By Joe Jones
Notts County’s head-to-head history with Crewe Alexandra dates back to September 1893, when the Magpies faced the Railwaymen at the Alexandra Recreation Ground. The result was a 2-0 win for Notts.
After several further meetings in the late 1890s, the fixture would experience a hiatus of 63 years; between 1896 and 1959, the two teams didn't play each other.
Despite our shared history going back so far, there have only been 42 meetings between the two sides. Notts have the upper hand with 21 wins to 13 defeats, and eight draws have taken place.
The Alex have been on the receiving end of several thumpings at the hands of the Magpies – in 1894, we beat them 9-1 and 5-1, in 1896 we won 6-0, in 1959 we recorded a 4-1 victory, 1970 brought a 5-1 victory, while in 2013, a 4-0 scoreline at Meadow Lane brought some light to a gloomy first half of the campaign.
The origins of the “Alexandra” moniker in the club name aren’t fully known. Whether they took the name from a hotel, patronised by those connected with the railway works and where they held their meetings, or whether it was after Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who married Queen Victoria’s eldest son, later King Edward VII, is open to speculation.
In 2013, the club won its first-ever major silverware after beating Southend United 2-0 in the Johnstones Paint Trophy final at Wembley.
Crewe are known as the Railwaymen because of the town’s links to the British train network. Crewe station was completed in 1837 and is one of the most historic railway stations in the world. Nowadays, as well as serving the town of Crewe that has grown near it, it still operates as a major junction on the West Coast Main Line (WCML). It also serves as a major station on the WCML and as a major rail gateway for the North West.
The town of Crewe has an interesting roll call of local legends, including rugby player Mark Cueto, professional BMX racer Shanaze Reade, 1990s heartthrob Adam Rickitt (ask a female friend or relative between the ages of 30 and 40), Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle, and Jimmy MacDonald, also known as the voice of Mickey Mouse.
Team news
Danny Hollands is set to miss the rest of the season for Crewe with a hamstring injury.
Forward Alex Kiwomya could be in contention to start, but Jon Guthrie's ongoing hernia problems mean he will remain on the sidelines.
Crewe are currently 17th in the table and will be looking to respond after back-to-back league defeats.
Notts, meanwhile, welcome back midfielder Mark Yeates after the winger completed a three-match ban.
Yeates is likely to return to the matchday squad, meaning Kevin Nolan will make a decision on whether Adam Campbell or Yeates will start.
Michael O'Connor is pushing for a starting place after impressing off the bench during their win over Carlisle last weekend, while Marc Bola is fit after recovering from a hamstring injury.
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