Crewe Alexandra F.C.

Crewe Alexandra F.C.

Crewe Alexandra Football Club (/ˈkruː ælɨɡˈzændrə/ or /-ˈzɑːn-/) is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they play in Football League One, the third tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.

The club was formed in 1877 and reputedly named after Princess Alexandra, though some suggest they are named after The Princess public house in which the club was formed. They were founding members of the Second Division in 1892, but only lasted four years in the Football League. Since re-entering the competition in 1921 they have mostly remained in the lower divisions and have no major honours or league titles to their name. They have, however, won several minor trophies, including the Cheshire Premier Cup and the Cheshire Senior Cup.

In recent decades the club has been associated with manager Dario Gradi, whose 24-year tenure between 1983 and 2007 made him at that time the longest-serving manager in English football; he had a further two-year spell in the role from 2009 to 2011. Gradi is known for focusing on youth development and promoting attractive, technical football. Notable players brought through the Crewe youth system include former internationals Rob Jones, Neil Lennon, Danny Murphy, Seth Johnson and Dean Ashton. Other notable players to have made their name at Crewe in that time include Geoff Thomas, David Platt and Robbie Savage.

Crewe have rivalries with the two teams of nearby Stoke-on-Trent: Stoke City, who play in the Premier League, and League Two side Port Vale.