David Artell says that reserve goalkeeper David Richards will get his opportunity to stake his claim for a first-team place. The Welshman is set to make his senior debut for the club in our forthcoming Checkatrade Trophy match against Oldham Athletic at the beginning of next month.

David Artell has stressed that it was always his intention to play the 23-year-old in the competition and if he is selected it will end Ben Garratt’s run of 115 consecutive games for the club.

The Crewe boss said: “Trig (Richards) will get his chance. He wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t pushing Ben for the number one spot. He is and if he wasn’t I would have loaned him out and gone with Will Jaaskelainen as the back-up.

“He will get his go and I always planned for him to start against Oldham. It is always a bit more difficult for a goalkeeper because there is only the one position up for grabs for them. He would probably have liked his debut to have come earlier in his career but he will get his chance.”