John Bowler says that securing our League One status will only enchance our players development

Chairman John Bowler says that preserving our League One status will be a major boost the club’s Academy players moving forward.

Manager Steve Davis has continued to be bold in promoting young players into his first-team with the likes of Ben Garratt, Ollie Turton, Liam Nolan, Jon Guthrie, George Ray and Max Clayton all featuring last season.

Bowler, who received the Football League’s highest accolade in March as the recipicent of their Contribution to League Football Award, says that playing League One football again will only aid their development further.

The club chairman said: “League One is a good shop window for our young players. We’ve always accepted that our young starlets as they come through, give us a good chunk of time with us, but we’ve always recognised that the real stars will go on and play top end of Championship and Premier League football as Nick Powell and Ashley Westwood have.

“In order to show what they can do, they need at least League One football to do that. Equally, if we’re looking to compliment what we’re doing by bringing players in on loan, it’s easier to bring the Chuks (Aneke) of this world in if you’re in League One as supposed to League Two.

“Without being insulting to League Two, it’s not that at all – it’s as far as Crewe Alexandra is concerned with the importance of League One to us because of all the other add-on effects it has for us.

Steve added: “Our aim has got to be to make our youth development system work. We look to find, develop and mature players in our team and we’ve got to be looking to have as many of our players on the field at any time and maybe ten in the squad.”