David Artell says that sentiment will never come into his team selection. The Crewe boss has signed his former Northampton Town team-mate Alex Nicholls following his mutually agreed release from Barnet, but he says that the striker will only be selected on merit.

The 30-year-old forward made his Alex debut in a 2-1 friendly win over Colwyn Bay last night and Artell said: “We are delighted to have got Alex over the line because he had other options. It is great to have him.

“I know what his character is and he wants to be part of a successful team.

“To me he is just another player. He makes no difference to me that he was a former team-mate of mine at Northampton and Alex will feel the same.

“Hopefully, because he knew me and what I’m about and expect is one of the reasons he came here.  That is a positive.

He added: “He will be treated like any other player and picked on merit. Just because I have signed an ex-colleague of mine has no bearing on selection. Sentiment never comes into it.”