Crewe Alexandra

Crewe Alexandra was formed in August 1877 as the football arm of a cricket club named after Princess Alexandra, and is nicknamed the Railwaymen after the town's works. It reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 1888 and was a founder member of the Football League Second Division in 1892. Under Dario Gradi, manager for 24 years from 1983, the club built a reputation for developing young players and reached the second tier for the first time in 1997.