we only 'endured' that length of time because of the 'old boys network'. The 56/57 & 57/58 seasons in particular stand out for who had to re-apply to stay in the League and which teams applied to join it...
http://www.footballsite.co.uk/Statistic ... 955-56.htmhttp://www.footballsite.co.uk/Statistic ... 956-57.htmhttp://www.footballsite.co.uk/Statistic ... 957-58.htmhttp://www.nonleaguetables.co.uk/lthtml ... #LANCCOMB1The last link, for our younger viewers, has Crewe reaching the nose-bleeding heights of tenth in the fourth division with Morecambe winning the Lancashire Combination by six points (when it was 2 points for a win). Still not enough for election.
The following season we won it again...
http://www.nonleaguetables.co.uk/lthtml ... #LANCCOMB1Played 42 Won 31 Drew 6 Lost 5
Goals for 153 Goals against 40 Points 68
(99 points in new money)Still not enough to get elected...
We were still applying to join the League until 69/70 season, after which we began to decline. in 70/71 Crewe were once again occupying that familiar 'bottom spot'. Unfortunately for Barrow, they were also in the bottom four and had to re-apply. Despite being eight points above Crewe (21 points above them if it was three points for a win) Barrow went out and Crewe lived to finish bottom another year. Back in the days when most teams travelled by rail, Crewe being easy to get to and Barrow being the back of beyond clearly had nothing to do with it...
While we were winning at Wembley (73/74) Crewe were filling out the all too familiar 're-apply' paper work.
Bottom again 78/79
Re-apply 79/80
Bottom 81/82
Re-apply 82/83
Finally, in 87/88 promotion & relegation to the League began. By then, Crewe were established as a 'mid-table' side, finishing in 17th.
HUGE TEAM are Crewe...