Crewe Alexandra

Like so many others, this football club grew, in 1877, out of a local cricket club which had been named for Alexandra, then the Princess of Wales. Why they made this particular choice is apparently lost in the mists of history.

Since then, the Alex has spent 88 seasons in the third or fourth tier and just 12 in the second, now called the Championship – and none since 2006.

One interesting highlight occurred in 1960, when they drew Tottenham – then a league giant – in the FA Cup. They set their home attendance record of around 20,000, who saw a 2-2 draw that earned them a replay at White Hart Lane. That one ended in the club’s record defeat, 13-2.

A major figure in their history is an Italian manager named Dario Gradi, who was hired in 1983 spent 24 seasons at the helm – plus a couple of caretsaker gigs later. It was he who developed the academy that gave the club its reputation for developing young players, including several who earned caps for England. On a few occasions, with their league status secure towards the end of the season, the club would even start teams of 11 academy graduates.

Between the income from selling those players and Gradi’s commitment to expansive football, Crewe punched above their weight for years, including their highest-ever league finish, 11th in the second tier in 1998. They added a League Trophy in 2013.

It fell apart, though, on and off the pitch. In 2016, a sex abuse scandal broke involving a former Crewe youth coach. He was eventually jailed, several of the victims sued the club, and the fallout resulted in the club’s chairman resigning.

On the pitch, Crewe are back in League Two

2023–24 SEASON: 6th in League Two (lost in playoff final), 2nd Round FA Cup, 2nd Round League Cup

2024–25 SEASON: League Two (Relegated in 2019)

Local rivals Stoke City and, especially, Port Vale. They are both in higher leagues, so in League Two the closest foes are Tranmere Rovers.

Crewe Alexandra LFC compete in the North West Women’s Regional Football League, tier 5. Home games are at Cumberland Arena in Crewe. See the club’s website for fixture information.

They claim to have started the tradition of singing “Blue Moon,” now mostly associated with Manchester City. 

Gresty Road is officially known as the Mornflake Stadium, in a sponsorship deal with a breakfast cereal maker also on Gresty Road. They’ve been the shirt sponsor for nearly 20 years. It’s been their home since 1906, but the current structures all date to the 1990s. It holds around 10,000 people, but 7,000 of those seats are in the Main Stand. The other three are small, covered all-seaters.

The away fans are across from the Main Stand in the wonderfully named Ice Cream Van Stand.

TOURS: None

GETTING THERE: If you’ve been on a train from London to either Manchester or Liverpool, you’ve been through Crewe. It’s about two hours from London and 30 minutes from either of the other two. The ground is about a 10-minute walk from the station. Here’s a Google Maps link.

PUBS: Along the walk from the station, look for the Cheshire Inn and the Royal Hotel’s Corner Bar, each of which may require a home-section ticket to get in. (The Royal Hotel was closed for works at press time.) There’s also a supporters’ bar at the ground. Closer to the station is the Brocklebank, which is popular with away fans.

GRUB: Also along the main walk, both Passage to India and Giovanni’s looked good. The local chippie is called tjs, right across from the Royal Hotel. Benny’s also had a long line on my visit.

AROUND TOWN:

I’m going to be honest: Crewe doesn’t offer much to the visitor who doesn’t like trains. For those who do, the Crewe Heritage Center should definitely be part of your plans. It’s only open on weekends, which also works with football of course. The then-village became a hub for the Grand Junction Railway in the 1830s, and that business has dominated town life ever since.

The center has steam trains, super-fast trains, kiddie trains, miniature trains, signal boxes, exhibitions, and basically everything a train lover would need to fill a couple of hours before she or he wanders down the road for some fish, a pint, and a game of League Two football. See crewehc.co.uk for more.