Steve Davis says we can't expect too much too soon from youngster

teve Davis has asked the Alex supporters to remain patient with young striker Max Clayton, as the local lad tries to find his feet at a higher level. Clayton is only just establishing himself as a regular in Crewe’s first team squad and currently leads the club’s goalscoring charts along with AJ Leitch-Smith and Mathias Pogba.S

The club have high expectations for the England Youth International, but Davis has stressed that a dip in form and confidence is usually the case with all young players. Nick Powell needed time out of the side through suspension (following a red card at Shrewsbury) to come back stronger and it has happened in the past to the likes of David Vaughan and Dean Ashton when they first broke into the first team picture.

Steve is looking to take the pressure off of his 18-year-old striker and he said: “Max is probably feeling the pressure a bit. It is how he deals with it.

“He is finding the intensity and standard of the games tough, they come thick and fast. Mentally he is finding it hard to recover. He is a young lad and still learning. He is bound to think he is taking over Nick's mantle and feels he should be following in same footsteps, but he won't he'll find his own pathway.

“Max is a good team player and has to rely on his team-mates to get his opportunities. I think he will end up at the top level eventually, it will just take longer. I don't think he'll be going anywhere for 12-18 months.

“I think a break could do him good. It might be a case of stepping back to go forward again. If I had a bigger squad it would be easier.

Steve added: “He is working very hard and doing everything he can. He is perhaps putting too much pressure on himself, maybe I've put a bit of pressure on him in the Press over the last few weeks but that is only because I have so much belief in him. He'll come through it.”