into its growing academy setup.
The first trial takes place this Sunday, 21 June at 2pm for Under-12 and Under-13 age groups. A second set of sessions for all other eligible age groups follows on Friday 26 June at 5pm. Parents were required to register their children via an online form, with the club setting a sign-up deadline of Friday 18 June.
The Junior Academy has expanded rapidly over the past year, with player numbers quadrupling across every age group and sex from under-7s to under-16s. The programme, which runs on the stadium’s weatherproof 4G pitch, costs £79.99 per month plus a £220 joining fee at the start of each season. A development programme, with one Friday evening session, is also available at £36 per month with no joining fee. Youngsters in the academy have faced professional opponents including Manchester City, Leicester City, Stoke City, and Crewe Alexandra.
Macclesfield FC traces its roots to 1874, though the original club was wound up in 2020 before being reformed under the stewardship of businessman Robert Smethurst and former Premier League footballer Robbie Savage. The reborn side won the North West Counties Football League Premier Division by 15 points in April 2022 and now competes in the National League North. The academy feeds directly into this senior setup, with pathways from under-7s right through to the first team for both boys and girls.
The Leasing.com Stadium sits on London Road, postcode SK11 7SP, and serves as the hub for all academy training and fixtures. The club recently appointed former England international Keith Curle as chief executive.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
