Two Macclesfield footballing legends will return to the same site they once coached at.

Sammy McIlroy and Gil Prescott will visit the Leasing.com Stadium on December 27, for The Silkmen's next match against Cheshire rivals Winsford United.

For most Silkmen fans, the names Sammy McIlroy and Gil Prescott need no introduction, but for younger fans, they were Manager and Assistant Manager for old club Macclesfield Town.

But they weren't just any Manager and Assistant, as they secured promotion to the Football League for the very first time. And then did it again after it was rejected.

Macclesfield FC said: "After presiding over the most successful period in Macclesfield Town's history, the names of Sammy McIlroy and Gil Prescott have left an indelible mark not only on the history of the Football Club but on our town as a whole.

"It is our very great honour to welcome both Sammy and Gil to the Leasing.com Stadium ahead of our NWCFL Premier Division clash against Winsford United on December 27th and would ask all supporters to give them the raucous reception that they so richly deserve.

"Taking the reins in the summer of 1993, nobody could have ever dreamt what was to follow.

"McIlroy and Prescott taught us all that the "impossible" was indeed possible and in doing so, inspired a generation of Silkmen fans who revelled in those halcyon days."

Macclesfield FC could only edge a draw with Winsford last time out, in a thrilling 4-4 encounter on August 3.

It should be noted that Gil Prescott was also briefly manager of The Silkmen, after McIlroy's tenure. He was in the role from 27 Dec, 2000 to 08 Oct, 2001, but fared worse than the success when they were a pair.

During their debut 1993-94 season, McIllroy and Prescott brought silverware to silktown.

They won the Conference League Cup and secured a credible seventh-placed finish in the GM Vauxhall Conference in their inaugural season.

Sammy and Gil then changed the narrative of the whole club - and our town - forevermore when the team stormed to the league title.

Although their rightful promotion to the Football League was cruelly denied due to ground regulations, it spurred McIlroy, Prescott and everyone associated with the Club into righting the wrongs of what was undoubtedly a grave injustice.

A fourth-placed finish followed in 1996, yet the disappointment of not claiming back-to-back championships was tempered by an FA Trophy Final victory over Cheshire rivals, Northwich Victoria.

The 1996-97 campaign was arguably the most iconic in Macclesfield Town's 147-year history, as McIlroy and Prescott led The Silkmen to their second GM Vauxhall Championship in three years and with it, promotion to the Football League.

The achievement was made all the more poignant due to the fact that Chairman Arthur Jones had tragically taken his own life the previous September and as his name echoed around Kettering Town's Rockingham Road Stadium on 3rd May 1997, everyone felt both pride and sadness in equal measure.

Macclesfield Town's first-ever Football League game was played on 7th August 1997 and little did we know that our fairy tale adventure was only just beginning.

Whereas that proved to be a step too far for our Silkmen heroes and an immediate return to the fourth tier ensued, for all those Macclesfield Town fans who were privileged enough to witness it, the season created lifelong memories alongside the likes of Manchester City, Stoke City, Wigan Athletic and Fulham.