Crewe Alexandra proudly had seven Academy graduates in our starting XI at Stevenage on Saturday.

Two of those graduates, Perry Ng and Charlie Kirk found themselves on the scoresheet at the Lamex Stadium in what proved to be a thrilling 2-2 draw and manager David Artell says that it testimony to the work done over many years at youth level.

The Crewe boss told us: “I didn’t know how many Academy graduates started on Saturday, it is not something I consider. I have said that I pick my team on merit and that is the case. They will be in the team because they deserve to be.

“I am not surprised though because the coaches here work extremely hard to bring them through our system. They are all important from the foundation phase right through to the U-18s and the U-23s. They all know that.

“That is why we have 60% of players here who joined us at 9/10 and 40% from the ages of 12-16. They stay at the club because they know what a quality grounding in the game they have and they can see a pathway into the first team.

“That is why we have so many in the first-team squad, week-in, week-out, year after year. That is why our productivity is in the top three in the country and that isn’t me just saying that they are the official figures.

“We know what we do well and everyone is a part of that.”