32 Facts About Dario Gradi

Dario Gradi, MBE was born on 8 July 1941 and is an Italian-English former amateur football player, coach and manager.

Dario Gradi was associated for more than 36 years with Crewe Alexandra, where he was variously manager, director of football and director of the Academy, until October 2019.

Dario Gradi had a 24-year first spell as manager of Crewe between 1983 and 2007.

Dario Gradi stepped down from his managerial role in 2007, handing first-team responsibilities to Steve Holland, and became technical director.

At that time, Dario Gradi was the longest-serving manager of an English football league club.

The Chelsea allegations led to Dario Gradi being suspended by The Football Association in November 2016.

Dario Gradi denied any wrongdoing and in February 2017 was planning an appeal against his FA suspension.

However, he was heavily criticised by Chelsea's inquiry report, published in August 2019, and in the FA's Sheldon Report, published in March 2021 - when the FA said Dario Gradi was "effectively banned for life" from football "for safeguarding reasons".

Dario Gradi attended Glyn Grammar School in Epsom, and trained as a teacher of physical education at what is Loughborough University from 1960 to 1963, before returning to teach at his former school.

Dario Gradi was later capped once for England's amateur side.

Dario Gradi later rejoined Sutton United, playing in the FA Amateur Cup Final against North Shields in April 1969, and in the club's FA Cup 4th round tie against Leeds United in January 1970.

Dario Gradi played for Wycombe Wanderers, long before the club became fully professional.

Dario Gradi had a spell coaching at east London's Senrab FC, and was appointed assistant coach at Chelsea in 1971 at the age of just 29.

Dario Gradi signed a then unheard of ten-year contract with Crewe.

Shortly after the 1994 promotion, Dario Gradi became the League's longest-serving manager.

Dario Gradi did a great job at Crewe and proved himself to be one of our best managers.

Dario Gradi entered into discussions with Portugal's Benfica over the vacant managerial spot in the 1980s, and was linked with the post of FA Technical Director in 1996.

Dario Gradi's success continued into the 2000s, when he helped players including Rob Hulse, Dean Ashton, David Vaughan, Michael O'Connor, Billy Jones, Nicky Maynard and Ashley Westwood.

On 20 April 2007, Dario Gradi announced that with effect from 1 July he would relinquish first-team responsibilities, becoming technical director while gradually handing over to new first-team coach Steve Holland, with Neil Baker remaining as assistant manager.

Dario Gradi was then the longest serving manager of an English football league club.

Dario Gradi was in charge for just over a month before Gudjon Thordarson was announced as his successor on Christmas Eve 2008.

Dario Gradi announced his retirement from all positions at Crewe Alexandra on 7 October 2019, at the age of 78.

In January 1998, Dario Gradi was awarded an MBE for services to football.

In 2004, Dario Gradi won the PFA Merit Award and was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame for his services to football.

In 2011 at the Football League Awards Dario Gradi was again honoured by his peers as he won the 'Outstanding Contribution to League Football' for his work at Crewe.

On 6 December 2016, the Football Association announced the terms of reference of a review to be conducted by Clive Sheldon QC, and said Dario Gradi would be among the first to be asked questions over the "smoothing over" allegation.

In February 2017, it was reported that Dario Gradi planned to appeal against his FA suspension from football, feeling he had been left "in limbo", but, a year later, he remained suspended from football.

Dario Gradi admitted to encouraging a close player-coach culture and to not making detailed background checks about Bennell because Crewe was trying to poach him from Manchester City "on the quiet".

Club chairman John Bowler said Crewe had not appreciated the dangers of football being used as a means for a paedophile to prey on young boys, while Dario Gradi had not made detailed inquiries into Bennell's background.

Dario Gradi denied trying to "smooth over" the matter in a meeting with the boy's father and said he had reported the allegations to Chelsea manager Ron Suart.

Child abuse survivors charity The Offside Trust called for Dario Gradi to be stripped of his MBE, and for the Professional Footballers' Association and Football Hall of Fame to revoke other honours.

Dario Gradi was absent from his post between 22 September and 17 October 2003, due to heart surgery.