Crewe Alexandra boss David Artell says that he didn’t feel under any growing pressure after the club went five league games without a win. The Alex ended their winless streak with a well-deserved 1-0 win over Stevenage on Saturday.

Artell, who was nominated for the EFL Two Manager of the Month award in August after a fantastic start to the season, was pleased to see the back of September having won just one game, a 5-1 win over Chesterfield at Gresty Road.

The former club captain says that you cannot get too high when successful nor too despondent when you are struggling.

The Crewe Alexandra boss said: “I didn’t feel under pressure and I don’t get nervous before games. I see pressure or worry as a mental state. If you don’t allow your mind to think about it then you can control it.

“I have been a player for many years and I know that if a manager is nervous or apprehensive then it rubs off on the players. Players pick up on things. They understand people and do not suffer fools lightly.

“If I came into the dressing room, dripping in sweat and say, ‘we have to win today because we haven’t won in five games’ and go down that route then you are putting unnecessary pressure on the shoulders of the players. I’ve seen it as a player and as manager it is important to take that pressure off the players. Pressure is for tyres.

“The manager got recognition for August and it is all rosy and light. We then win one game in September, lose a few 1-0 and don’t score and people are talking about a crisis. It isn’t a crisis.

“The important thing is never to get too high when things are going well and too low when it is not. It is about getting the right balance.

He added: “It is one game again. Three points and again no-one is getting carried away. It is on to the next one, and that is Yeovil this weekend.”