Michael Raynes settles in perfectly to life at the Alex.

New signing Michael Raynes says there is now ten months of hard graft ahead if Crewe Alexandra wish to be involved in a genuine promotion push. The summer capture from Carlisle United has settled in well to life in his new surrounding and after suffering the disappointment of losing late on in the play-off semi-final to Exeter City, the centre-half wants to be challenging at the right end of the League Two table again.

Raynes, 29, told Crewe Alex’s iFollow: “It has been good. I felt like the new boy going into school but the lads and the staff have all been very welcoming and I’ve settled in fine.

“It is a young group but I knew it was going to be. I spoke to Daggers (Chris Dagnall) and he told me that it was a young group before I signed but hopefully I can feed off their energy and help them in any way I can.

“It was good to get everything sorted out early. The football world can be difficult and there will be a lot of lads without clubs. They will be getting a bit panicky now if they have not got a club. I’ve been in that position and it is not nice, so I was lucky enough to have met the gaffer early and get stuff sorted.

“I’ve played against the gaffer numerous times and we had a really good chat. He basically told me that he was in my position at a similar sort of age and he said it was the best decision he ever made joining Crewe.

“He told me that at this stage of my career, with a young family, it isn’t about travelling up the motorway chasing the money but about happiness and what he said made sense. The location is perfect for the family and the gaffer sold the club to me.

He added: “We have ten months of hard graft ahead. It is a tough league, when you see the teams that have come down and those that have come up from the Conference. There are no walkovers that is for sure and we have to be ready for it.”

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