Editing Crewe Alexandra F.C. (section)

===Gradi years (1983–2011)===
[[File:Gradi, Dario.jpg|thumb|Dario Gradi managed 1,359 Crewe first team games]]

In June 1983, after Crewe finished second from bottom at the end of the [[1982–83 in English football|1982–83 season]], the then club chairman [[Norman Rowlinson]] appointed [[Milan]]-born [[Dario Gradi]] as manager.<ref name="CreweChron2006">{{cite news |title=Alex saviour Rowlinson loses battle |url=http://iccheshireonline.icnetwork.co.uk/crewealexandra/news/tm_headline%3Dalex-saviour-rowlinson-loses-battle-%26method%3Dfull%26objectid%3D17609844%26siteid%3D50020-name_page.html |access-date=22 September 2022 |work=Crewe Chronicle |date=23 August 2006 |archive-date=14 July 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714092446/http://iccheshireonline.icnetwork.co.uk/crewealexandra/news/tm_headline=alex-saviour-rowlinson-loses-battle-&method=full&objectid=17609844&siteid=50020-name_page.html |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref><ref>Hornbrook, p.11.</ref> Gradi looked to build an academy structure to develop players that could be sold to help fund the player development programme.<ref>Hornbrook, p.14.</ref> Among his early transfer successes were [[Geoff Thomas (footballer, born 1964)|Geoff Thomas]] and [[John Pemberton (footballer)|John Pemberton]] (both signed from [[Rochdale F.C.|Rochdale]] and sold to [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]], in 1987 and 1988 respectively),<ref name="McGarry">{{cite news|last1=McGarry|first1=Graham|title=Dario Gradi – Crewe's longest serving manager|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/content/articles/2009/07/02/dario_tribute_feature.shtml|access-date=30 March 2017|work=BBC Radio Stoke|date=2 July 2009}}</ref><ref name="Thomas">{{cite book|last1=Thomas|first1=Geoff|title=Riding Through The Storm: My Fight Back to Fitness on the Tour de France|date=2008|publisher=Hachette|location=London}}</ref> and former [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] apprentice [[David Platt]], signed in 1985 and sold to [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] for £200,000 in February 1988.<ref>Hornbrook, p.38.</ref>

Under Gradi, and despite some Crewe fans' initial reservations,<ref>Crisp, p.9</ref> Crewe played attractive, technical football and gained a reputation for developing young talent. [[Steve Walters (footballer)|Steve Walters]] became Crewe's youngest player, aged just 16 years and 119 days when he played against [[Peterborough United F.C.|Peterborough United]] on 7 May 1988.<ref>Crisp, p.119.</ref> In 1989, Crewe won their third promotion, a 1–1 draw at [[Tranmere Rovers F.C.|Tranmere Rovers]] enough to take both teams into the Third Division.<ref>Hornbrook, pp.47–48.</ref> Meanwhile, on 7 January 1989, Crewe had hosted Aston Villa—and Platt—at Gresty Road in the FA Cup third round, taking a 2–0 lead before the visitors rallied to secure a 3–2 win,<ref>Crisp, p.120.</ref><ref>Hornbrook, pp.46.</ref> with Platt netting the winner but refusing to celebrate against his former club.<ref>Morris, p.233.</ref> A year later, on 6 January 1990, Crewe were again drawn away at Chelsea in the third round; Walters gave Crewe a first-half lead at Stamford Bridge before Chelsea equalised in the 82nd minute to force a replay which they won 2–0.<ref>Crisp, p.121.</ref><ref>Hornbrook, pp.51–52.</ref> In March 1990, Crewe defender [[Paul Edwards (footballer, born 1963)|Paul Edwards]] was sold to [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] for £350,000;<ref name="CCFPA">{{cite web |title=Members News: Its Xmas! But Congrats To Former Sky Blue Paul Edwards Whose Birthday It Is! |url=http://www.ccfpa.co.uk/?p=38320 |website=Coventry City Former Players Association |access-date=20 August 2021}}</ref> he was later named in the [[PFA Team of the Year (1990s)#Third Division|1989-1990 Third Division PFA Team of the Year]],<ref name=Lynch148>{{cite book |last=Lynch |title=The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes |page=148}}</ref> Crewe's first player to feature in the awards.

Crewe were relegated in 1991. However, despite further player sales―defender [[Rob Jones (footballer, born 1971)|Rob Jones]] joined [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] for £300,000,<ref name="LFCHistory-transfers">{{cite web |title=Transfers to or from Crewe Alexandra |url=https://www.lfchistory.net/Transfers/ByClub/134 |website=LFC History |access-date=22 March 2021}}</ref> then [[Craig Hignett]] was sold for a club record £500,000 to [[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]]<ref>Hornbrook, p.75.</ref>―the club reached the [[1993 Football League Third Division play-off Final|1993 Third Division play-off final]] but lost against York City at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]].<ref>Crisp, pp.10, 124.</ref> Crewe then gained promotion in 1994 after a final day victory at [[Chester City F.C.|Chester City]].<ref>Crisp, p.125.</ref><ref>Hornbrook, p.86.</ref> In the same year, [[Neil Lennon]] became the first Crewe player to win an international cap since Fred Keenor in 1932 when he was selected to play for [[Northern Ireland national football team|Northern Ireland]] against [[Mexico national football team|Mexico]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/leeds/content/articles/2008/01/11/sport_crewe_alexandra_feature.shtml |title=Crewe Alexandra |work=BBC Leeds |date=11 January 2008 |access-date=21 November 2013 |archive-date=25 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925070000/http://www.bbc.co.uk/leeds/content/articles/2008/01/11/sport_crewe_alexandra_feature.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> Crewe twice lost in play-off semi-finals, to [[Bristol Rovers F.C.|Bristol Rovers]] in 1995<ref>Hornbrook, pp.98.</ref> and [[Notts County F.C.|Notts County]] in 1996,<ref>Hornbrook, pp.105.</ref><ref>Crisp, pp.126, 127.</ref> then returned to Wembley in the [[1997 Football League Second Division play-off Final|1997 Division Two play-off final]], securing a 1–0 victory over [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]] to put the club back in the second tier for the first time since 1896.<ref name=p1028>Crisp, pp.10, 128.</ref>

====Second tier survival====
Crewe achieved their highest finishing position, 11th, in the [[1997–98 Crewe Alexandra F.C. season|1997–98 First Division season]].<ref name=p12/> Gradi kept his team in the division until 2002, despite a matchday income on which many more lowly clubs could not survive. Boosting the finances, notable player sales included Lennon (to [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] for £750,000),<ref>{{cite news |title=Newcastle on the verge of signing Batty |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/newcastle-on-the-verge-of-signing-batty-1320624.html |work=[[The Independent]] |date=23 February 1996 |access-date=16 April 2012 |archive-date=10 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610194628/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/newcastle-on-the-verge-of-signing-batty-1320624.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Danny Murphy (footballer, born 1977)|Danny Murphy]] (to Liverpool for an initial fee of £1.5m),<ref name="LFCHistory-transfers"/> and [[Seth Johnson (footballer)|Seth Johnson]] (to [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]] for £3m).<ref name="Burnton-28Feb2012">{{cite news |last1=Burnton |first1=Simon |title=The forgotten story of ... Seth Johnson in an England shirt |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2012/feb/28/seth-johnson-england |access-date=22 March 2021 |work=Guardian |date=28 February 2012}}</ref> Gradi celebrated his 1,000th game in charge of Crewe on 20 November 2001.<ref name="BBC-20Nov2001">{{cite news |title=Gradi's landmark |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/crewe_alexandra/1665802.stm |access-date=22 March 2021 |work=BBC Sport |date=20 November 2001}}</ref>

After one season in the [[Football League Second Division|Division Two]] the team were promoted back to Division One at the end of the [[2002–03 Crewe Alexandra F.C. season|2002–03 season]],<ref name="statto">{{cite web|title=Crewe Alexandra 2002/03|url=http://www.statto.com/football/teams/crewe-alexandra/2002-2003/results|website=Statto|access-date=14 June 2014|archive-date=16 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216141615/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/crewe-alexandra/2002-2003/results|url-status=dead}}</ref> having finished in second place—Crewe's first runner-up position—with [[Rob Hulse]] scoring 22 league goals, and being named in the [[PFA Team of the Year (2000s)|PFA Team of the Year]],<ref name="McKechnie-28Apr2003">{{cite news |last1=McKechnie |first1=David |title=Henry lands PFA award |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/apr/28/newsstory.premierleague200203 |access-date=22 March 2021 |work=Guardian |date=28 April 2003}}</ref> ahead of a £750,000 transfer to [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]].<ref name="BBC-11Jul2003">{{cite news |title=Baggies bag duo |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_bromwich_albion/3055657.stm |access-date=22 March 2021 |work=BBC Sport |date=11 July 2003}}</ref> Crewe retained their Division One place in the [[2003–04 Crewe Alexandra F.C. season|2003–04 season]], during which assistant manager Neil Baker took temporary charge between 22 September and 17 October 2003 while Gradi underwent heart surgery.<ref name="Guardian-23Sep2003">{{cite news |title=Gradi undergoes heart surgery |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/sep/23/newsstory.sport8 |access-date=22 March 2021 |work=Guardian |agency=PA |date=23 September 2003}}</ref> At the start of the [[2004–05 Crewe Alexandra F.C. season|2004–05 season]], Crewe were rated one of the teams most likely to be relegated from the newly renamed 'Championship'. In the event, they put in a good showing in the first half of the season, but after selling [[Dean Ashton]] to [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]] for £3 million in the January 2005 transfer window,<ref name="Flown">{{cite web |title=Dean Ashton |url=http://www.ex-canaries.co.uk/players/ashton.htm |website=Flown from the Nest |access-date=22 March 2021}}</ref> Crewe failed to win until the final match of the season, when they defeated [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] 2–1 to avoid relegation on [[goal difference]]. However, they were relegated to [[EFL League One|League One]] (level three) the [[2005–06 Crewe Alexandra F.C. season|following season]]. Nonetheless, Crewe were named the "Most Admired Club" in the 2006 [[EFL Awards|Football League Awards]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.crewealex.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10414~798054,00.html |title=Crewe Alexandra {{!}} News {{!}} Latest News {{!}} Latest News {{!}} Crewe Delighted With Award |date=6 March 2006 |website=www.crewealex.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com |access-date=4 July 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180405032821/http://www.crewealex.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10414~798054,00.html |archive-date=5 April 2018 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

====Stepping back====
By the summer of 2007, Gradi was the [[List of football managers with most games|longest-serving manager]] in English league football, having completed 24 years in sole charge of the club. Crewe announced that, from 1 July 2007, Gradi would take up a new role as the club's technical director while gradually allowing newly appointed first-team coach [[Steve Holland (footballer)|Steve Holland]] control of the team.<ref name="Rostance-21Apr2007">{{cite news |last1=Rostance |first1=Tom |title=Gradi gets new role after 24 years |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2007/apr/21/newsstory.crewe |access-date=22 March 2021 |work=Guardian |date=21 April 2007}}</ref> Holland's first season was a disappointment as the club narrowly avoided relegation, finishing 20th with 50 points.<ref>{{cite news|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080406153716/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_2/table/default.stm|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_2/table/default.stm|title=Coca-Cola Football League One: Table|work=BBC News|archive-date=6 April 2008|access-date=10 June 2013}}</ref> Ahead of his second season, he spent half a million pounds on new signings, while striker [[Nicky Maynard]] joined [[Bristol City F.C.|Bristol City]] for £2.25 million.<ref name="BBC-31Jul2008">{{cite news |title=Bristol City clinch Maynard deal |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bristol_city/7533626.stm |access-date=22 March 2021 |work=BBC Sport |date=31 July 2008}}</ref> However, despite a positive pre-season, Crewe took only nine points from their first 16 games. The board sacked Holland as first team coach in November 2008, and re-appointed Gradi as [[caretaker manager]].<ref name="Times-18Nov2008">{{cite news |title=Crewe Alexandra sack manager Steve Holland |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/crewe-alexandra-sack-manager-steve-holland-w8gvz8vk2xn |access-date=22 March 2021 |work=Times |date=18 November 2008}}</ref>

On 24 December 2008, former Stoke City manager [[Guðjón Þórðarson|Gudjon Thordarson]] was appointed as Holland's successor.<ref name="Guardian-24Dec2008">{{cite news |title=Thordarson confirmed as new Crewe manager |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/dec/24/crewealexandra |access-date=23 March 2021 |work=Guardian |date=24 December 2008}}</ref> He made a promising start, and received the February 2009 [[EFL League One Manager of the Month|Manager of the Month]] award (the first Crewe manager to win the award),<ref name="Thordarson">{{Cite news|date=6 March 2009|title=Thordarson pays tribute to squad|work=BBC Sport|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/crewe_alexandra/7928449.stm|access-date=18 May 2009}}</ref> but the team suffered a poor end-of-season run, not winning for 10 games, and were relegated to [[EFL League Two|League Two]]. On 2 October 2009, after nine months in charge and another poor run of results, Thordarson was sacked,<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/crewe_alexandra/8286658.stm Thordarson sacked as Crewe boss] BBC Sport; 2 October 2009</ref> and Gradi was reinstated as caretaker manager. Despite lingering close to the playoff places for the majority of the season, another run of poor form saw the club finish 18th. Crewe improved to 10th in the [[2010–11 Crewe Alexandra F.C. season|2010–11 season]], during which Gradi won the January 2011 Manager of the Month.<ref name="LMA2011">{{cite web |title=Manager of the Month 2010-2011 |url=https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/manager-of-the-month/league-two/?season=2010 |website=League Managers Association |access-date=3 November 2021 |archive-date=3 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211103113556/https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/manager-of-the-month/league-two/?season=2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In November 2011, Gradi finally stepped down as manager and returned to his previous role as director of football focusing on youth development.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15675372.stm Dario Gradi steps down as Crewe Alexandra manager] BBC Sport; 10 October 2011</ref>