FA Cup third round: Macclesfield’s ‘massive occasion’ against Crystal Palace tinged with sadness

It is the stuff of dreams for the lowest-ranked team left in the FA Cup to take on the holders in the third round. When Macclesfield host Crystal Palace on Saturday it will be one of the biggest days in their recent history, but one also tinged with sadness.

On 16 December, Silkmen forward Ethan McLeod died in a car accident while travelling back from Macclesfield’s National League North match at Bedford Town.

Rather than travel on the team bus back to Cheshire, McLeod was driving himself back to the Midlands after the 2-1 victory in which he was an unused substitute.

The rest of the squad were held up in gridlocked traffic after the crash on the M1, but it wasn’t until the next day they learned their team-mate was involved.

Macclesfield’s first game after McLeod’s death was postponed, but the club have played three league matches since.

Saturday’s FA Cup tie is a huge occasion for a club that reformed in 2020 after Macclesfield Town were wound up in the high court. But manager John Rooney said recent events have put things into perspective.

Rooney took it upon himself to contact every member of the squad when the news was confirmed.

“Nothing can prepare you for that,” Rooney told BBC Sport. “When you have to ring every player individually and tell them, I can’t explain what it felt like.

“I wanted to take that on. I didn’t want people ringing different players. I wanted to be the one to tell that news. I thought that was the right thing to do at the time.

“I don’t think many managers will ever have to speak to the lads and let them know what happened with their friend. It is the hardest thing I have ever done and will ever have to do.”

A flag with a photo of McLeod hangs between the dugouts where Rooney and his Palace counterpart Oliver Glasner will stand on Saturday, alongside the words ‘Forever a Silkman’, while there is a book of condolence to sign in the club bar.