Source: FOOTYMAD
The S24 Preview: Southend United v Crewe Alexandra
The Shrimpers welcome the free-scoring Railwaymen to Roots Hall on Saturday, October 16th, kick-off 15.00, in what should be an entertaining game, 0-0 then! v SHRIMPERSNot sure if I should be wearing black as I write this with T&B going to Lincoln of all places but the King is dead and all that and we need three points against the free-scoring Railwaymen of Crewe, you can get 12-1 on a goalless draw I hear! Anyway, the present Blues boss Paul Sturrock has no new injury or suspension problems.Defenders Mark Phillips and Luke Prosser both having had a run in the reserves in midweek as centre-back Bilel Mohsni will be unavailable as he serves the second game of a three-match suspension. However, Graham Coughlan should grab another chance after looking good at Chesterfield.Strikers Barry Corr and Blair Sturrock continue to be unavailable with injury allowing Doncaster loanee Waide Fairhurst to make his home debut. Midfielder Michael Timlin was set to play the final game of his loan spell from Swindon, but with Craig Easton still struggling with injury expect a deal for a further month at least. In-form Granty, subject to some interest from Championship clubs, is very close to a match ban and it could happen here!Possible Southend United: Morris, Gilbert, Barker, Cloughlan, Clohessy, Simpson, Grant, Timlin, Soares, Fairhurst, Paterson.Subs: Evans, Prosser, Phillips, Hall, Zaaboub, Crawford, Jarvis. COME ON YOU BLUES!!!!!OPPOSITIONRailwaymen boss Dario Gradi, he's been there in various positions since 1983 folks, will include Shrimpers target Calvin Zola and goalkeeper Steve Phillips.Striker Zola seems to be wanted by every club in League Two, Shrewsbury seemed favourites earlier in the week, but can't get them to cough up the dosh he wants so expect an appearance from the bench if things are not going right for the Alex.Shot stopper Phillips has not appeared this season following summer surgery on his shoulder, and will be a sub to present No.1 Rhys Taylor.Teenage striker Nick Powell, who came on in last weekend's 3-3 home draw with Torquay as a second-half substitute, is not available as he is on England Under-17 duty. Defender Carl Martin remains a long-term absentee with a shin problem.Couldn't get much closer re the league table; +8 and 15th, blimey!11Oxford United 11213751404235311714+412Burton Albion 1132110603246353141214+213Stevenage 111316622275353131114+214Southend United 112127821376425141414015Crewe Alexandra 112311560411011272251713+816Gillingham 1132163023914344151713-217Morecambe 1114168203611344121913-7Player to Watch: Ashley WestwoodTheir Granty, grabs goals from midfield, playing very well at the moment.Read about him here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashley_Westwood_(footballer_born_1990)The Last Two league games: For 8 Against 8!Crewe Alexandra 3 Torquay United 3:www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/Football-Crewe-3-Torquay-3/article-2741029-detail/article.htmlChesterfield 5 Crewe Alexandra 5:www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/MATCH-REPORT-CHESTERFIELD-5-CREWE-5/article-2714530-detail/article.htmlPREVIOUSLYAt Southend Utd. (15)At Crewe Alex. (15)ResultsTotal%ResultsTotal%Southend Utd.960.00Crewe Alex.426.67Crewe Alex.320.00Southend Utd.853.33Draws320.00Draws320.00GoalsTotalAv.pgGoalsTotalAv.pgSouthend Utd.251.67Crewe Alex.191.27Crewe Alex.110.73Southend Utd.251.67On Neutral Ground (0)Overall (30 matches)ResultsTotal%ResultsTotal%Southend Utd.00.00Southend Utd.1756.67Crewe Alex.00.00Crewe Alex.723.33Draws00.00Draws620.00GoalsTotalAv.pgGoalsTotalAv.pgSouthend Utd.00.00Southend Utd.501.67Crewe Alex.00.00Crewe Alex.301.00RecordsHighest Aggregate8Crewe Alex. 5 - 3Southend Utd.1969/1970 Highest Southend Utd. score:4Southend Utd. 4 - 1Crewe Alex.1971/1972 Highest Crewe Alex. score:5Crewe Alex. 5 - 3Southend Utd.1969/1970 SeasonDateHomeScoreAwayCompetition 2008/2009Tue 17 FebSouthend Utd.0 - 1Crewe Alex.League One Sat 20 SepCrewe Alex.3 - 4Southend Utd.League One 2007/2008Sat 05 AprCrewe Alex.1 - 3Southend Utd.League One Sat 13 OctSouthend Utd.3 - 0Crewe Alex.League One 1990/1991Sat 12 JanCrewe Alex.0 - 2Southend Utd.Third Division Sat 01 SepSouthend Utd.3 - 2Crewe Alex.Third Division 1986/1987Fri 13 MarCrewe Alex.2 - 1Southend Utd.Fourth Division Sat 18 OctSouthend Utd.3 - 1Crewe Alex.Fourth Division 1985/1986Sat 18 JanSouthend Utd.0 - 1Crewe Alex.Fourth Division Sat 17 AugCrewe Alex.1 - 1Southend Utd.Fourth Division 1984/1985Sat 08 DecSouthend Utd.3 - 1Crewe Alex.Fourth Division Tue 02 OctCrewe Alex.0 - 2Southend Utd.Fourth Division 1980/1981Fri 27 MarSouthend Utd.3 - 0Crewe Alex.Fourth Division Wed 29 OctCrewe Alex.1 - 1Southend Utd.Fourth Division 1977/1978Wed 01 FebCrewe Alex.0 - 1Southend Utd.Fourth Division Fri 26 AugSouthend Utd.1 - 0Crewe Alex.Fourth Division 1976/1977Sat 15 JanSouthend Utd.1 - 0Crewe Alex.Fourth Division Wed 25 AugCrewe Alex.1 - 1Southend Utd.Fourth Division 1971/1972Mon 13 MarSouthend Utd.4 - 1Crewe Alex.Fourth Division Sat 15 JanCrewe Alex.1 - 2Southend Utd.Fourth Division 1970/1971Sat 17 AprCrewe Alex.1 - 2Southend Utd.Fourth Division Fri 09 OctSouthend Utd.0 - 2Crewe Alex.Fourth Division 1969/1970Tue 27 JanCrewe Alex.5 - 3Southend Utd.Fourth Division Sat 30 AugSouthend Utd.2 - 0Crewe Alex.Fourth Division 1967/1968Fri 26 AprSouthend Utd.0 - 0Crewe Alex.Fourth Division Sat 02 DecCrewe Alex.1 - 0Southend Utd.Fourth Division 1966/1967Fri 17 MarSouthend Utd.1 - 1Crewe Alex.Fourth Division Sat 22 OctCrewe Alex.1 - 0Southend Utd.Fourth Division 1963/1964Fri 14 FebCrewe Alex.1 - 2Southend Utd.Third Division Sat 05 OctSouthend Utd.1 - 1Crewe Alex.Third Division REFThe man in the middle is Andy Woolmer from Northampton. He was the ref who ridiculously sent off ex-captain Adam Barrett in last season's 2-2 draw with Carlisle, while on his first time in charge at Roots Hall he sent little Darryl off just before half-time against Boston way back when and on came Tes the Cat, and we still won!He gives an interview here: www.refworld.com/referee/162/1/andy-woolmerHis assistants are Darren Bluden and Neil Hair. Fourth Official; John Hopkins.FIXTURES League TwoSaturday, October 16th; (all kick-offs 15.00): Accrington Stanley v Rotherham, Aldershot v Morecambe, Bradford v Cheltenham, Macclesfield v Oxford Utd, Northampton v Hereford, Port Vale v Gillingham, Shrewsbury v Lincoln City, Southend v Crewe, Stevenage v Burton Albion, Stockport v Barnet, Torquay v Bury, Wycombe v Chesterfield.BETSouthend (to win) - 13/10, Draw - 12/5, Crewe (to win) - 9/4. Fancy the Shrimpers for 4-3.........200-1 with bwin!For all the footy odds go here: www.oddschecker.com/football/english/league-two/HISTORYCrewe are nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's historical links with the rail industry.The club was formed in 1877 and reputedly named after Princess Alexandra (some suggest that the decision to form the club was actually taken in a pub named after the Princess and the club was named after the pub). 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 to their name.In June 1983, Crewe appointed Milan-born Dario Gradi as manager. At that time, Crewe had again just avoided being voted out of the Football League. Gradi quickly gained a reputation for developing young talent, allowing Steve Walters to become the youngest ever player to pull on a Crewe shirt: aged just 16 years and 119 days he played against Peterborough United on 6 May. Gradi's efforts paid off in 1989 when Crewe won promotion to the Third Division. They went back down two years later, but were promoted again in 1994. In the same year, Neil Lennon became the first Crewe Alexandra player to gain an International cap for 60 years when he was selected to play for Northern Ireland against Mexico. Gradi then led his charges to the unprecedented height of Division One in 1997, after victory over Brentford in the Division Two playoff final, and kept his team there until 2002, despite a club income on which many more lowly clubs could not survive.As of the summer of 2007, Gradi was the longest serving manager in English league football; he celebrated his 1,000th game in charge of Crewe on 20 November 2001 - an away fixture at Carrow Road, the home of Norwich City F.C., and completed 24 years in sole charge of the club. During Gradi's control, the club gained a strong reputation for its youth policy, and gained official status as an FA Youth Academy. By concentrating on developing its own players the club remained profitable (a rare thing in lower division football at the time) by selling them on after they have gained experience with Crewe. The Academy is known to stress technical excellence, which accords with Gradi's aim to have his sides play attractive, passing football.On 24 December 2008 the Icelandic former manager of local rivals Stoke City, Gudjon Thordarson, became the boss with Gradi taking a backseat role, but after a good start the team then went on a poor end-of-season run, in which they did not win for 10 games, and were relegated back down to League Two. On 2 October 2009, after only nine months in charge, Thordarson was sacked as Crewe manager after a run of poor results. Dario Gradi was reinstated as caretaker manager in time for the following day's match against Rotherham. With the club on course to finish in a relatively safe mid-table position, despite lingering close to the playoff places for the majority of the season, a later run of poor form saw the team booed due to the dissatisfaction of their own fans. The season ended with the club in 18th place, only five places above the relegation zone. Gradi responded to this disappointment by refusing to take the team on a pre-season tour, as with last year, stating that he "doesn't want to reward the players for what happened this season". (For a more comprehensive history of the club, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crewe_Alexandra_F.C.)
