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Macclesfield FC have claimed that someone tried to burn down their stadium on Monday night, two months after the club pulled off the biggest upset in FA Cup history by knocking out the holders, Crystal Palace, there.
The “suspected arson attempt” on Leasing.com Stadium took place overnight and there were no casualties, the club said. “Emergency services have responded immediately and are on site tackling the blaze in the affected areas,” Macclesfield said in a statement .
The sixth-tier National League North club urged “anyone nearby to keep windows shut and not to approach the stadium”.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire and the club said they were not commenting further for now. The stadium, which dates to 1891, has a capacity of 6,355 spectators.
Macclesfield, managed by John Rooney, younger brother of the former England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, stunned Palace 2-1 on 11 January and created one of the most iconic moments in football’s oldest knockout competition .
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With 117 places separating Macclesfield and Palace when they played, it was the biggest upset in the FA Cup’s 155-year history. Macclesfield were knocked out in the next round by Brentford.
