MENTION Stanley playing Crewe to any Reds fans and it will send a shiver down their backs.
The last time the Reds faced the Railwaymen in the league - then the Fourth Division - was on Friday March 2, 1962.
Stanley lost 4-0 at Gresty Road and it proved to be the final game of that ‘Accrington Stanley’ as, four days later, they sent a letter of resignation to the league and ceased to exist - until "Accrington Stanley 1968" was formed.
The season of 1961-2 scarily draws parallels with the current season as the Reds again battle for their existence.
l In 1961, there was a "Mayor’s Appeal Fund" to try and raise money to bring in new players with Stanley’s debts estimated at £60,000 - a huge amount at that time.
The current Accrington Stanley owe the Inland Revenue £300,000 with the club facing a winding up order unless they can find the money by the end of October.
The fans have again rallied with "Accrington Stanley Fighting Fund" set up as well as the bucket collections, donations and fund-raising events to try and help the current cash-strapped club.
l Stanley weren’t allowed to bring in new players due to the debts in 1962 - among the money owed was a £1,000 fee to Burnley for full-back Mike Pickup although the Clarets did waive the fee. Current Reds boss John Coleman is not allowed to bring any new players in due to the cash crisis as he is only allowed to have 20 registered - and that’s what he has at the moment including the injured players.
l The crowds are paralled to 1962. In January 1962 at Peel Park a crowd of 1430 - then the lowest post-war attendance - watched the Reds get beat 4-0 by Colchester.
The current Accrington Stanley set-up have been struggling to get supporters through the Crown Ground gates with the club averaging just 1400 last season - the lowest in the Football League.
l In 1962, the club sold star striker George Hudson to Peterborough for £5,000.
The current Stanley lost forward Paul Mullin to Morecambe this year - their record appearance holder.
Luckily on the field things look brighter for the current Stanley set-up.
In 1961-62 season, Stanley hit the bottom in January and never recovered. They scored just 19 goals in their 33 league games, winning just five all season.
They did have a decent start but went on a run of 17 games without a win with their last victory coming, ironically, against Crewe at Peel Park in October 1961.
The current Stanley, after eight games, are in 16th place but there is optimism around the ground about the current squad.
Injuries have hampered the Reds’ cause this season with John Mullin, Jimmy Ryan, Leam Richardson and Chris King all sidelined. Coleman called his squad "the strongest I have had here" at the start of the season and, if these return in the next couple of months, he will hope they can make a big impression on the league.
In 1962, things were also unsettled manager-wise with chairman Edwin Slinger wanting a player-manager and asking then boss Jimmy Harrower to return to playing as well - which he felt he couldn’t do - and so Harry Hubbick and Bill Smith took over as joint managers.
The Reds have a settled boss in John Coleman, with the club for 10 years, and the board have faith in him to carry on doing the business, after leading the Reds into the Football League.
Coleman has said he believes his side have another chapter in them - he will be hoping that this season’s problems are quickly over and this Crewe game marks a springboard to survival and success rather than doom and gloom.
