Football team offer fan chance to pay £20,000 to play for the club

Cash-strapped Macclesfield Town are offering one supporter the chance to pay £20,000 to play for the team.

Earlier this month Cheshire East Council stepped in to buy the freehold to Macclesfield's Moss Rose stadium, preventing the club from going into administration.

But the club have announced they still need to raise £100,000 in the next two months to stay operating as a full-time professional team.

Revealing the novel way of bringing in money, associate director AndyScott told the Macclesfield Express: “It’s common knowledge that the club is in a precarious position and the club are looking at all avenues to keep the club running.

“(Manager) John Askey and the management have bought into the situation and it’s a wonderful opportunity for someone to become a professional footballer for a week.

“As far as we know it has never been done before so it is a unique moment in English football.”

Scott insists the deal, which would see the person play at least 10 minutes in a Conference Premier or cup game this season, would not impact on the team's performances.

“If we are 3-0 up with 10 minutes to go that would be a good opportunity for John to utilise the situation," he added. “There’s absolutely no way we would do it unless it was the right moment in the right game.”

Askey agreed: “What we don’t want is for it to become farcical, but I don’t think it will hinder or restrict the team, far from it.

“We wouldn’t be doing it if there was any danger of that. For me, pulling the Macc shirt on for the first time was an extremely proud day and massive achievement.”

The selected person, who must be a fit male between the ages of 18 and 35, would be given a squad number and full kit, as well as the chance to train with the squad for a week.

Macclesfield were relegated from League Two in 2012, ending their 15-year stay in the Football League, and finished 11th in the Conference last season.