Borthwick-Jackson, now 29, came on as a late substitute, making just his second appearance for the club managed by John Rooney, the younger brother of United legend Wayne. And the side from National League North, the sixth tier of English football, held off a late comeback from a team 117 places above them to win 2-1.<\/p>\n
It sparked jubilant scenes; celebrations that went long into the night for some of the Macclesfield players and staff. The Manchester-born full-back, however, took a moment with his dad, Mark.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019d missed being at games,\u201d says Borthwick-Jackson. \u201cAfter the Palace game, you could tell he was tearing up. I feel it\u2019s big for him, because he\u2019s been with me every step of the way. He\u2019s known everything that\u2019s gone on behind the scenes. For him, it\u2019s probably a very proud moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Borthwick-Jackson\u2019s dad will be there on Monday night when another Premier League club, Brentford, come to Macclesfield in the fourth round of the Cup.<\/p>\n
The defender reckons his father has been at every game throughout his career, starting at Manchester United when Borthwick-Jackson was just six.<\/p>\n
Borthwick-Jackson made his first-team debut for United in November 2015 when Louis van Gaal called him from the bench to replace Marcos Rojo in a Premier League clash against West Bromwich Albion. The Dutch manager gave 13 Carrington graduates their debut during his two seasons at United.<\/p>\n
![\"Borthwick-Jackson](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-506410956-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n Cameron Borthwick-Jackson playing for Manchester United in January 2016 (Oli Scarff\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was brilliant with me,\u201d says Borthwick-Jackson. \u201c(A) perfectionist, but brilliant with me. Brilliant with a few of the boys.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe gave quite a lot of us our chance. A lot of us owe him a lot because he set up our careers, really.\u201d<\/p>\n
Borthwick-Jackson started six Premier League games and played almost 700 minutes that season; the same campaign in which Marcus Rashford made his senior debut.<\/p>\n
Van Gaal, however, was dismissed at the end of the 2015-16 season despite winning the FA Cup. Jose Mourinho replaced him late in May 2016 and, three days later, both Rashford and Borthwick-Jackson signed new long-term contracts.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of it, I think, was perception,\u201d says the left back. \u201cObviously, the perception of him (Mourinho) before he came in was, \u2018I do not play youth, I don\u2019t promote youth\u2019. Stuff like that.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I think for the fans to see me and Marcus sign on the same day, it\u2019s like, \u2018Oh, fair enough.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Borthwick-Jackson picked up an injury early that pre-season and, when he was undergoing rehab, was moved out of the first-team dressing room as new signings arrived. Later in the summer, he left on loan to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Rashford continued to rise at United but Borthwick-Jackson had to navigate a different path, playing on loan at Leeds United, Scunthorpe United, Tranmere Rovers and Oldham Athletic before he was released in 2020.<\/p>\n
The defender still looks back at his time at United with fondness and loves seeing former team-mates thriving at and away from the club, including Rashford and Scott McTominay, both of whom he stays in regular contact with.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t have regrets in football,\u201d he says. \u201cThings happen for a reason. Some decisions, should I have made them, shouldn\u2019t I? It\u2019s one of them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m probably more proud of myself now, being out of the game and coming back into it.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Manchester](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-699368864-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick (left) and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson (right) in the same United team in the Champions League in December 2015 (Getty Images)<\/p>\n
What followed were permanent stints at Oldham and Burton Albion before a move to Poland and Slask Wroclaw, which proved difficult given Borthwick-Jackson had a young family. His sons Theo, now seven, and Carter, now five, stayed in England and the defender also struggled with the breakdown of a relationship.<\/p>\n
\u201cLife happens,\u201d says Borthwick-Jackson. \u201cIt was tough. I did want the kids to come out with me but it was a decision made where we didn\u2019t want to affect their lives. Because it is a big thing. My youngest was obviously going into his second year in school. He\u2019s got his friends. Then he\u2019s got to go out there and be around a different culture, different language. It would have been difficult. Looking back, it\u2019s probably the right decision to stay at home.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor myself, it was very difficult. It was probably the toughest time in my life. First and foremost, I\u2019m a dad. I want to be around my kids all the time. It\u2019s difficult to perform at my best when I\u2019m not seeing them. Being away for two months at a time, seeing them for a few days and then being gone again, breaking their hearts every time I go.<\/p>\n
\u201cWroclaw is a lovely city, Poland is beautiful. The standard of football was good but as soon as the distraction of football was gone, and I\u2019m going back to my apartment, it\u2019s like, \u2018Oof\u2019. That\u2019s when it would hit me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Borthwick-Jackson had a stint on loan at Ross County in Scotland but that didn\u2019t make things easier \u2014 \u201cI went from a two-hour flight to a seven-hour drive,\u201d he says. It prompted his decision in the summer of 2024 to part ways with the Polish club just 12 months into his two-year deal and take a break from football.<\/p>\n
\u201cI chose to be around for my kids,\u201d he says. \u201cI think my love for football was kind of gone at that point. It\u2019s given me time to reset and refresh values.\u201d<\/p>\n
Borthwick-Jackson thought about following his dad into the wealth management business but then he started working with a football coach to get fit before the call from Macclesfield came at the end of 2025.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1311678310-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n Cameron Borthwick-Jackson playing for Oldham Athletic while Covid-19 restrictions were in place in April 2021 (Clive Brunskill\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
\u201cSeeing my kids start to obviously enjoy football, I thought I owe it to them to see me play,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n