# 2001–02 Crewe Alexandra F.C. season

During the 2001–02 English football season, Crewe Alexandra competed in the Football League First Division, their 79th in the English Football League.

## Season summary

A disappointing season for Crewe resulted in relegation after five seasons in the second tier of English football. Despite relegation, there was a momentous occasion where Crewe boss Gradi celebrated his 1,000th game in charge of Crewe on 20 November 2001 – an away fixture at Carrow Road, the home of Norwich City.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 20 | Sheffield Wednesday | 46 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 49 | 71 | −22 | 50 | |
| 21 | Rotherham United | 46 | 10 | 19 | 17 | 52 | 66 | −14 | 49 | |
| 22 | Crewe Alexandra (R) | 46 | 12 | 13 | 21 | 47 | 76 | −29 | 49 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 23 | Barnsley (R) | 46 | 11 | 15 | 20 | 59 | 86 | −27 | 48 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 24 | Stockport County (R) | 46 | 6 | 8 | 32 | 42 | 102 | −60 | 26 | Relegation to the Second Division |

## Results

Crewe Alexandra's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 11 August 2001 | Grimsby Town | A | 0–1 | 5,368 | |
| 18 August 2001 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 0–2 | 7,933 | |
| 25 August 2001 | Manchester City | A | 2–5 | 32,844 | Little, Collins |
| 28 August 2001 | Millwall | H | 1–0 | 5,913 | Hulse |
| 8 September 2001 | Walsall | H | 2–1 | 6,809 | Jack, Lunt |
| 15 September 2001 | Barnsley | A | 0–2 | 10,976 | |
| 18 September 2001 | Wimbledon | H | 0–4 | 5,563 | |
| 22 September 2001 | Watford | H | 1–0 | 6,507 | Hulse |
| 25 September 2001 | Burnley | A | 3–3 | 13,964 | Lunt, Foster, Hulse |
| 29 September 2001 | Birmingham City | H | 0–0 | 7,314 | |
| 13 October 2001 | Preston North End | H | 2–1 | 7,746 | Ashton, Foster |
| 16 October 2001 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–0 | 22,569 | Hulse |
| 21 October 2001 | Coventry City | A | 0–1 | 15,788 | |
| 24 October 2001 | Stockport County | H | 0–0 | 6,679 | |
| 27 October 2001 | Sheffield United | A | 0–1 | 15,185 | |
| 30 October 2001 | Rotherham United | A | 2–2 | 5,971 | Brammer, Lunt |
| 2 November 2001 | Bradford City | H | 2–2 | 6,597 | Ashton, Foster |
| 10 November 2001 | Gillingham | H | 0–0 | 5,419 | |
| 17 November 2001 | Crystal Palace | A | 1–4 | 21,802 | Ashton |
| 20 November 2001 | Norwich City | A | 2–2 | 15,710 | Walton, Brammer |
| 24 November 2001 | Nottingham Forest | H | 0–3 | 8,402 | |
| 1 December 2001 | Stockport County | A | 1–0 | 5,308 | Foster |
| 8 December 2001 | Portsmouth | A | 4–2 | 14,430 | Hulse, Sodje, Charnock, Lunt |
| 15 December 2001 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 1–1 | 8,154 | Thomas |
| 26 December 2001 | Walsall | A | 1–2 | 7,325 | Jack |
| 29 December 2001 | Millwall | A | 0–2 | 11,630 | |
| 12 January 2002 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 0–1 | 16,737 | |
| 19 January 2002 | Grimsby Town | H | 2–0 | 5,974 | Thomas, Smith (pen) |
| 29 January 2002 | Norwich City | H | 1–0 | 6,285 | Ashton |
| 9 February 2002 | Coventry City | H | 1–6 | 7,835 | Hulse |
| 20 February 2002 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1–4 | 8,371 | Jack |
| 23 February 2002 | Burnley | H | 1–2 | 6,458 | Hulse |
| 2 March 2002 | Watford | A | 1–0 | 15,199 | Ashton |
| 5 March 2002 | Barnsley | H | 2–0 | 6,258 | Ashton, Street |
| 12 March 2002 | Manchester City | H | 1–3 | 10,092 | Jack |
| 16 March 2002 | Portsmouth | H | 1–1 | 7,170 | Hulse |
| 20 March 2002 | Preston North End | A | 2–2 | 13,396 | Lunt, Hulse |
| 23 March 2002 | Bradford City | A | 0–2 | 12,846 | |
| 26 March 2002 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–4 | 21,303 | Ashton |
| 30 March 2002 | Sheffield United | H | 2–2 | 7,855 | Hulse, Foster |
| 1 April 2002 | Gillingham | A | 0–1 | 7,748 | |
| 4 April 2002 | Wimbledon | A | 0–2 | 5,007 | |
| 7 April 2002 | Crystal Palace | H | 0–0 | 6,724 | |
| 10 April 2002 | Birmingham City | A | 1–3 | 28,615 | Jack |
| 13 April 2002 | Nottingham Forest | A | 2–2 | 22,870 | Jack, Hulse |
| 21 April 2002 | Rotherham United | H | 2–0 | 7,904 | Jack, Sodje |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 15 January 2002 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 2–1 | 6,271 | Rix, Foster |
| R4 | 26 January 2002 | Rotherham United | A | 4–2 | 8,477 | Thomas, Ashton (2), Vaughan |
| R5 | 17 February 2002 | Everton | A | 0–0 | 29,399 | |
| R5R | 26 February 2002 | Everton | H | 1–2 | 10,073 | Ashton |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 21 August 2001 | York City | A | 2–2 (won 6–5 on pens) | 1,663 | Little, Richards |
| R2 | 11 September 2001 | Rushden & Diamonds | H | 2–0 (a.e.t.) | 4,807 | Walton, Smith (pen) |
| R3 | 9 October 2001 | Ipswich Town | H | 2–3 | 6,116 | Hulse, Brammer |

## Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | NGA | Ademola Bankole |
| 2 | DF | ENG | David Wright |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Shaun Smith |
| 4 | MF | ENG | Kenny Lunt |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Dave Walton |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Steve Macauley |
| 7 | FW | ENG | Colin Little |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Phil Charnock |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Paul Tait |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Dean Ashton |
| 11 | FW | VIN | Rodney Jack |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Efe Sodje |
| 13 | GK | TRI | Clayton Ince |
| 14 | MF | ENG | Kevin Street |
| 15 | MF | ENG | Wayne Collins |
| 16 | FW | ENG | Rob Hulse |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 17 | MF | ENG | Neil Sorvel |
| 19 | MF | ENG | Geoff Thomas |
| 20 | FW | NIR | Steve Jones |
| 21 | MF | ENG | Dave Brammer |
| 22 | DF | ENG | Stephen Foster |
| 23 | MF | ENG | Phil Trainer |
| 24 | MF | IRL | Gareth Whalley (on loan from Bradford City) |
| 25 | DF | ENG | Richard Walker |
| 26 | FW | ENG | John Grant |
| 28 | DF | ENG | Chris McCready |
| 30 | MF | ENG | Lee Bell |
| 31 | MF | ENG | Ben Rix |
| 32 | MF | WAL | David Vaughan |
| 33 | GK | ENG | Stuart Tomlinson |
| 34 | FW | ENG | Paul Edwards |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 27 | FW | ENG | Marc Richards (on loan from Blackburn Rovers) |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Alan Navarro (on loan from Liverpool) |
| 27 | FW | IRL | Graham Barrett (on loan from Arsenal) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 35 | GK | ENG | Gary Montgomery (on loan from Coventry City) |
| 29 | DF | ENG | Dean Howell (to Southport) |
| 18 | DF | ENG | Anthony Charles (to Hayes) |