200 Crewe Alexandra supporters packed into the Signals lounge last night in the latest of the Fans Forum meetings.
Chairman John Bowler opened the meeting at 7.30 p.m. by acknowledging that it had been a challenging few months since Dean Ashton was sold to Norwich. He elaborated by confirming that the club was in good financial state and the board of directors, who were football fans first and foremost, would do everything possible to maintain our stay in the Championship.
Mr Bowler said that in the run up to the critical last game against Coventry, the club had received hundreds of messages of support and good wishes.
This web site can bear testament to that as our message board shows – indeed the most poignant are those from fans of the three clubs being relegated. We all wish those clubs every success and good fortune for next season. We at Crewe know all too well the pain of going down!
Mr Bowler explained that effort was needed to increase ticket sales and one possible answer is to designate a small area of the main stand to away family supporters. The players wage structure is also under review and funds are available within the bounds of commercial realism
Several initiatives regarding next season ticket prices were in the pipeline - hopefully rewarding loyal supporters whilst encouraging casual fans to become regulars.
Manager Dario Gradi the fielded many of the fans questions most of whom were justifiably frustrated by slipping from 8th in the league to the relegation zone in a few short weeks. Dario explained that every effort was made to find a new striker but no suitable replacement for Ashton could be found and the net is now being cast further afield and bringing someone in from overseas may be the answer. Dario also told me that he thought our finest hour was aginst Leeds on New Years Day.
Questions relating to the retained list were difficult as the players have not been consulted yet, but reading between the lines, it would appear that Clayton Ince might offered a new contract.
Steve Foster has indicated that he would like to move soon purely for financial reasons and Dario fully expects David Vaughan to be sold sooner rather than later. Captain Kenny Lunt could also be leaving in the near future
Dario informed to audience that the juniors were doing well and fully expected several youngsters to make the first team. He also said that Manchester United had approached the club with a view to taking one or more of their youngsters on a year’s loan spell.
The manager surprised the fans by announcing that with Colin Murdock and Darren Moss in the side, no further interest would be shown in Jon Otsemebor.
There were many questions from the floor – all made in good spirit which over the next two hours or so were answered sensibly and frankly by Dario and the Chairman but arguably the best question came from Dario himself.
"What other club of our size should be our role model?"
It was pin drop time. The fans suddenly realised that the Crewe Alexandra was the role model and many clubs were aspiring to our standards of football and fair play.