The 2006-07 campaign was a season of consolidation for Crewe Alexandra as The Railwaymen returned to League One following relegation, securing a respectable 13th-place finish under the long tenure of manager Dario Gradi. Leading the charge was the sensational forward Luke Varney, whose 17 league goals, part of a 25-goal haul across all competitions, earned him a coveted spot in the PFA League One Team of the Year. The season's defining moment was a thrilling Carling Cup tie at Gresty Road where Varney scored in a narrow 1-2 extra-time defeat to Manchester United, a performance that helped secure his £2 million transfer to Charlton that summer. It was a year that marked the emergence of a key talent and the end of Dario Gradi's legendary 24-year first spell as manager.