Macclesfield role for Bardsley
Phil Bardsley is back in football having been appointed assistant manager of Macclesfield who play in the Northern Premier League.
Having won successive promotions, they are currently in seventh place in the league’s Premier Division but on Wednesday of last week they dismissed manager Mark Duffy along with his staff Sammy McIlroy, Dean Baker and Jimmy Holmes.
In a club statement owner Robert Smethurst explained: “All four individuals have been a pivotal factor in all that we have achieved to date and without them, none of this would have been possible. Helping us achieve two successive promotions is something which all four individuals can take an infinite amount of pride and is something which we will forever be grateful for.
“Whilst their contribution can never be questioned, the challenges we have faced since being promoted to the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League have meant that changes need to be made. Despite everyone’s best efforts, four defeats in the last five games sadly have forced our hand.”
Yesterday, the four were replaced with two of the four having Burnley connections. Alex Bruce has been appointed manager, the son of Steve Bruce who has himself managed several clubs.
Joining him as assistant is ex-Claret Phil Bardsley. He left Burnley at the end of the 2021/22 season and spent time as a player last season at Stockport before hanging up his boots.
His other two appointments are both, like Bruce, sons of former managers. Paul McGuinness joins as his head coach; his dad Wilf was manager of Manchester United for a short time. Macclesfield’s new head of recruitment is Dan Ternent and his dad needs no introduction to Burnley fans. Stan’s son has previously worked at Hull, Aston Villa and West Brom for Steve Bruce and was fundamental in Hull signing Jarrod Bowen, Andy Robertson and Harry Maguire.
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