Robbie Savage, a former striker for Liverpool, has been named head coach of Macclesfield. Emile Heskey has also joined the team in an undefined capacity.
Savage, a shareholder in the team and a former midfielder for Leicester, Birmingham, and Blackburn, succeeds Michael Clegg, who left on Monday.
Savage, 49, had been a director of football for the team since 2020, when Macclesfield Town’s demise forced a reorganization.
“As a result of achieving two promotions as well as reaching a play-off final and FA Trophy semi-final within the club’s first three years, it came as no surprise when Robbie was offered a senior role elsewhere recently,” a statement from the club stated.
“Robbie then suffered greatly over this because it would have meant giving up both his shareholding and his position at Macclesfield FC.
“This was something which the board was not prepared to let happen and it was unanimously decided that Robbie should be given the chance to prove himself here at Macclesfield FC as he launches his coaching career with us.”
Peter Band has joined former Wales footballer Savage as his assistant. Savage is the club’s ninth manager since 2020.
His appointment comes after the Silkmen lost to Marine in a play-off game last season, just missing out on promotion from the seventh-tier Northern Premier League Premier Division.
Heskey, 46, ended his playing career in 2016 having played more than 800 games and won 62 England caps.
Since his retirement, he has worked with former club Leicester City as a coach of their women’s team, taking over as head coach on an interim basis in 2021.
In 2023, he took on a coaching role with England’s youth set-up before last year’s Under-17 World Cup.
Macclesfield FC launched following the demise of Macclesfield Town, who were expelled from the National League in 2020 having been wound up by the High Court.
The newly formed club entered the league pyramid in the North West Counties League, achieving two promotions and reaching the FA Trophy semi-final in their first three and a half years of existence.
