A local football team has played a team comprising of ex-Premier League and Football League players.

Dolphin Inn FC, named after the Macclesfield pub on 76 Windmill Street, recently took on the all-star squad in a valiant 7-1 loss.

The amateur players from across the Macclesfield area took on a squad of recently-retired pros, ahead of Soccer Aid 2021.

Squad members included two-time Premier League winner ex-England international Joleon Lescott, along with celebrity Mark Wright of The Only Way Is Essex and Crawley Town fame.

Former Macclesfield Town player Nick Blackman, who was signed to our town's old professional football club from 2005-2009 was also part of the celebrity line-up.

Former Premier League goalkeeper Stephen Bywater also made some super saves to keep the Dolphin Inn players from scoring more than one goal.

Jack Naylor, who is from Hurdsfield, scored Dolphin's only strike which beat the 2006-2011 Derby County keeper, with the last goal of the game.

The match was organised by former Dolphin Inn FC player Blake Norton, of Wilmslow clothing store Norton Barrie.

Dolphin Inn FC are affiliated with Bollington FC, Bolly are the parent club for seven teams across the Macclesfield area including the pub team.

David Spruce, who co-founded Dolphin Inn FC in 2009, had this to share about the fixture to Macclesfield Nub News.

"The game was preparation for Mark Wright to get match fit for Soccer Aid [at the Etihad Stadium]", he said.

"It was a refreshing change to play against top players who are not up themselves and are happy to just play the beautiful game."

"Sometimes when you play ex-pros they want to annihilate you and be not nice guys about it. But this group of lads that played us were really really nice guys. Yes, they were miles better than us but they were also having fun.

"Thanks to Blake for organising it too."

It was a challenging experience for the Dolphin side, especially against Lescott who was capped 26 times for England.

Manchester United, Burnley, and Bolton midfielder Chris Eagles was also on the bench for the all-star Celebrity XI.

"We were four down at half time, so we played a 4-5-1 so we tried to play defensive and pack the midfield out, but even if we'd have had seven or eight midfielders it still wouldn't have been enough," David laughed.

"For half of the second half we were much better, and it was tough because these guys fitness levels are better than our best."

They put on a great performance and are invigorated for the new season, particularly as their squad contains players from their sister club Bollington FC, who won their respective league last season.

Dolphin will play in the East Cheshire Sunday Football League Division 2 for the 2021-22 season. They'll face 10 teams, including sides from Wilmslow and Bollington.

Their season kicks-off on September 5, the day after the UNICEF Soccer Aid charity match.

Dolphin is part of a rising amateur football scene in Macc, and they are still expanding.

Dolphin FC's first team and reserve team are looking for new players, particularly younger ones who can play attack or midfield.

They play their home games just outside of Bollington.

You can message them on Twitter or Facebook, if you are interested in playing.

The teamsheets for Dolphin's famous faces friendly are as follows:

Dolphin Inn FC

Trevor Firth

John Wainwright

Kieran Beardsmore

Dan Tongue

Jake Mcgarry

Spencer Hall

Jonathan Davies

Stephen Bywater

Joleon Lescott

Lee Jackson

Mark Wright

Aaron Burns

Nick Blackman

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