Crewe chief Grant disappointed at play-off failure

Crewe chairman Charles Grant says he shares manager Lee Bell's disappointment the Alex did not make the League Two play-offs and wants to build a squad capable of mounting a more successful challenge next season.

The Railwaymen were in contention for a top-seven place for much of the campaign in 2025-26 but ultimately faded to finished 11th, and well adrift, after collecting just four points from their last possible 18.

"I had hoped that we would certainly make the play-offs and I know Lee did as well so I'm disappointed really that we didn't make them," Grant told BBC Radio Stoke.

"But only three go up and seven make the play-offs and only one wins.

"We just weren't consistent enough. When we were good, we were very, very good so while it's tinged with disappointment, we look forward to another season and of course we've got Port Vale coming down and those things matter to football fans."

Grant, Bell and technical director Josh Kennard are already planning the summer's recruitment as the Alex plot a potential return to League One for the first time since 2021-22.

Seven players were let go at the end of their contracts this term while another seven - Lewis Billington, James Connolly, Stan Dancey, Luca Moore, Fin Roberts, Max Sanders and Conor Thomas - have been offered new deals.

Despite Crewe downgrading their heralded academy status to category three in a bid to "improve and sustain" the programme in the face of increased financial pressures, Grant expects the squad to have its traditional blend of experience and youth to tackle a league he expects to be "just as tough if not tougher" next season.

"At the end of the day it is getting that mix," he said.

"The last time we went up, we had a really good mix of academy players and one or two seniors that had been here more than one year - and we've got a number of senior players or non-academy players that are going to be here next year.

"Aside from a goalscorer, you want somebody who's going to help to lead the team, the spine - Ian Lawlor in goal, or Mickey [Demetriou] in defence or Conor Thomas, in the midfield.

"We'd rather have smarts than out-and-out talent because it's about knitting together what we've got with what we're developing. We can't get 25 expensive professional players so that's the balance."

Grant also gave an update on efforts to attract outside investment into the club.

He announced in July 2024 he was looking for "additional financial support" and said negotiations are ongoing with interested parties.

"We are still talking to potential investors," he added. "There's a lot of moving parts in that, whether it be the money, whether it's what is their rationale? Do they want us to be one of a much bigger set-up? What do they think about the academy?

"We've been in discussions previously with other parties and not got there. So I'm hopeful that we'll get to a point, certainly not imminently, but it takes time.

"We're still talking and I'm hopeful."