by Gwyn Griffiths

CREWE plan to start interviews this week to find Steve Holland's successor.

The club's directors have drawn up a short-list of candidates after a series of board meetings last week.

But the urgency of making a hasty appointment was lessened when Dario Gradi, in the fifth game of his caretaker rein, oversaw the club's first League One victory in 14 games.

A first-half strike from Shaun Miller secured a 1-0 win over struggling Swindon at the Alexandra Stadium on Saturday and reduced the gap to safety and fifth bottom Brighton to eight points.

Former Oldham and Huddersfield boss Andy Ritchie is the latest name to be thrown into the hat for the Crewe vacancy alongside the likes of ex-Carlisle manager John Ward and former Walsall supremo Richard Money.

Alex chairman John Bowler confirmed: "We are continuing to make progress and we are working on a number of options.

"We do have a sense of urgency, but it will be an ongoing process until we get that person identified."

Meanwhile, Bowler declined to comment on Holland's situation after the former first-team coach emerged in the running for the vacant Academy director's job at Stoke.

Crewe had been prepared to offer their former coach an alternative position when they relieved him of his duties last month, but he is understood to have been interviewed for the Stoke youth vacancy last week.

Holland asked for help from the League Manager's Association after losing his post at Crewe.

Olaf Dixon, deputy chief executive of the LMA, confirmed: "Steve rang up for advice, but I am not envisaging any difficulties and I think it is a situation which will be resolved amicably with Crewe. I don't think there is any dispute."

Of the Swindon win, Gradi stressed: "It was encouraging, especially as we had a makeshift team. For example, It was the first time George Abbey had played in a long time.

"I brought Eugen (Bopp) in and he was fine. I've bullied him on the assumption that's better than mollycoddling him."

Centre-half Danny O'Donnell pointed out: "We can take a lot of confidence from that win. We won't be fearful of going to Millwall (on Saturday) now and we can go there and put in a performance."