Macclesfield owner Rob Smethurst bought club on Rightmove after bender

January 11, 2026 • 0 • min read

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Macclesfield owner Rob Smethurst bought club on Rightmove after bender

Macclesfield owner Rob Smethurst has revealed he was "four days drinking" when he bought the non-league club on Rightmove in 2020.

It was a decision he can barely remember, but one that has now led to one of the most astonishing moments in FA Cup history.

Just over five years after purchasing the phoenix club following the collapse of Macclesfield Town, Smethurst stood in the Moss Rose terraces watching his sixth-tier side knock defending champions Crystal Palace out of the FA Cup.

The National League North outfit, ranked 117 places below their Premier League opponents, pulled off a remarkable 2-1 victory, sending supporters flooding onto the pitch at full-time in jubilant scenes.

Speaking to TNT Sports, a visibly emotional Smethurst struggled to put the achievement into words.

This is unbelievable scenes, I have no words - it's what dreams are made of.

To see all the Macc fans running on the pitch, it just shows how much it meant to everyone and for me who bought this club five years ago I never ever would have imagined this to have happened today.

Bought on Rightmove - and Barely Remembered It

Smethurst then dropped the bombshell that has since gone viral.

I bought it from Rightmove after four days drinking and can't really remember buying it. And look where we are now.

Asked about how he planned to celebrate, the owner joked:

I think I've already planned the Ibiza trip with the boys.

'I Thought We'd Lose 6-0'

Even Smethurst admitted he feared the worst before kick-off against Palace.

Not in a million years [did I see that happening]. It's Crystal Palace, absolutely quality team and I thought we would maybe [lose] 6-0, 7-0 in my head.

But I've never seen anything like it. The players were insane.

How the Shock Unfolded

Managed by John Rooney, brother of England legend Wayne Rooney, Macclesfield delivered a disciplined and fearless display to produce what many are calling the greatest giant-killing in FA Cup history.

Captain Paul Dawson gave the hosts a deserved lead just before half-time with a superb header, sending Moss Rose into raptures.

The dream continued in the second half when Isaac Buckley-Ricketts showed remarkable composure to double the advantage from close range.

Palace pushed hard in the closing stages, and nerves frayed when Yeremy Pino curled in a brilliant free-kick in the final minute to reduce the deficit.

Despite six minutes of added time, Macclesfield held firm to secure a historic win - making Palace the first FA Cup holders to be knocked out by non-league opposition since 1909.

From Liquidation to Immortality

Macclesfield FC were formed in 2020 after the liquidation of Macclesfield Town and have steadily climbed back up the football pyramid.

Promotion to the sixth tier last season already marked a major milestone.

This victory, however, has cemented the club's place in FA Cup folklore.

As the final whistle blew, supporters poured onto the pitch, embracing players and staff in scenes that perfectly captured the magic of the competition.

From a drunken Rightmove purchase to one of the most famous wins English football has ever seen - Macclesfield's story now belongs among the FA Cup's greatest legends.

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