Macclesfield F.C. is a successor to Macclesfield Town.[3] Founded in 1874, Macclesfield Town was liquidated and expelled from the National League in 2020 because of debts of over £500,000.[4] Its assets were put up for sale, including the Moss Rose stadium on the Rightmove property website.[5] In October 2020, the stadium and all available assets were purchased by Robert Smethurst, the owner of Stockport Town, with the aim of returning professional football to Macclesfield by creating the phoenix club as Macclesfield F.C.[6] Smethurst appointed the Welsh former professional footballer Robbie Savage as a member of the board for the new phoenix club with Danny Whitaker as manager.[7] He also invested in upgrading the stadium to improve the commercial viability of the new club.[8]