WHEN The Sport appeared on the scene for the first time back on August 9, 2003, life at Crewe Alex was somewhat different to today as the publication makes its final bow.

A look back in The Sentinel's files shows the shifting sands of local football over the past five-and-a-half years.

Back then Crewe, fresh from their stellar 2002/2003 Second Division promotion campaign, were eagerly anticipating another crack at the Championship after a five-year sojourn in the First Division between 1997 and 2002.

Neighbours Stoke and a host of big city clubs such as Norwich, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United added glamour to the fixture list.

Although, the opener at Wimbledon, was decidedly low key after the off-field wrangling which would later see The Dons up sticks for Milton Keynes.

In The Sport's big match preview, Dario Gradi threw his weight behind the independent supporters' group who had already moved off to form AFC Wimbledon.

"I subscribe to the fans' trust and I have tried to support them in whatever way I can. I think that is in keeping with the Wimbledon spirit," said the Crewe boss, and former Wimbledon manager, at the time.

"I can't identify with Milton Keynes. It is not the Wimbledon I know or knew.

"I don't believe in a football club being able to get up and go somewhere else."

Back then the breakaway club had just completed their first season, playing to crowds of 3,000 – double what the soon-to-be MK Dons were getting at Selhurst Park.

They had just missed out on promotion from the Seagrave Haulage Combined Counties League Premier Division.

Now in 2009 with home gates which would shame many League Two sides, they look poised for promotion to the Blue Square Premier.

But life for the MK Dons has also been good in recent times after they plummeted to the basement Division following the acrimonious split. Under Roberto Di Matteo, the Dons have left Crewe way behind this season despite spending considerably less in the transfer market and look well placed for automatic promotion.

Back in August 2003 Crewe were preparing for the Wimbledon clash without the services of rising star Dean Ashton. But youngster James Robinson featured in our Talking Heads column, which also included Adie Moses and Jonathan Walters. Robinson was preparing for his first and only start for Crewe. He later played for Altrincham before moving to Australian football.

But Walters, then on loan from Bolton, has made a much bigger impact in the game at Championship level with Ipswich.

He was also a Premiership transfer target for Stoke last August.

Defender Moses later trained as a journalist at Staffordshire University while at Lincoln.

He is still going strong at the age of 33 in the Blue Square Premier where he is a regular in Mansfield's back four.

Despite Dave Brammer's fierce strike which handed Crewe an eighth-minute lead at Selhurst Park, Wimbledon were soon level through Patrick Agyemang and went on to win 3-1 with further goals from Alex Tapp and Nigel Reo-Coker. But the opening-day clash in a blistering heatwave was watched by just 1,145 with London-based fans and the travelling Alex faithful outnumbering what little followers the hosts could then muster.

Elsewhere, that day Stoke kicked off with a 3-0 win at Derby with goals from Gifton Noel-Williams, Chris Greenacre and Lewis Neal.

Alex old boy Mark Rivers was on the mark for Norwich as they drew 2-2 at Bradford.

While West Ham started their first Nationwide League campaign by coming from behind to win 2-1 at Preston.

The game was also saddened by the news of the death of former Blackburn boss Ray Harford, aged 58, after a battle against cancer.