When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, Neil Danns' playing career seemed over.
The Tranmere Rovers midfielder, like many EFL players on a one-year deal, saw his footballing future plunge into doubt after the League One season was curtailed. It was unclear when clubs outside of the top two divisions would resume playing - and how many of them would survive the crisis.
One club that didn't stay afloat were Macclesfield Town, who were dissolved in September 2020 to end more than a century of history. Fast forward 19 months, however, and Macclesfield are league champions thanks in part to Danns' 21 goals this season.
It's been an incredible journey for the Cheshire club, who reformed in October 2020 under the stewardship of local businessman Robert Smethurst and columnist Robbie Savage. Macclesfield have just completed their first competitive campaign, winning the North West Counties Premier Division by 15 points. It's their first step on the way back to the EFL.
Danny Whitaker's team lifted the title after bringing in several ex-EFL stars, including defender Curtis Obeng, midfielder Mark Duffy and winger Alex Kiwomya. Their most successful signing was Danns, who was named the Players' Player of the Year.
"If I'm being honest, I definitely didn't expect to score 21 goals," Danns, 39, tells . "I felt I'd be able to offer the team something. I didn't really want to be playing in the Conference or travelling around unless it was going to be in the league, so I just thought Macclesfield seemed like a really good project. I knew Robbie before I signed there - it just made sense.
"I expected to score a few goals because I'd played at a higher level, and I still feel fit enough. I've always scored goals from
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