First time poster on here...

[BobScottsFurCoat]

Long-time viewer. I have to be honest that after reading some of the posts over the last few months, it’s important to chip in even if people do not agree. Firstly, that ties in nicely with what I have to say first. There is too much vitriol on here, some of it bordering on cyber-bullying. As well as being mercilessly slaughtered, some of the pro current Alex regime have had their own credibility being questioned (I forget who it was but they were accused of being a wind-up merchant/fake account to drum up traffic). Just who do people think they are to suggest that based on no evidence at all?

Just to make things clear, I’m definitely not in the pro Davis camp. I’ve been supporting the Alex for 30 years and this is by far the worst Crewe team I’ve ever seen. They look unfit, afraid to receive the ball, devoid of ideas & innovation, bereft of confidence and, to the horror of every Alex fan who was lucky enough to grow up watching the best of the Gradi era, they seem unable to kick a

[Timmy58]

Long-time viewer. I have to be honest that after reading some of the posts over the last few months, it’s important to chip in even if people do not agree. Firstly, that ties in nicely with what I have to say first. There is too much vitriol on here, some of it bordering on cyber-bullying. As well as being mercilessly slaughtered, some of the pro current Alex regime have had their own credibility being questioned (I forget who it was but they were accused of being a wind-up merchant/fake account to drum up traffic). Just who do people think they are to suggest that based on no evidence at all?

It was me who was thought to be a wind up merchant. I am not, of course but I couldn't care less what people think of me. I have been supporting the Alex for 40 odd years, and this team is poor but not as bad as some of the teams pre Dario. I also think Bowler is a decent chairman and he is not the problem regarding the board. Far fr

[AlexLeicester]

So a little erudition settles gently on this Site. Thank you BobScottsFurCoat.
I may disagree with some of your points, but you make them very well indeed. Welcome aboard and I hope you are not put off by the single-themed lack of imagination, inability to write intelligibly, and general 'we're doomed, doomed' approach. Whilst many comments and posts have become polemical, there's still room for well thought out musings.

[Furberstreet]

Welcome! I agree that we were watching worse Crewe sides at times before Dario. I am not convinced that Davis should stay. There is a real need for fundamental change at the club and, while that is unlikely to arise in the short-term, a change of manager (even if promoted from inside) will surely bring some changes, however minor, which may improve the first team. Davis continues to spout the same platitudes and make the same curious positional selections and ill-timed substitutions (though Dario was also guilty of the latter).

[BobScottsFurCoat]

Thank you. Timmy, you make a good point about not changing for the sake of it and you are probably right given the lack of viable alternatives. However, the heart says he has to go after the shambles at Vale Park. Also the '18 points better off' comment was embarrassing and has made things harder for himself, if anything. I think people would have a little more respect for Davis and the club as a whole if there was more transparency.

Next season it would be good to see the club take the initiative both in terms of playing the kids (its what we're all about) and getting people through the gate. Crewe & Nantwich as a whole is a big place so there's no excuse for not getting 5-6,000 through the gate with a little imagination. Regarding worse Crewe teams than this: I can't speak for anything pre-1985 although my Dad is the man for that. Its a subject I don't approach unless he has a drink in his hand but in fairness at least the guys in those days could generally play - now its just an

[MikeSB]

. Regarding worse Crewe teams than this: I can't speak for anything pre-1985 although my Dad is the man for that. Its a subject I don't approach unless he has a drink in his hand but in fairness at least the guys in those days could generally play - now its just an athlete's game with the standard of football rapidly going downhill.

I think that is a good point that some fans don't realize. ie to get into the teams in those days, you were not signed by anyone unless you could play decent football and contribute to the team and physical attributes were not really a consideration as most players by then were young men, rather than boys so to speak. Some may argue the academy system allows for many to drop out year on year for various reasons but you are stuck with the ones who do make it through even though as we see ourselves, they find it difficult to play against teams that do have more seasoned professions and especiall

[OgerAlex]

Some interesting points on the thread but I think the club could be facing serious problems unless action is taken on the management front. Whilst appreciating there are obviously 'things going on behind the scenes', ie trying to remove the cancer at the heart of the club, the majority shareholder, it is completely apparent that Davis just cannot be kept on in his current position. If he cannot instil the basics into the side of at least trying to compete, then there is no future for him - is it 9 wins in 63 games now??, lets just look at that again, 9 wins in 63. that is shocking. Awful. The standard of football has also been largely terrible. Just no excitement, flamboyance, verve, entertainment.
If Davis is in charge come August I really do fear for the income generated through the turnstiles. It'll nosedive. New blood needs to be brought in to have the summer building, preparing for an extremely tough league.
Also, I'll admit to calling Timmy58 a wind up merchant, not as a pers

[Timmy58]

Is that not the very essence of being a football supporter? You support your club through thick and thin. Good and bad, dire and brilliant. Goes with the title. Of course people are perfectly at liberty to decline to renew their season tickets, indeed expense is a driver for some without doubt. But to say you are doing it because the manager is who he is suggests to me that support is there when we are successful. The prospect of turning to another club is not an option to a genuine club supporter. And no, I am not winding anyone up. I want success for the club as much as anyone but I don't necessarily see the first port of call to remove the manager and replace him with................
Get everything sorted behind the scenes and then we look at how we are doing and any decision has to be made after careful consideration. And if the manager is to be changed then some plan needs to be in place moving forward. Rightly or wrongly, it seems to me there is a feeling amongst a few that anyo

[Nexus_6_Replicant]

I think that is a good point that some fans don't realize. ie to get into the teams in those days, you were not signed by anyone unless you could play decent football and contribute to the team and physical attributes were not really a consideration as most players by then were young men, rather than boys so to speak.

Well, that's not a good point. Here's a thing that you "don't realize" dear Mike, no matter how obvious it should be you seem to be deliberately oblivious to it - you only get in to the Academy by displaying talent in the first place. Athleticism is obviously going to be a major bonus in today's game, but then why shouldn't it be a consideration? Football is not snooker or darts, it IS an athletic sport. Seems odd that you then go on to suggest our lads aren't strong enough whilst simultaneously decrying the presence of athleticism in football. But then we've been here before with you - a thousand times or so before (that's probably not much of an exagg

[AstonAlex]

How good to see an intelligent debate started (and continued) on this site. Two points if I may.

Firstly, I do not believe that Steve Davis has become a poor manager overnight, just the wrong manager for this time and place. We are and will remain grateful for the way he turned the team around during the promotion season and the following season when we (finally) won a bit of silverware that wasn't the Bobby Moore Fair Play Award! And playing good football to watch during both seasons. However, since then things have gradually declined until the we have reached the current nadir of dull, error-strewn football with individual mistakes a-plenty and precious few chances created. Everyone moans about Marcus Haber, but how many chances are being created for him and his colleagues to miss? Not enough. Furthermore, most of the current players associate Steve with defensive displays and failure and would surely welcome a new man (or a man from within), with new and consistent ideas a

[bigroof]

Obviously Steve Davis hadn't planned the season this way, but sometimes, that's just what happens. It only takes a couple of things to go wrong for confidence to be sapped, and abilities doubted. As AstonAlex points out, the majority of this group of players have known very little success at all with the first team, under his management. It becomes a vicious circle. In such circumstances, however much Steve may believe he can turn it round, it can become ever more difficult. It bothers me that much of what we hear from him is all about 'battling', and 'fighting'? What about football? Even in the absence of a properly qualified replacement for Andy Franks, Steve is talking about taking on the role himself, and, of course, promising that it will 'tough', when that isn't necessarily what each player needs in pre-season, beyond an acceptable degree of rigour.

What has been a further disappointment this season, has been the vilification - not by all of course - of James Collins; sort of

[AstonAlex]

Interesting list of possible managers there, bigroof. I guess that Westwood is being successful in Bengaluru as he has now been there for more than 2 years and the Indian League isn't noted for its patience with managers! I suppose that Marcus Bignot has a similar record to Steve when he first joined us, albeit in a higher league but with one of the wealthier clubs in that division. For me, either would be a good bet, but I suspect that, in the unlikely event of Steve being replaced, that James Collins will get the job - and probably with Neil Baker providing support in the short term. That might garner support from those who believe we have too many managers as well!!!