Artell hoping to have the pair back for the first game of the season after they undergo surgery for hernia injuries.

Midfielder James Jones and forward Jordan Bowery face a race against time to be fit in time for the new season. Both players underwent surgery on Friday to rectify a hernia problem.

Crewe Alexandra boss David Artell remains hopeful that both will be available for our seasonal opener against Mansfield Town at Gresty Road but both are expected to miss the majority of the pre-season games.

Artell told the club’s official web-site: “The players have been working hard but we have picked up some injuries. Some of them are what I call pre-season niggles, but Jonah and Jordan Bowery are more serious.

“They have both had surgery on Friday. They have had a hernia problem. Jonah’s has come out of the blue a bit but Jordan was struggling with his towards the end of the season. He has tried to be conservative with it but he needed the operation in the end.

“They have had successful operations and hopefully they will be back in four weeks. It does have an impact because they are going to miss the majority of the pre-season games but we want them to have a chance of being fit for the first game. The aim is to have them training again in the week before the Mansfield game.

“Hopefully they will not be too far off that target.”