Crewe Alexandra midfielder Ryan Wintle has said he 'owes' it to the Football Club to commit his long term future after The Alex gave him his senior chance when plucking him from non-league Alsager Town.

Though not coming through the Alex academy in the traditional fashion from an early age, Wintle says he owes just as much to Crewe as the academy graduates because the Club gave him his opportunity in professional football.

Wintle signed a fresh two-and-a-half-year contract this week, keeping him in Crewe until at least the summer of 2020, and the 20-year-old was delighted to put pen-to-paper on his new deal.

Ryan told iFollow The Alex: "It's nice that the gaffer has showed his faith in me & has played me regularly since he came into the job.

"My contract was due to be up in the summer & I knew I had to keep working hard to get a new one & thankfully I have.

"I came from Alsager, playing part-time & working a normal job before Crewe brought me into it & this gaffer especially has helped to make me the player I am, bringing me into it. I want to improve even more over the next few years & do well for the team.

"I've not come through the ranks like a lot of the other lads have done, but I still think that I owe the Club as much as the lads that have come through the ranks do. 

"They brought me into professional football & helped me along the way. They've taught me a lot & I just want to repay the faith really."