Alexandra Stadium
Vicky Andrews
Crewe’s Alexandra Stadium has a long and illustrious history. Nicknamed The Railwaymen because of the town’s links with the rail industry, Crewe Alexandra FC was founded in 1887 and have played at Gresty Road since 1906, having earlier moved from their first home at the nearby Alexandra Recreation Ground.
For most people the team will always be associated with Gresty Road, but the ground is officially known as the Alexandra Stadium. It’s very much an ‘English style’ stadium, with capacity of around 10,000, a stand on each side of the pitch and a hospitality section that sells traditional soccer scran like burgers, hot dogs and Chase Farm Pies.
Crewe Alexandra boast some of the cheapest tickets in the league although the ticketing structure can be a little tricky to understand. If you want tickets for a live game then your best bet is to check the website, call the club over the phone or pop into the ticket office. The Gresty Road end offers the best atmosphere on matchday, but away supporters usually end up in the Whitby Morrison Stand.
Crewe have had local derbies with the likes of Chester, Wrexham, Tranmere and Macclesfield over the years, but a match against Staffordshire-based Port Vale is always guaranteed to have the most dramatic atmosphere. The rivalry is known by some as the A500 Derby and just 10 miles separates the two clubs, despite being in different counties.
Visiting supporters are welcome pre-match in the Alexandra Suite, which opens from 12noon for Saturday fixtures and 5:30pm for evening games. There are plenty of pubs within walking distance of the ground and a couple of excellent hotels nearby, including The Waverley. For a real flavour of Crewe on match day, head to Benny’s Fish & Chips opposite the ground; the home made spicy curry sauce is in a league of its own.
