Why Sol Campbell left Macclesfield | OneFootball

Sol Campbell left Macclesfield Town after eight-and-a-half months as manager because he was not paid for almost half that time according to reports.

Losing just two games in their final 10, Campbell pulled his side to safety despite taking over when they were seven points adrift at the bottom of League Two. Financial struggles, however, have engulfed the club and Campbell was not paid for four months.

In Campbell’s last game in charge of the club he guided them to a win over Blackpool in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night but while things on the footballing side seem to be going relatively well, behind the scenes it’s a mess.

Six players are currently seeking a winding-up order against the club over unpaid wages with HMRC taking over the petition. The legal issue was adjourned by the High Court until September 11.

In all, Campbell lost just eight of his 25 matches in charge, but the final straw came when the club received a payment of £250,000 that was not used to pay outstanding wages.

Campbell’s assistant, Hermann Hreidarsson, reportedly walked out just hours after the Blackpool game and it was only a matter of time before Campbell followed him.

Back in May, Campbell spoke of his pride at guiding his side to safety.

“It’s definitely up there with the things I’ve achieved in football,” Campbell said. “This is my first management job, and we were so many points adrift when I took it, and we’ve moved the guys on. We had a mountain to climb. There have been frustrating scenarios off the field but the lads have dug in. I’m proud of them.

“I just want to start again next season, and have a budget. There was no budget when I got here. I had to beg, borrow and steal. And I’ve learned a lot.”