Cans & Megabus – Your Indispensable Guide To Crewe Alexandra v Sunderland

The Mornflake Stadium, otherwise known as Gresty Road, is our next stop on our magical mystery tour through League One - Tom Walsh has all the information you need

You may think the town of Crewe is famous for railways and Rolls-Royce but it’s actually famous for the world’s depressing football banner. One that proudly states (and implies) that the only real way to support Crewe Alexandra Football Club is by being born in Crewe, spending all your life in Crewe and then breathing your last breath in Crewe.

Here at Cans & Megabus, we are always supportive of people reaching for the stars when chasing their dreams but we can’t help but feel the good folks in Crewe are slightly misguided. There is a big, wide world out there, so why just confine it to this corner of Cheshire?

Now don’t get us wrong, we like trainspotting and being the main rivals of Port Vale as much as the next person but you don’t have to spend every waking hour of your existence in Crewe. Although, who knows, maybe we’re wrong. Maybe Crewe really is the land of milk and honey and no-one has worked it out yet.

The only main problem is that, unfortunately, we weren’t born in Crewe so we could only have the pleasure of both living and then dying in Crewe. And that would really be a pointless existence.

How Do I Get There?

Let’s be honest, going to watch Sunderland play Crewe on a Tuesday night is really, really pathetic but this is the bed we’ve all made, so might as well lie in it. If yer driving, then it’s the A1(M), M62 and M6 before exiting at junction 17 for the A534 into Crewe. There’s some car parks near the station but you’ll have to find them yerself.

Sat nav shaggers: CW2 6EB.

For you legends sinking cans and being obnoxious on the train, then you only need about 10 minutes to find the ground from Crewe station. In fact, you’ll be able to see it from the train.

What’s the Ground Like?

It’s great, to be honest. Crewe have perfected the art of the unnecessary massive stand for a lower league club. And to make it even better, they’ve branded their stands with hilarious names such as the Whitby Morrison Ice Cream Van Stand, which is where the Sunderland fans are housed. In classic lower league fashion, you’re pretty much on the pitch in this stand so enjoy yerself.

Yer thirsty?

Having once enjoyed an hour wandering the streets of Crewe at half 10 on a Saturday night waiting for the eighth train of my journey from Gillingham to Manchester, it would be remiss of me not to recommend The Cheshire Inn on Nantwich Road. If you’re a connoisseur of Stella served in Guinness glasses and karaoke on a Tuesday night, then this is for you.

Alternatively, you can swing in The Brunswick (also on Nantwich Road) or venture up Pedley Street to The Crafty Beggar. All of these are just a short walk from Gresty Road and are very much “just pubs”.