Robbie Savage: Diary of a Football Manager: I was happy when title rivals won…

In association with Planet Sport Bet, Robbie Savage is taking us behind the scenes each week at Macclesfield FC.

Robbie has played one of the leading roles in the rebirth of a now-thriving football club, first as director of football, now as first-team manager as the Silkmen seek to climb their way from the ninth tier back to the Football League. 

Macclesfield were denied being confirmed as champions last Saturday – which Robbie Savage now sees as a good thing…

I wrote in last week’s diary that I didn’t care about how we win the NPL title. At the time, I meant it. But I learned on Saturday that, yes, I do have a preference.

The realisation came about 10 minutes from time while my Macc were 4-0 up at Morpeth Town. The lads were superb – it was a really difficult test but, once again, they showcased the kind of relentlessness and drive that has put us within one win of being confirmed as champions.

We took around 500 all the way to the north east, and it was the traveling Silkmen who alerted me to the fact that Hyde United had equalised away at Worksop Town. If Hyde could hold on to that point, it would be over – we would be promoted as champions.

That scoreflash, though, prompted some unexpectedly conflicting feelings. I’ll never be sniffy about winning a title and I would have revelled in it with the away supporters at Morpeth and all the way back down the road from Northumberland to Cheshire. But after Danny Elliott scored our fourth – his 34th of the season, by the way – I had allowed my mind to wander to next Saturday, when we welcome Bamber Bridge to Macclesfield, and perhaps 5,000 of our supporters, friends and family.

So I wasn’t too disappointed to learn that Worksop, to their credit, regained their lead late on and extended it to eventually win 3-1. It certainly didn’t spoil the five-and-a-quarter-hour journey home – fair play to the players, staff and fans at Morpeth, Blyth, Stockton and Hebburn for whom such treks are a fortnightly event – during which the rare quiet moments were spent thinking about next Saturday.

Now we have the chance to win the title on our own terms, in front of perhaps the biggest crowd the club has had since being reborn, surrounded by everyone dear to us. My mum will be there, with my wife and both sons, the timing of the international break giving Charlie a rare Saturday off from his Reading duties. I cannot put into words what a buzz that will be.

Yes, we are planning a party. We’ll have a full house, with bands and DJs around the ground. Come along and join the fun!

But make no mistake: we know Bamber Bridge would love to rain on our parade. They are putting up a good fight to avoid relegation, winning two of their three games this month, scoring nine goals. So they will be motivated for their own ends before we factor in the huge crowd and big occasion. Which they are more than capable of spoiling if we’re not ready to scrap.

But we will be ready. My players and staff have proved their character, hunger and mentality repeatedly this season. If we aren’t champions by 5pm on Saturday, it won’t be because we haven’t prepared right, or that myself and my staff haven’t done our homework on Bamber Bridge.

Robbie Savage’s Diary: Unacceptable abuse | Speculation and regret | Transfer shenanigans | ‘Minted Macc’ myths

Our meticulousness means there are no excuses. I truly believe that is one of the reasons we’ve succeeded this season. On the occasions we’ve been beaten or we haven’t played to our potential, we have taken responsibility as a group and worked hard to fix whatever the reasons might be. Elsewhere, though, I’ve been struck by the excuses and blame-shifting that goes on. It’s always the referees, or the pitch, or whatever else. When we don’t play well, it’s on us and no one else.

Having been in countless dressing rooms over the last 30-plus years, I have to tell you how rare it is to find a group so invested in one another. Of course, we are all motivated for personal reasons, but these players and all the staff have truly embraced the ‘side before self’ mentality.

So for that reason among many others, I’m determined for us to enjoy the spoils on Saturday. To celebrate our success with 5,000 other Silkmen. And, for me, to exorcise some ghosts from last season.

I didn’t sleep for a fortnight after we lost in the play-offs. But all the grief I received from individuals at NPL clubs, all revelling in our misfortune, has been fuel on the fire this season.

I put it all on the line at the very start by stating I’d be gone if I couldn’t get us promoted. Others fail and fall upwards. But with my profile and under the scrutiny I have faced, I knew that would have been me finished as a manager. Instead, we could be the country’s first champions of 2024/25. So, when Saturday comes, you can be sure we’ll give it everything to seal the title in a style befitting the quality and character we’ve shown all season.

Robbie Savage is a brand ambassador for Planet Sport Bet

ICYMI: F365 does derby day in Robbie Savage’s dressing room: Melees, penalties, and pride…