With two of Macclesfield's biggest games of the season in four days coming up John Askey says he's keen to turn the screw on their old pals at Lincoln City.

This Tuesday night sees the return of the derby with Altrincham, but that's on the back-burner for now, as Macc have a wealth of familiar faces to see off first.

Avoiding defeat in both would most likely put the Silkmen, sixth going into the weekend, in the play-off places. Victories would also cap a miserable September for out-of-sorts Lincoln and, depending on other strugglers' results, keep fourth-bottom Alty in the drop-zone.

The Imps got the season going with 10 points from 12 but have lost six of the following seven games, a win over local rivals Grimsby Town the only thing they've had to cheer at Sincil Bank in the last month.

But there's no room for sentiment, according to manager Askey – and sentiment will forever link these long-standing rivals, given the tragic circumstances that forged a bond between them.

It was at Lincoln where Keith Alexander made his name as a manager and Richard Butcher enjoyed some of his finest times as a player. Both were on the Moss Rose payroll when their sudden deaths – just 10 months apart – rocked both clubs to their foundations.

And Gary Simpson, Big Keith's lieutenant and a father figure to Butch, took over as manager in the wake of Alexander's passing in 2010. He steered the Silkmen to League Two safety that year and held the devastated squad together after the equally shocking death of Butcher in January 2011.

Macc fans produced this banner in memory of Keith Alexander and Richard Butcher
 

Simmo is now back at Lincoln as manager and it's fair to say there's a degree of pressure building after a poor September, which leaves his side in 15th place.

He does have six former Silkmen – Tony Diagne, Nat Brown, Hamza Bencherif, Marcus Marshall, Arnaud Mendy and Ben Tomlinson – under his wing.

And that doesn't bode especially well for Macc, since three players who've moved away from the Moss have beaten Rhys Taylor this term.

“Tommo (Tomlinson) has scored against us before and obviously with Gary being their manager and with so many lads having played for both clubs it's a really big game,” admits Askey, who'll be hoping former Lincoln men Paul Turnbull and Waide Fairhurst can continue their excellent campaigns.

“There's a lot of respect between the two clubs and with these games there's always a bit of sadness, obviously with what happened Keith and Richard. We know what to expect from them though, they're a very big side, a bit like the Lincoln sides of old, who'll try to press the ball and make life difficult for us.

“We wish Gary and Lincoln well obviously, but you have to look after yourself and we wish them well in other games, just not this one because we'll be going there looking to win.

“It won't be easy but we've only lost one game this season so that should give us loads of confidence, I'm looking forward to it.”