Luke Matheson: Macclesfield’s rising star who once swapped a £1m price tag for school bag days, Old Trafford heroics, and an FA Cup dream
Do you remember the 16-year-old who found the net for Rochdale against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup? In September 2019, defender Luke Matheson delivered a legendary equaliser at Old Trafford, forcing a 1-1 draw in a third-round clash that United eventually edged out 5-3 on penalties. The next day, Matheson was back in the classroom, focused on his A-Levels.
Fast forward to 2026, and Matheson is part of a Macclesfield side surging through the FA Cup, preparing for a fourth-round showdown with Brentford on Monday. The Silkmen’s remarkable triumph over Crystal Palace in the third round has placed them under a bright spotlight, but the 23-year-old defender is no stranger to big moments.
“I was on the bus to school the next morning with my mates,” Matheson recalled of that Old Trafford moment. “I refreshed Instagram and saw thousands of likes piling up. It was one of the most surreal experiences I’ve ever had.
“I can picture the goal itself in perfect detail, and I could tell you every moment that led up to it. The real blur is what came after. Just being on that pitch and traveling to that game felt huge, and scoring took it to another level. It’s definitely one of the best days of my life.”
Brentford will mark Matheson’s fourth Premier League opponent in total. He previously played for Rochdale in a 1-1 home FA Cup draw against Newcastle in 2020 before his side lost the third-round replay 4-1 at St James’ Park.
Being remembered as the teenager who scored against Manchester United fills Matheson with pride rather than embarrassment. “I love it when people come up and ask, ‘Are you the kid who scored against United?’ They still recognise me, and he jokes about his distinctive hair being a giveaway,” he said, laughing. “If that moment is the pinnacle of my career, then so be it. Some players chase moments like that, and I’m fortunate to have had one so early.”
Back then, he was a youngster full of potential, and now he’s gained more experience. “I was a kid, and now I’ve got a bit more seasoning,” he noted. “I’ve traveled through different clubs, met different managers, and stood in various changing rooms.”
Less than four months after that Old Trafford strike, Matheson made a leap from League One to the Premier League, joining Wolves for a £1m transfer. “It felt like a dream come true,” added the England Under-18 international, who first stepped into Rochdale’s first team at 15. “I’d been involved with England and rubbed shoulders with top clubs, from Manchester City to Chelsea, and then Rochdale. My earnings were modest—about £400 a month on a scholarship, with £250 going toward transport. Then Wolves came along with three drivers to shuttle me to Manchester daily. The difference was astronomical.”
In many ways, Matheson’s path through football has unfolded in reverse. After more than 30 senior appearances for Rochdale, he ended up in Wolves’ under-23 setup. “In that sense, my personal career felt like I’d taken a step backward,” he admitted. “Many under-23s were chasing first-team loans, while I had already left that path.”
Injuries and loan spells with Ipswich, Hamilton Academical, and Scunthorpe hampered his time at Wolves, and he departed at the end of the 2022-23 season without a single senior appearance for the club. “My three-and-a-half years at Wolves were tough,” he said. “I never quite broke through the way I hoped.”
It was during rehab at Wolves that Matheson met Ethan McLeod, a connection that would later bring him to Macclesfield. On 16 December 2025, the 21-year-old forward McLeod died in a car accident while returning from a National League North match at Bedford Town. Matheson was among the players stuck in traffic after the incident on the M1. When he reached home the following morning, manager John Rooney called each player personally to share the sad news.
“You don’t realize how much someone means to you until they’re gone,” Matheson reflected. “I was lucky to have known him for three-and-a-half years at Wolves, and then again as we both matured here. We spent a lot of time together in rehab, but I’m grateful for the impact he had on my career. His infectious smile could brighten even the darkest days.”
Rooney signed Matheson just 12 days after bringing McLeod to Macclesfield, but both players endured a rocky start to the season with injuries. The pair often spoke about the dream of sharing the pitch again. Three days before McLeod’s passing, they finally did, starting together in an FA Trophy victory at South Shields. “That Saturday game was special,” Matheson said. “We’d spent countless hours in the gym, supporting each other, and to finally start a game together felt like a personal milestone—we’d been chasing this goal for years, and having that moment so recently before his passing meant the world to me.”
