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[Leeds Leeds Alty]

Who do people think our natural rivals currently are?

In past years the obvious contenders, depending on what generation you started watching Alty were Wigan, Macc Town, Northwich, Mossley, Runcorn, Scarborough for a while, Macc Town again, Southport intermittently, Chester in recent years, Stockport perhaps, even Wrexham at a stretch.

I am going to put in the case for Halifax.  We have both yo yo'd between NL nd NL North for a few years, have had some big 6 pointers with them, have seen big followings come to Moss Lane and we are taking more and more to theirs every time we play them. I used to think they were bigger than us, but our attendances have been higher than theirs this season, so they seem increasingly to be about our level, just as Macc, Vics, Southport have been in the past.

What do people think? Any other past or current contenders that I may have overlooked?

[swindellsworth]

Witton , Stafford , Buxton , Stalybridge , Droylsden , Enfield , Barrow were all worthy of consideration perhaps Matlock , Kettering and Boston .

[swindellsworth]

And Bangor .

[JD]

And Bangor .

Who's season seems to have been expunged!
Anyone any idea what has happened to them?

Sadly we don't really have any real rivals at the mo, Stockport are the closest we have.

[Hugh]

That reminds me, there seems to be an official Alty's rivals league for next season, with one of the Northwiches, new-club Macc, Witton and Runcorn Linnets all in the same league, plus Mossley as an added bonus (I'd love to hear about that 78/79 season - how good were Mossley?).

I understand Chester are desperate to be our rivals, but personally I don't take it much more seriously than I did Stalybridge (though I must admit I always like to beat the 1978 to 1987 FL racket).

[Hugh]

And Bangor .

My first ever Alty match back in 1990.

I'd love to know why Barrow took us so seriously. That inhaler...

[Bob]

Key criteria of a rivalry for me is the wins feel sweeter and the defeats hurt more for both sides. I'm struggling to think of a team in this league that is an actual proper rival in that respect, Halifax included.

I think the Chester rivalry has been the strongest over the last few years although I reckon they see us more as a bogey team and are annoyed that we are relatively near, smaller in their eyes yet keep outperforming them.

It's to our credit - and certainly those running the club over time who kept us solvent - that we have stuck around while the old school rivals of Macc, Vics, Runcorn all went to the wall or fell apart. I suspect Macc will be back sooner than the other two and that rivalry will come into play again.

[MarpleAlty]

For the newest generation, due to the similarity in league positions, the train link involved, the swapping of players etc - it's probably been Chester

[CRT Butty]

It doesn't feel like we have one. It has to be a game with edge, and I can't recall anything along those lines since Macc were put out of their misery.

[MarpleAlty]

It doesn't feel like we have one. It has to be a game with edge, and I can't recall anything along those lines since Macc were put out of their misery.

When we've played Chester at home recently, they seem to bring a 'youth' element as they can just jump on the train.

I'm sure the playoff game would have been quite tasty (especially with the Johnston element and subsequent red card, the near comeback etc) if it hadn't been behind closed doors.

[Saughall Robin]

It will always be M*cc are V*cs.
Playing a team where it's a must win and can't lose, for me, means those two whatever league they play in. Chester, due to where we live, has been the nearest to that. It's been great to flaunt Alty colours and even face masks in the village but apart from local one-upmanship it's not a rivalry. They view us as (to quote) a tinpot part time pub team and are all mortified we keep beating them.

[Steve from Sale]

Oldham next season, plus Halifax.

[Sarf London Alty]

Key criteria of a rivalry for me is the wins feel sweeter and the defeats hurt more for both sides. I'm struggling to think of a team in this league that is an actual proper rival in that respect, Halifax included.

I think the Chester rivalry has been the strongest over the last few years although I reckon they see us more as a bogey team and are annoyed that we are relatively near, smaller in their eyes yet keep outperforming them.

It's to our credit - and certainly those running the club over time who kept us solvent - that we have stuck around while the old school rivals of Macc, Vics, Runcorn all went to the wall or fell apart. I suspect Macc will be back sooner than the other two and that rivalry will come into play again.

Agree with all this. At our current level we do not have a proper rival & as the latest Macclesfield footballing franchise goes higher the promotions will get harder so reckon it could be a good few years before we play any of our traditional rivals in a league game anyway.

[Mick]

Anyone managed by Steve Evans.

As stated, no real rivals.

Manchester United are just up the road 

[Saughall Robin]

I don't think teams want to be our rivals as they all seem to be stricken when they are.
Eg. Macclesfield, Northwich, Runcorn etc. 😂🤣😂🤣