Macclesfield boss Mark Kennedy has left the club following their relegation to the National League.

The Silkmen lost their position in League Two on Tuesday after an independent arbitration panel handed them a six-point deduction for a charge of misconduct related to the payment of player wages in March 2020.

As a result Kennedy and his assistant Danny Butterfield have turned down new contracts and leave Moss Rose immediately.

A statement on the club’s website read: “Macclesfield Town can confirm that head coach Mark Kennedy and assistant head coach Danny Butterfield have both decided to reject contract offers ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.

“The club would like to thank both Mark and Danny for their efforts at the Moss Rose and wish them well for the future.”

Former Wolves, Manchester City and Republic of Ireland winger Kennedy had only been in the job since January and looked to have save them from the drop when the League Two season was ended, having been handed an initial two-point deduction.

But the English Football League’s appeal against that punishment was successful, with it increased to six points, meaning Macclesfield were relegated instead of Stevenage.

The club issued a further statement on Wednesday regarding the appeal hearing decision. It read: “Everyone at Macclesfield Town was very disappointed and saddened by the impact of the Independent Disciplinary Commission’s decision to uphold the EFL’s appeal yesterday.

“In order to move forward, the club is currently investigating a number of avenues that are open to us.

“Whilst we appreciate that fans will want as much clarity as possible on such options, at this stage it would not be appropriate to divulge any specifics – but please rest assured that we are doing everything we can to ensure that we have a club that we are all proud of. We will provide a further update as soon as we are able.”