Steve Davis says his biggest concern ahead of the big kick-off is injuries. Crewe travel to Lincoln City on Saturday and the Alex boss is expecting another major test against the Imps.

and then face Sheffield United in the first round of the EFL Cup the following Tuesday. ^thThe Railwaymen kick off the new season at Stevenage on August 6

Loan midfielder Liam Smith has already been ruled out for the start of the season after suffering an ankle injury against Bolton in pre-season.

Steve told the club’s official web-site: “Of course, in pre-season you want to win games, collect clean-sheets and play well but it is all about the building the fitness of the players. We want them to peak at the right time and be prepared for the season.

“The biggest concern is injuries. You want to avoid serious injuries at all costs because you don’t want to be without a key player for weeks or even months. Last season, we lost Jonah (Jams Jones) after he dislocated his shoulder at Alsager and then we lost Billy Bingham with a hamstring injury.

The manager added: “We had to cope with a lot of injuries at different times last season and of course now you cannot go out and loan someone after August. It will be interesting to see how clubs cope with the new ruling.”