Clare’s departure closes a long association with Macclesfield. He first joined in 2021 and, in the 2021-22 season, delivered 23 goals to finish as the team’s leading scorer. That form earned him a new two-year deal in 2022.
But the numbers since then point the other way.
For a player who once carried real attacking weight, this feels less like a surprise and more like the formal end of a role that had already diminished.
The more interesting subplot is Borthwick-Jackson. Macclesfield have not closed the door, and that usually says something. Clubs do not keep discussions open unless they believe a player can still fill a need, whether through experience, depth or versatility.
The broader squad picture matters here too:
That is a sizeable reset for a team coming off a strong league finish. It suggests Macclesfield are not standing still despite ending the season near the top end of the division.
There is also continuity in the dugout after John Rooney took charge in 2025 following the end of his playing career and the departure of Robbie Savage. The decisions now look like the first real signs of Rooney shaping the squad in his own image.
Macclesfield’s next story is clear: how many of those unresolved talks turn into renewals, and whether this summer trimming can turn a fourth-place team into one ready to push even harder next season.