NO concrete talks have taken place about extending Carl Macauley’s stay at Witton Albion.

In his statement in December, chairman John Salmon told fans the club had engaged in contract extension talks with manager Macauley and his assistant Gary Martindale.

However, Macauley has told the Guardian that nothing formal has taken place and that he and Martindale are yet to decide on whether or not they would like to stay at Wincham Park.

The Albion boss insisted he was more than happy at the club, though, as they continue their push for a play-off place in the BetVictor Northern Premier League Premier Division.

“The chat we did have with the chairman was probably three or four weeks ago and we haven’t had a chat about it since,” he said.

“That talk was more about wanting us to stay at the club, but we haven’t made up our minds.

“We do love it at Witton and we’re happy to just keep going along and see what comes of it.

“We haven’t discussed any terms or what’s available in terms of budget.

“We’re happy here though and that’s how it will remain.”

Albion currently sit seventh in the table, six points shy of a spot in the all-important top five.

They return to Wincham Park on Saturday to welcome bottom side Stafford Rangers, who have won just three times in the league this season.

Having faced down the current cream of the crop at the weekend – Saturday’s dramatic 2-1 win at league leaders South Shields was followed by a 1-0 reverse at second-place Basford United on Monday – it is an altogether different challenge for Macauley’s men.

Three defeats from their past four games on their own turf has put paid to what was once the division’s finest home record.

If they are to gatecrash the play-off party, that is something they must rectify but Macauley is wary of the threat posed by the league’s backmarkers.

“We had a bad run of results at home and that’s not right for us,” he said.

“We’ve knuckled down and we’ve hard to work hard in every game that’s come our way.

“It’s a tough and powerful league – there is no debating that – and we have another massive game on Saturday.

“For me, Stafford shouldn’t be bottom of the league.

“I think they’re a good side – they should have got more than a point when we played them last.

“If you’re not on it in these games – or any for that matter – you can slip up. We’ve got to make sure we’re right.”