The Opponent: Crewe Alexandra
After another encouraging away performance on Tuesday night, its back to the County Ground for more of the same. What I found quite pleasing, aside from the performance and the never say die attitude, was the amount of Pikey fans on Social Media that actually complemented our style of play, some predicting great things this season for their feared rivals from Wiltshire. Its all encouraging at the moment, perhaps the Town End may even manage a song or two today?
Crewe first developed in the 1830s when the Grand Junction Railway opened a station in a rural district of Cheshire and choose the site for its locomotive works. The settlement grew rapidly beside the bustling railway station and Joseph Lock, the GJR's chief engineer, helped lay out the new town. The company provided the town with many amenities, including Christ Church, Victoria Park, a gas works, public baths and most importantly, a cheese market. However, the dominance of the railway industry meant that Crewe suffered badly during recessions. Although the locomotive works has lost its importance, Crewe Station is still one of the largest in the north-west and a major interchange on the West Coast Main Line. One attraction of the town is its magnificent Lyceum Theatre, a fine Edwardian building which has undergone major refurbishment with the auditorium being restored to its original splendour. On the outskirts of the town is Crewe Hall, a rather splendid Jacobean mansion built for Sir Ranulph Crewe in 1615. Extensions to the Hall were added in the 18th century and following a fire in 1866 which almost destroyed the building, it was repaired and reoccupied in 1870. The Hall is now a luxury hotel and restaurant.
Last Time Out Tuesday 19th August: Crewe 2 Rochdale 5 Att: 3742. Emergency striker Matt Done scored a 30 minute hat trick to leave Crewe pointless and -5 Goal difference after 3 games in League 1.
Starting XI
Garratt, Ray, Dugdale, Tootle, Leigh, Grant (Atkinson), Haber, Waters, Molyneux (Oliver), Ness, TurtonThey have served us both Peter Abbott, Ashley Westwood, Jimmy Thompson, Gareth Whalley, Tommy Armstrong, Billy Bodin, Peter Coyne, Keith East, Tony Grant, Anthony McNamee, Teddy Ware, Gary Roberts, Alan Navarro, Frank Handley, Paul Edwards, Liam Dixon, Marlon Broomes, Fred Chandler, Alex Downie, Patrick Noubissi, Greedy Bastard Alan Sheehan, Maurice Lindley, Mark Gardiner, Tommy Weale.
One From The Past August 6th 2011 - Swindon Town 3 Crewe Alexandra 0 Att: 8248. A little over 3 years ago we gathered to witness (well most of us) the beginning of the turbulent reign of Paolo Di Canio. It all started well, a comfortable 3-0 home win with goals on the day from Callum Kennedy (pen), Oliver Risser and Aden Flint. Looking down the team sheet, out of the starting 11 and six substitutes, none of them are now at the club. Starting for Crewe that day was Nick Powell, one of many future stars off the Crewe and Dario Gradi production line.
The Odds Swindon 8/11 Draw 12/5 Crewe 4/1 Fancy a game with goals? We do have the ability to leak a few it must be said. 30/1 at Ladbrokes for a 3-2 home victory.
The Son Says Todays prediction came via something called Facetime. Dont ask. A comfortable 2-0 is expected.
The Prediction I remain rather positive with the start we made to the season and I hope I remain as positive in January when the pitches have cut up and our passing game is not quite what it is now, much like last season. 3-0 win here, 2 goals from a rejuvenated Andy Williams and a Turnbull header sending the majority of the 6912 home happy. 123 from Cheshire.
And Finally In the late 1930s Rolls-Royce opened their factory to produce Merlin aircraft engines for the RAF, this factory later became the production centre for Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars. Over the years ownership changed several times and today the factory is owned by Volkswagen Group and only builds Bentley's, the Rolls-Royce brand name having been bought by BMW who built a new factory in southern England.