Crewe Alex: Starlets get their chance to impress

YOUTH coach Neil Critchley believes Crewe can hold on to their rising stars, despite the increasing threat of Premier League poachers.

The Alex faithful will get a rare chance to see the club's current crop of talent at today's re-arranged FA Youth Cup clash with Bradford City at Gresty Road (1pm).

Critchley and fellow coach James Collins helped develop teenagers Matt Lund and Ben Marshall during their two-year scholarship, but the talented duo quit to sign professional forms with Stoke last summer.

And another youngster predicted to make an impact on the Crewe first team, Max Clayton, has already been targeted by Liverpool.

In the past, the likes of Dean Ashton, Rob Hulse and David Vaughan have been allowed to chart a relatively smooth path from Crewe's junior sides.

Critchley acknowledges the problem the club now face in warding off the predators, but believes the personal affinity he and the team can offer the young players and their families could be crucial.

"The big clubs have widened their network of scouts, and when you have a reputation like Crewe's for producing players, we come under attack," he said.

"Hopefully, the parents see we coach the boys in the right way and with us having a smaller staff, we can build up more of a personal relationship with them.

"We look after the boys as best we can, but at the end of the day it's about getting them into the first team."

And that will be the priority again this season, although the prize for the winners of today's second round clash is a trip to Arsenal.

The last time Crewe played an FA Youth Cup tie at Gresty Road was back in November 2006.

Five members of the side which beat Morecambe 5-1 that day – Ashley Westwood, James Bailey, Luke Murphy, Chris Clements and Ajay Leitch-Smith – have all since graduated to first team duties.

Crewe are the only club in League Two club pumping money into an Academy-based youth scheme.

The litmus test of its success is the number of first-team players the scheme can generate.

And Critchley and Collins are excited there are several in the pipeline among the current crop, including defender Harry Davis, who has been included numerous times on the senior bench this term without yet making his debut.

Midfielder Nick Powell's progress has been sufficient for him to catch the eye of former Alex defender Kenny Swain, who manages the England under-16s side.

Admission is £4 adults and £2 concessions.