Moss builds for the future

By Pete Oliver BBC Sport Online

Moss hopes to turn the club's fortunes around

Macclesfield Town manager David Moss believes he is assembling the best squad he has had to work with at Moss Rose.

Moss has been active in the transfer market and also signed up a trio of his existing key players on new contracts.

Goalkeeper Steve Wilson, defender Michael Welch and midfielder Danny Whitaker have all agreed deals that will keep them with the Silkmen until June, 2005.

Moss believes Wilson is among the best goalkeepers in Division Three, while securing the services of Welch, 21, and Whitaker, 22, means Macclesfield are also investing in the future.

New signing Neil Ross, bought from Stockport for a joint club record fee of £30,000, is just 20 and 22-year-old midfielder Darren Dunning will complete a loan move from Blackburn Rovers this week.

At the other end of the experience scale, Moss has taken on Canadian international midfielder Martin Nash and is also poised to re-sign defender Steve Macauley on loan from Rochdale.

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"He's had an operation and he should be fit for our reserve game on Wednesday," said Moss.

The Town boss has one further loan signing up his sleeve and believes he will then be better equipped to make an impact on the Third Division than at any time since his appointment in November 2001.

He said: "We are making progress. We've got some good players in, which is what we needed to do.

When everyone is fit and playing as we can there's nothing in this division to be frightened of

Dave Moss

"I've said in the past I wouldn't bring people in just for the sake of it, but only to improve us, and we've done that.

"The squad looks miles better and if I get in the one more I want this week, then it will be the biggest and with the best competition we've had."

Macclesfield, boosted by the income from reaching the third round of the FA Cup with a televised tie along the way, are currently just five points above the relegation zone.

But Moss, who has secured mid-table finishes in the past two seasons after taking over a club facing a return to the Nationwide Conference, is again aiming higher.

"We just need to get safe and put a run together," he added.

"When everyone is fit and playing as we can there's nothing in this division to be frightened of.

"But that's not to take anything for granted. We need to be more consistent and having better players and more competition for places should help us achieve that."

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