Gradi, now 70, was booed by Crewe fans on Saturday and has opted to step down after two more years in charge and, whilst taking the title of Director of Football, will now concentrate on the future development and direction of the club's academy.
Davis joined Burnley from Crewe in 1987, initially arriving on loan before Burnley completed a £15,000 transfer. He was with the Clarets for four years and led us out at Wembley in the Sherpa Van Trophy Final against Wolves and, in his last season, to the play off semi-finals before a disappointing defeat to Torquay.
That summer he left to join Barnsley and also played for York, Oxford and Macclesfield before hanging up his boots. His early coaching roles were at Northwich Victoria and Nantwich Town and he managed both clubs before returning to Crewe as assistant to Joe Gudjonsson's dad Gudjon Thordason.
When Thordason lost his job and Dario G took control again, Davis continued in the assistant's role and has held that position until today. He'll now assume control of the first team and will be assisted by Neil Baker who had been working with the academy.
On his return to Crewe, Davis said: "It has always been an ambition of mine to manage at the highest possible level I can. It was the same when I was a player and that progression only comes about through hard work."
He now has the opportunity to manage at league level and it's a difficult job with Crewe currently as low as 18th in League Two.