MACCLESFIELD Town have offered to pay the Football Foundation '130,000 now - and '65,000 by the end of the year.

The Silkmen have been ordered to pay the full '195,000 by the end of October - an improvement on the original January 31 deadline, but not as long as they had hoped for.

However, the Cheshire club wrote back to the Football Foundation last Friday with their new proposal, and are now awaiting the outcome.

The Football Association, meanwhile, who fined Macc '62,000, have told the League Two outfit that, subject to an agreement with the Football Foundation, they have three years to pay the penalty.

"We have offered to immediately pay '130,000 which has been raised through the various fund raising activities, with the balance of '65,000 to be paid at the end of the year by the club, on the basis that the club does not appeal," Silkmen chairman Rob Bickerton told the club's official website.

"We hope FSIF [The Football Stadia Improvement Fund] will respond quickly to our proposals, so we can also reach an agreement with the Football Association on the related fines totalling '62,000.

"The Football Association has indicated to us that once an agreement is reached with the FSIF, an agreement would be concluded speedily.

"By taking this course of action, we believe we will avoid a further period of uncertainty, and move the club forward in a normal and positive manner.

"We would again like to sincerely thank our fantastic fans, and indeed the football community and fans from far and wide, for their generous support over the past couple of months.

"We will make a further statement on the matter once agreement has been reached with the FSIF and FA."

Town could have appealed against the Football Foundations latest decision, but they dismissed this possibility as they would risk incurring further financial penalties and, possibly, a points deduction should it have been unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, Brian Horton has admitted the uncertainty off the pitch had affected his players.

The Macclesfield manager said: "The first thing the players think is: 'Are we going to get paid?' I know because I've been there myself.

"Thankfully it never came to that but, while issues off the field are no excuse and shouldn't affect players, it's always at the back of their minds.

"Whether the players would admit that I don't know, but it was there."

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