The players and staff of Macclesfield Town have issued a statement declaring that their League Two game at home to Crewe Alexandra on Saturday will not go ahead, as the club's financial issues continue.

In the statement, which has been published via BBC Radio Manchester, the players and staff declared their intent to inform both the EFL and Crewe, that the game will not be going, 'despite reports that it is business as usual'.

They go onto reveal the reasons for such action is that those working at the club have yet to be paid their wages for the previous month, and that the squad have been unable to train since last Thursday due to the lack of a training ground, as well as the fact that the mental and emotional state those at the club find themselves in is at 'rock bottom'.

The statement then concludes by asking fans of both club's, as well the entire footballing community, to be understanding of the decision given the importance of the month ahead both on and off the field.

Macclesfield's season has already been blighted by several financial issues.

The club were forced to field a group of youth and loan players in their FA Cup First Round clash with Kingstonian at the start of November after a previous player boycott over unpaid wages, something for which they have already been charged by the EFL, while also seeing a winding-up order against them adjourned by the high court for a seventh time.

On the pitch, Macclesfield currently find themselves 14th in the League Two standings, with five wins and eight draws from their 19 league games this season.

The Verdict

This really is a sad situation.

The fact that a football club - indeed not the first one this year - has been allowed to get itself into such a position where even its immediate future is unclear, is quite frankly unthinkable.

That being said, I can fully understand the approach taken by the club's players and staff here.

Ultimately, this is their livelihood, and as such it will affect them more than anyone else, meaning they have every right to do everything they can in order to draw attention to their plight and hopefully get some help for themselves.