The former Largs resident, who grew up on the Ayrshire coast before making his name at Parkhead and Old Trafford, has spent the past decade helping some of the most vulnerable people in the region through the Macari Centre.
The 22,500 square foot centre features 25 individual accommodation pods, with 12 self-contained en-suite rooms.
Macari was born in Edinburgh in 1949 but his family moved to the seaside town when he was a boy, and it was there that his love of football flourished.
His Italian‑Scottish family ran Macari’s café on Largs seafront, a well‑known stop between Nardini’s and the Moorings in its heyday,
Growing up in Largs, the youngster attended St Michael’s Academy in Kilwinning and played schools and county football, catching the eye of Celtic scouts while representing Ayrshire.
As a teenager, Macari signed schoolboy forms for Celtic before turning professional in 1968 and breaking into the club’s highly rated 'Quality Street' reserve side alongside future stars such as Kenny Dalglish and Danny McGrain.
He went on to win league titles and Scottish Cups with Celtic before a high-profile move to Manchester United in 1973, where he made more than 400 appearances and became a firm favourite at Old Trafford.
After his playing and managerial career, Macari settled in Stoke-on-Trent, where he was struck by the scale of homelessness he witnessed on the streets of Hanley.
Disturbed by the number of people sleeping rough, he set up a shelter offering emergency beds, food, and support – the project that became the Macari Centre.
A decade on, the Macari Centre has grown into an established local charity providing safe, short-term accommodation and practical help for people experiencing homelessness in Stoke-on-Trent.
The centre adapted during the Covid-19 pandemic by moving residents into individual pods, giving people their own secure space and an address – a change Macari says has transformed residents’ confidence and prospects.
This week, Macari gave an interview to BBC Radio Stoke, and said: "The sad thing is, nothing's improved. If I'm going to be honest, I think it's got a little bit worse."
He said he never thought he would have been able to provide as much assistance as the charity had, but that he remained "frustrated" that more had not changed.
"Taking people off the street, that makes a difference, so I'm quite happy with that," he added.
In recent years, former Largs Thistle Scottish Cup winning manager John Crawford has backed calls for Macari to be honoured for his work in transforming people's lives.