Swindon look to turn their recent form around away to Crewe Alexandra, as they look to push towards a positive second half of the 23/24 season.
Crewe have enjoyed a lot of success recently in the League Two with the side winning in their last two games against Bradford City and Mansfield Town.
Due to this, Alex has put themselves in a positive position ahead of this weekend's league fixture, with the new additions of Dawson Devoy, Jack Bycroft and Paul Glatzel looking to give Town a lift.
A lowdown on the visitors
Initially formed in 1877 as the football division of Crewe Alexandra Cricket Club, The Alex were a founding member of the Football League Second Division and spent the majority of the 20th century yo-yo-ing between Divisions 3 and 4, as they were, before winning a historic promotion to Division One (now the Championship) under Dario Gradi in 1998.
Since then, the Railwaymen have played their football in Leagues One and Two for the most part, as well as two successive Championship seasons, from 2004-2006.
Despite consecutive League One seasons between 2020-2022, Crewe has, in recent years, predominantly been a League Two side, with six of their last eight campaigns spent in English football’s fourth tier.
Memorable Game:
16th January 2016 – Swindon Town 4-3 Crewe Alexandra (League One)
Nicky Ajose scored in the 91st minute to secure a dramatic 4-3 victory for Swindon over Crewe.
The striker put the home side in front before a Brad Inman brace and Ryan Colclough's effort gave Crewe a commanding lead in the first half.
However, the Robins retaliated through Jon Obika and an own goal from Semi Ajayi before Ajose pounced in second-half stoppage time to claim all three points for the hosts.
Swindon took the lead in the 14th minute, as Ajose steered home Brad Barry's cross. Crewe were gifted an equaliser six minutes later, however, when Jordan Turnbull's soft header played in Inman, who slotted beyond Lawrence Vigouroux.
The visitors edged in front in the 27th minute. Anton Rodgers handed possession away in midfield and Colclough beat Vigouroux to his bottom-left corner.A third goal followed for Alex before the interval.
Turnbull slipped down the hosts' left, allowing Marcus Haber to gallop 50 yards and centre for an unmarked Inman to tap home, Swindon pulled a goal back three minutes into the second half, as Obika nodded in Fabien Robert's cross, and then levelled in the 52nd minute when Ajayi put through his net from Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill's cross.
Then, in stoppage time, Ajose tapped in from close range when Ben Garratt spilt Yaser Kasim's shot to send the home crowd into raptures.
Head-to-head
23/24: Swindon Town 2-2 Crewe Alexandra
22/23: Crewe Alexandra 2-1 Swindon Town
22/23: Swindon Town 0-1 Crewe Alexandra
21/22: Crewe Alexandra 0-3 Swindon Town
20/21: Swindon Town 2-1 Crewe Alexandra
Manager: Lee Bell
Bell, a product of the Crewe Alexandra academy, enjoyed a 13-year EFL playing career before management, with stints at Shrewsbury Town, Burton Albion, Mansfield Town and Macclesfield Town.
Upon his retirement in 2015, Bell returned to his boyhood club Crewe, as under-18s coach - and was soon promoted to under-18s manager - a position he held for more than five years, before another reshuffle.
In March 2022, Bell was promoted to under-23s manager for just a month, before being appointed as assistant manager to then-manager Alex Morris. His impressive journey through the coaching ranks of The Alex was completed a matter of months later, when the 40-year-old took over from Morris on an interim basis - before being given the job permanently at the beginning of December 2022.
Player to Watch: Courtney Baker-Richardson
Courtney Baker-Richardson will be looking to provide an attacking threat once again for the Alex in the 2023/24 campaign.
Following a four-season stint in non-league football, including a successful one at Leamington, the number nine was rewarded with a move to Championship side Swansea City, before loan spells at Accrington Stanley and Barnet.
The centre forward then spent the 2021/22 season with Newport County and will be looking to kick on from his impressive start to the season with 8 goals in 24 games as Swindon will be looking to reignite their 23/24 campaign this afternoon.
