CARL Macauley has insisted he doesn’t have anything to prove when he returns to Marine – a club that sacked him – with Witton Albion this afternoon.

Nor does he feel bitter.

Instead his focus is on securing a victory that will keep his side in contention for a promotion play-offs place in the Northern Premier League’s top-flight.

“The past is exactly that,” he told the Guardian.

“We didn’t get results, and in football that can lead to consequences for a manager.

“I don’t have hard feelings though; I know the chairman well, the board and other people who I’ll be happy to see again.

“Probably some of the supporters wanted me to go, and I understand that.

“It’s one of my former clubs, I know that, but that can’t be allowed to change how we approach what is an important game for us.

“That’s all I’m worried about; going there and putting on a performance that gets us those three points.”

Albion head to Crosby buoyed by a battling display to earn a draw at Warrington on Easter Monday.

That followed a comfortable 3-0 win against Hednesford Town 48 hours earlier.

A victory for Farsley Celtic, at home to Whitby, in midweek leaves Macauley’s men three points adrift of the top-five.

They will be favourites to beat Marine, who are safe from relegation after Sutton Coldfield’s latest defeat.

And Macauley will not be the only one facing his old team.

Calvin Hare, Matty Devine, James Foley, Tom Owens and Will Jones have all represented the home team previously.

“Nor I, or those lads, can treat this game differently because we’ve been with Marine before,” added Macauley.

“If we do, then they’re good enough to turn us over.

“Instead I want to see those characteristics that served us so well at Warrington; composure, belief and a willingness to keep digging in even if things aren’t going our way.

“That’s what we’ve done all season.”