Crewe Alexandra F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Crewe Alexandra Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Railwaymen, The Alex | ||
| Founded | 1877 (as Crewe) | ||
| Ground | Gresty Road | ||
| Capacity | 10,153 | ||
| Chairman | Charles Grant | ||
| Manager | Lee Bell | ||
| League | League Two | ||
| 2018–19 | League Two, 12th of 24 | ||
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Crewe Alexandra Football Club is a professional association football team. They are based in Crewe, Cheshire, England. Their main team plays in League Two. This is the fourth level of English football. People call them 'The Railwaymen' because Crewe is famous for its railway history. They are also known as 'The Alex'. The club has played at Gresty Road since 1906. Their biggest rivals are Port Vale.
The club started in 1877. It was part of the Crewe Alexandra Cricket Club. They named the club after Princess Alexandra. Crewe reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 1888. They were also a founding member of the Football League Second Division in 1892. In 1921, they joined the new Football League Third Division North. They stayed there for 37 years. In 1958, they moved to the new Fourth Division.
Crewe won their first promotion in 1963. They finished third in the league. They were quickly relegated but promoted again in 1968. However, they only stayed in the Third Division for one season.
The club struggled for 20 years in the fourth tier. But things changed when Dario Gradi became manager in 1983. He was manager for 24 years. He led the team to promotion to the third tier twice. In 1997, they won the play-off final. This earned them a spot in the Football League First Division. They played at this second-tier level for eight of the next nine seasons. This league later became the Championship. Gradi was known for his attractive, technical football. He also developed many young players. Future England stars like David Platt, Danny Murphy, and Dean Ashton all started at Crewe.
In 2009, Crewe dropped back to the fourth tier. But Steve Davis led them to promotion in 2012. They won the play-offs. In 2013, the club won its first and only Football League Trophy. Under David Artell, who became manager in 2017, Crewe returned to League One in 2020. They finished 12th in the 2020–21 season. However, they were relegated again in 2022.
Club History and Achievements
How Crewe Alexandra Started
Crewe Alexandra Football Club began in 1877. It was part of the Crewe Alexandra Cricket Club. The club was named after Princess Alexandra. Their first game was on December 1, 1877. They drew 1–1 against a team from Basford. In 1883, Crewe played their first FA Cup match. They lost 10–0 to Queen's Park.
In 1886, William Bell became the first Crewe player to play for his country. He played for Wales. In 1888, the club reached the FA Cup semi-finals. They beat teams like Derby County along the way. In 1892, John Pearson became the first Crewe player to play for England. He is still the only Crewe player to do so while playing for the club.
Early League Years and Moves
Crewe helped start the Football League Second Division in 1892. But they lost their league spot in 1896 after only four seasons. They often finished at the bottom. This might have been because they had a much smaller budget than other clubs. The club moved to the first Gresty Road ground in 1897. In 1906, their current stadium was built next to it.
Crewe rejoined the Football League in 1921. They played in the Football League Third Division North. In 1936 and 1937, Crewe won the Welsh Cup. This was special because Crewe is not in Wales. English clubs near the border were sometimes invited to play. Bert Swindells scored 128 league goals for Crewe. This is still a club record.
After World War II
From the 1950s to the early 1980s, Crewe didn't have much success. They often finished at the bottom of the Fourth Division. In 1960, Crewe played Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup. A record 20,000 fans watched at Gresty Road. Crewe drew 2–2. But in the replay, Tottenham won 13–2. This was Crewe's biggest defeat ever.
The next year, Crewe beat Chelsea 2–1 in the FA Cup. This was a big win against a top team. Chelsea had famous players like Jimmy Greaves.
Promotions in the 1960s
In 1963, Crewe won their first promotion to the Third Division. They finished third in the league. But they were relegated the very next season. In 1968, they were promoted again. But once more, they only stayed in the Third Division for one season.
Challenges in the 1970s and 1980s
Crewe spent 20 years in Division Four from 1969. They often finished at the very bottom. In 1977, Tommy Lowry played his 475th and last game for the club. This is a record for most appearances. In 1979, goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar joined Crewe. He later became famous playing for Liverpool. He even scored a penalty for Crewe!
The Dario Gradi Era (1983–2011)
In 1983, Dario Gradi became manager. He wanted to build a strong youth academy. This would help develop young players. These players could then be sold to fund the club. Early successes included David Platt, who was sold to Aston Villa.
Under Gradi, Crewe played exciting, skillful football. They became known for developing young talent. In 1989, Crewe won their third promotion. They moved into the Third Division. They reached the play-off final in 1993 but lost. However, they were promoted in 1994 after winning their last game.
In 1997, Crewe returned to Wembley. They won the play-off final against Brentford. This put the club back in the second tier of English football. This was the first time since 1896!
Staying in the Second Tier
Crewe finished 11th in the 1997–98 season. This was their highest league position ever. Gradi kept the team in this division until 2002. Selling players like Danny Murphy (to Liverpool) and Seth Johnson (to Derby County) helped the club's finances. Gradi managed his 1,000th game for Crewe in 2001.
After one season in Division Two, they were promoted back to Division One in 2003. They finished second in the league. In 2005, they sold Dean Ashton to Norwich City for £3 million. This helped them avoid relegation that season. But they were relegated to League One in 2006.
Changes in Management
In 2007, Gradi became the club's technical director. Steve Holland took over as first-team coach. But Holland was sacked in 2008 after poor results. Gradi became caretaker manager again.
In 2008, Gudjon Thordarson became manager. He won Manager of the Month in February 2009. But the team was relegated to League Two. Thordarson was sacked in October 2009. Gradi took over as caretaker manager once more. In November 2011, Gradi finally stepped down as manager. He returned to focusing on youth development.
From 2011 to Today
Steve Davis became manager in November 2011. He led the team on a 16-match unbeaten run in 2012. This earned them a play-off spot. Crewe beat Southend United in the semi-final. They then won the play-off final 2–0 at Wembley. Goals came from academy graduates Nick Powell and Byron Moore.
In 2013, Crewe returned to Wembley. They won the Football League Trophy. They beat Southend United 2–0 in the final. The team finished mid-table in the league. They even played a game with only Crewe Academy graduates in the starting lineup.
In 2016, Crewe was relegated to League Two. In January 2017, Davis was sacked. Former Crewe player David Artell became manager. Artell continued to bring academy players into the team. In 2020, Crewe won promotion to League One. They were top of the table when the season was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Artell won League Two Manager of the Year.
However, the next season was tough. Crewe was relegated in 2022. Artell left the club. Alex Morris took over. Then, Lee Bell became manager in November 2022. Bell led the team to 6th place in the 2023–24 season. They reached the play-off final but lost to Crawley Town.
Home Ground: Gresty Road
Crewe Alexandra has played at Gresty Road since 1906. Before that, they played at the Alexandra Recreation Ground. The stadium is right next to Crewe railway station.
The main stand is on the south side of the ground. Until the 1990s, it was a wooden stand. The other three sides were standing areas. The record attendance at Gresty Road was 20,000 fans in 1960.
In the 1990s, the stadium was updated. New all-seater stands were built. The "Railway End" became a family stand in 1993. The "Gresty Road End" became an all-seater stand in 1995. The "Pop Side" was replaced in 1996–97. In 2000, a new main stand was built.
Away fans usually sit in the stand along the northern side. The Gresty Road End and main stand are for home supporters. The stadium's capacity is 10,153 seats. In 2021, the stadium was renamed the "Mornflake Stadium" after a sponsor.
The stadium has four main stands:
- The "Boughey Stand" is the main stand. It has 6,809 seats. It also has offices and changing rooms.
- The "KPI Recruiting Stand" is also called the "Gresty Road End". It holds 982 fans.
- "The Andrew Connolly Financial Planning Stand" is known as the "Railway End". It holds 682 fans.
- The "Whitby Morrison Ice Cream Van Stand" used to be the "Pop Side". It holds 1,680 away fans.
Club Identity and Colours
Since the late 1890s, Crewe's home kit has been mostly red. They usually wear white shorts and red socks. Before that, they wore white shirts and blue shorts. The red shirts earned them the nickname "Robins" early on. But now, they are mostly called "The Alex" or "The Railwaymen". This reflects the town's strong links to the railway industry.
Crewe's away kit colours have changed over time. They have worn blue, white, or blue-and-white shirts. Sometimes they have worn black or striped kits.
The town's crest appeared on the shirts in 1958. It had a lion, a cogged wheel, and a railway wheel. The current badge, adopted in 1998, shows a lion on a football. It is surrounded by a laurel and the club's name. Some fans miss the railway wheel from the old badge. The club's mascot is Gresty the Lion.
The current shirt sponsor is Mornflake. Their logo has been on the shirts since 2005. This is the longest continuous sponsorship in the English Football League.
Fans and Rivalries
Supporter Numbers
Crewe is the third largest town in Cheshire. Many fans came from the railway works in the past. The club's location next to Crewe railway station makes it easy for fans to travel. From the 1920s to the 1960s, about 6,000 fans usually attended games. But local derby matches could attract many more. For example, 17,883 fans watched a game against Port Vale in 1953. This is Crewe's record league crowd.
In the 1970s and 1980s, fewer fans came to games. Sometimes, fewer than 2,000 people attended. But when Dario Gradi improved the team in the mid-1980s, more fans returned. Average attendance reached 7,741 in 2004 when Crewe was in the Championship.
Club Rivalries
Crewe's main rivals are Port Vale. They are based in Staffordshire. This rivalry is sometimes called the "A500 Derby". As of June 2023, they have played 81 games. Port Vale has won more games. The rivalry has become more intense since 2000. Sometimes, there have been problems between fans. A study in 2019 ranked this as the 14th biggest rivalry in English professional football.
Crewe also has smaller rivalries. These are with teams like Wrexham, Shrewsbury Town, and Stoke City. They also have local Cheshire derbies with clubs like Macclesfield and Stockport County.
Fan Songs and Groups
Crewe fans were the first to sing the song "Blue Moon". This song is also sung by fans of Manchester City. It is said to reflect the club's tough times in the past. The Crewe-based music group Dario G was named after Dario Gradi.
The Railwaymen Supporters Society was formed in 2018. It brings together different fan groups. They raised money to invest in the club. This allowed fans to have a representative on the club's board.
Player Development and Reputation
Developing Young Talent
Crewe Alexandra is famous for developing young players. Many players started or grew their careers at Crewe. They then went on to become famous elsewhere. For example, Frank Blunstone played for Crewe before joining Chelsea and playing for England. Goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar played for Crewe before moving to Liverpool.
Crewe started investing in young players in the late 1980s. Manager Dario Gradi and chairman John Bowler helped create a youth coaching facility. In 1995, Crewe leased a large site for training. By 2015, selling players had brought in over £20 million. This money helped modernize Gresty Road and develop Crewe's Academy. It is one of the best academies outside the top two divisions. In 2022, it was ranked in the top 10 academies in England and Wales.
Many talented players have come through Crewe's academy. These include England internationals David Platt, Danny Murphy, and Dean Ashton. Other international players like Robbie Savage (Wales) and Neil Lennon (Northern Ireland) also played for Crewe.
Club Records
Crewe's biggest league win was 8–0 against Rotherham United in 1932. In the FA Cup, they won 9–1 against Northwich Victoria in 1889. Their heaviest defeat was 13–2 against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup in 1960. This game was watched by 64,365 fans, the largest crowd for a Crewe match. In the league, their worst defeat was 11–1 against Lincoln City in 1951.
Tommy Lowry has played the most games for Crewe. He played 482 matches between 1965 and 1977. Bert Swindells holds the record for most goals scored for Crewe, with 128 goals. Terry Harkin scored the most goals in a single season, with 34 in 1964–65.
William Bell was the first Crewe player to play for his country in 1886. Clayton Ince has won the most international caps while playing for Crewe, with 31 caps for Trinidad and Tobago. Efe Sodje is the only Crewe player to play in a World Cup Finals tournament. He played for Nigeria in 2002.
Crewe's most expensive player bought was Rodney Jack. He was signed for £650,000 in 1998. Crewe received £3 million for Nick Powell when he moved to Manchester United in 2012. They also received £3 million for Seth Johnson in 1999 and Dean Ashton in 2005.
Current Players
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International Players from Crewe
Many players from Crewe Alexandra have played for their national teams. William Bell was the first Crewe player to get an international cap. He played for Wales in 1886. In 1890, three Crewe players played for Wales against England. Billy Lewis scored Wales's goal. John 'Jackie' Pearson was the first Crewe player to play for England in 1892. He is still the only one to do so while playing for the club.
The most recent Crewe player to get an international cap was Donervon Daniels. He played for Montserrat in 2021.
| Player | Country | Caps | Goals | Years of caps | Notes | |
| Clayton Ince |  |
Trinidad and Tobago | 36 | 0 | 1999–2005 | |
| Steve Jones |  |
Northern Ireland | 22 | 1 | 2003–2006 | |
| Marcus Haber |  |
Canada | 13 | 1 | 2014–2016 | |
| David Vaughan |  |
Wales | 13 | 0 | 2003–2007 | |
| Efe Sodje |  |
Nigeria | 8 | 1 | 2000–2003 | |
| Rodney Jack |  |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 6 | 4 | 2000 | |
| Neil Lennon | |
Northern Ireland | 6 | 0 | 1994–1995 | |
| Billy Lewis | |
Wales | 6 | 1 | 1890–1892 | |
| Michael O'Connor | |
Northern Ireland | 6 | 0 | 2008–2009 | |
| William Bell | |
Wales | 3 | 0 | 1886 | |
| Colin Murdock | |
Northern Ireland | 3 | 0 | 2005 | |
| Robbie Savage | |
Wales | 3 | 0 | 1995–1996 | |
| Mathias Pogba |  |
Guinea | 2 | 0 | 2013 | |
| Trevor Owen | |
Wales | 2 | 0 | 1893 | |
| Edwin Williams | |
Wales | 2 | 0 | 1893 | |
| Madjid Bougherra |  |
Algeria | 1 | 0 | 2006 | |
| Donervon Daniels |  |
Montserrat | 1 | 0 | 2021 | |
| Alfred Davies | |
Wales | 1 | 0 | 1890 | |
| Dick Jones | |
Wales | 1 | 0 | 1890 | |
| Fred Keenor | |
Wales | 1 | 0 | 1932 | |
| Ben Lewis | |
Wales | 1 | 1 | 1892 | |
| John Pearson |  |
England | 1 | 0 | 1892 | |
| Robert Roberts | |
Wales | 1 | 0 | 1893 |
Club Management
Managers Through the Years
Since 1892, 29 different people have managed Crewe. Dario Gradi managed the most games, with 1,359 first team matches. Two Crewe managers are in the English Football Hall of Fame: Dario Gradi and Harry Catterick.
As of 17 November 2024. Only competitive matches are counted.
| Name | Nat | From | To | Record | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | |||||
| W.C. McNeill1 | |
August 1892 | May 1894 | 50 | 12 | 10 | 28 | 24.00 | |
| J.G. Hall1 | |
August 1895 | May 1896 | 31 | 5 | 3 | 23 | 16.13 | |
| Robert Roberts1 | |
January 1897 | December 1897 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| John Blomerley2 | |
January 1898 | May 1925 | 169 | 56 | 44 | 69 | 33.14 | |
| Tom Bailey | |
August 1925 | May 1938 | 578 | 223 | 113 | 242 | 38.58 | |
| George Lillycrop | |
August 1938 | July 1944 | 45 | 20 | 7 | 18 | 44.44 | |
| Frank Hill |  |
July 1944 | October 1948 | 102 | 45 | 19 | 38 | 44.12 | |
| Arthur Turner | |
October 1948 | December 1951 | 149 | 56 | 39 | 54 | 37.58 | |
| Harry Catterick | |
December 1951 | June 1953 | 74 | 31 | 11 | 32 | 41.89 | |
| Ralph Ward | |
June 1953 | May 1955 | 96 | 25 | 28 | 43 | 26.04 | |
| Maurice Lindley | |
August 1955 | May 1958 | 143 | 23 | 28 | 92 | 16.08 | |
| Harry Ware | |
August 1958 | May 1960 | 100 | 36 | 22 | 42 | 36.00 | |
| Jimmy McGuigan | |
June 1960 | November 1964 | 222 | 87 | 85 | 50 | 39.19 | |
| Ernie Tagg | |
November 1964 | October 1970 | 273 | 105 | 69 | 99 | 38.46 | |
| Tom McAnearney | |
October 1970 | July 1971 | 39 | 15 | 9 | 15 | 38.46 | |
| Dennis Viollet | |
August 1971 | November 1971 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 26.67 | |
| Jimmy Melia | |
May 1972 | December 1973 | 70 | 16 | 23 | 31 | 22.86 | |
| Ernie Tagg | |
January 1974 | December 1974 | 48 | 13 | 12 | 23 | 27.08 | |
| Harry Gregg | |
January 1975 | May 1978 | 163 | 53 | 53 | 57 | 32.52 | |
| Warwick Rimmer | |
August 1978 | May 1979 | 46 | 6 | 14 | 26 | 13.04 | |
| Tony Waddington | |
June 1979 | July 1981 | 93 | 24 | 27 | 42 | 25.81 | |
| Arfon Griffiths | |
August 1981 | October 1982 | 59 | 9 | 10 | 40 | 15.25 | |
| Peter Morris | |
November 1982 | June 1983 | 33 | 8 | 7 | 18 | 24.24 | |
| Dario Gradi3 | |
June 1983 | July 2007 | 1,241 | 464 | 476 | 301 | 37.39 | |
| Dario Gradi4 / Steve Holland5 | / |
July 2007 | November 2008 | 72 | 19 | 16 | 37 | 26.39 | |
| Dario Gradi6 | |
November 2008 | December 2008 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 37.50 | |
| Gudjon Thordarson |  |
December 2008 | October 2009 | 37 | 12 | 7 | 18 | 32.43 | |
| Dario Gradi6 | |
October 2009 | November 2011 | 110 | 38 | 23 | 49 | 34.55 | |
| Steve Davis | |
November 2011 | January 2017 | 272 | 84 | 71 | 117 | 30.88 | |
| David Artell |  |
January 2017 | April 2022 | 274 | 100 | 51 | 123 | 36.50 | |
| Alex Morris | |
April 2022 | November 2022 | 24 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 20.83 | |
| Lee Bell | |
November 2022 | present | 109 | 43 | 30 | 36 | 39.45 | |
1As secretary-manager
2A railway clerk, John Bradburn Blomerley (also among the club's first directors in 1899, and, in 1902, chairman of the Cheshire F.A.) was secretary-manager to 1911; honorary secretary to 1925
3As sole manager. Between 22 September and 17 October 2003, Gradi underwent heart surgery. Assistant manager Neil Baker took charge of the team for this period (P6, W0, D1, L5).
4As technical director
5As first team coach
6As caretaker manager
Coaching Staff
| Name | Nationality | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Lee Bell | England |
Manager |
| Ryan Dicker |  British Virgin Islands |
Assistant manager |
| Fred Barber | England |
Goalkeeping coach |
| Michael Jackson | England |
U23 manager |
| Kenny Lunt | England |
Player development manager |
| David Vaughan | Wales |
U18 manager |
| Sam Pettit | England |
U18 assistant manager |
| Aidan Callan | England |
Academy manager |
| Josh Kennard | England |
Head of recruitment |
Club Honours
Crewe Alexandra has won several important trophies and promotions:
League Promotions
- Second Division (level 3)
- Promoted (2nd place): 2002–03
- Play-off winners: 1997
- Fourth Division / Third Division / League Two (level 4)
- Promoted (2nd place): 2019–20
- Promoted (3rd place): 1962–63, 1993–94
- Promoted (4th place): 1967–68, 1988–89
- Play-off winners: 2012
Cup Wins
- Football League Trophy
- Winners: 2012–13
- Welsh Cup
- Winners: 1935–36, 1936–37
Crewe Alexandra has never won a division title. They have been runners-up twice. Their highest league finish was 11th in the second tier in 1997–98.
In major cup competitions, Crewe reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 1888. They have reached the third round of the League Cup ten times. They even took Manchester United to extra time in 2006.
Crewe has also won the Cheshire Senior Cup 22 times. Their most recent win was in 2017.
Images for kids
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1911 map showing Crewe Alexandra's first two grounds.
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Chart of Crewe Alexandra's league positions over time.
See also
In Spanish: Crewe Alexandra Football Club para niños
