Steve throws down challenge to youngsters to step up

A number of Crewe Alexandra youngsters have been challenged by boss Steve Davis to push on and establish themselves as regulars in the first team. The Crewe manager handed first team debuts to the likes of James Baillie, Callum Saunders, George Cooper and his Breakthrough Player of the Year James Jones last season and he wants those four to continue to improve. He also wants to see if his new crop of first-year professionals can make that decisive step up into the first-team squad at a point this season.

Jones showed that if a young player can grab his opportunity with both hands then he can come out of nowhere to establish himself as a regular under Davis. The Scotland Youth International made 26 appearances last season and was the recipient of the prestigious Breakthrough Award, as voted by the supporters.

Davis has thrown down the gauntlet to offer to others to follow suit and emerge as real competition for first team places.

The boss told the club’s official web-site: “It is time for some of the younger ones to push on and take their chances. They have had a taste of it, some of them, and they have to go again and improve.

“We cannot wait forever for them. If they want to be involved with the first-team on a regular basis then they have become consistent in everything they do. They are under the microscope here every day.

“They have to step up to that challenge and do well. They have to push and drive themselves forward to get into the team. “