Club bosses say they are focused on getting the club back in the football league after the financial issues which saw delays in players receiving their pay.

Chairman Mark Blower said that he was ‘gutted’ team members had been paid late.

In a statement, he said: “Everyone knows the football club lives a hand to mouth existence, but after four years I can budget the cashflows pretty accurately and we always knew that January was a month which would require a cash injection.

“One of the players called me after training on Friday and once I was back in Macclesfield I met the majority of the players with John [Askey], Byron [Jenkins] and Bill [Gorton]. Understandably, [the players] were very disappointed and raised a number of questions about both communication, whether their charges would be covered for any fees incurred and clearly wanted to know when they would be paid.

“Again on behalf the club I apologise to everyone for this situation, but please be assured that everyone at the club is focused on getting the club promoted back into the EFL at the end of this season.”

Club owner Amar Alkadhi has praised manager John Askey and the players for their performance this season.

Despite a recent dip in form the Silkmen are second in the National League, with just 15 games left in the chase for promotion to the English Football League.

He said: “Since Mark Blower has been chairman, he has always managed to pay the players on time and on this occasion I let him down.

“John Askey has done a superb job in assembling an excellent squad of players, who in turn have played exceptionally well, and long may it continue.

“Being top of the league puts a different kind of pressure on the team, but these are exciting times and we have tried to support the manager by recruiting the targets that he identified and wanted in January, and on the back of this I have every confidence that John will pass the forthcoming tests with flying colours.

“I have personally attended six of our last seven league games and watched some very competitive performances and at times exceptionally high quality football, which has been very pleasurable. I thank John, his back room staff and the players for that. Please enjoy the rest of the season, your continued support is amazing.”

In their original statement the players said: “It has been well publicised that we have one of, if not the smallest budgets in the division and yet despite this, we are top of the National League.

“Throughout this season the team, management and staff have always and will always be 100 per cent committed to the hard work and endeavour of promotion to the Football League.”