David Artell has told the club’s official web-site that his players responded superbly to the trip to Delamere Forest on Friday afternoon. The Alex boss wanted his players to think for themselves and as a team whilst navigating a map around a 10k course. The players, who went around the circuit in groups of four, also had to carry a bag of peat with them.

Artell says he learned a lot about players making the right decisions and questioning their decision making in the right way. The Crewe boss says that the fun exercise away from the training ground also helped with bonding the squad together in readiness for the pre-season matches.

The Crewe Alexandra boss told the club’s official web-site: “It was a great afternoon and I think everyone enjoyed it. It was a change of scenery and there was a point to it as well. We got the players to question their decision making and not to follow each other like sheep.

“It was different and physical at the same time. It was good fun and some of them were saying I got a C in geography and should be able to read a map! It helped with team bonding and after an hour they were all hot and tired but I don’t think any of them will be Bear Grylls just yet!”