David Artell says the promotion of Ollie Finney from the Under-23s is the perfect example of a player being selected on merit.

Crewe Alexandra boss David Artell says that the progress made by Ollie Finney over the last three months should provide inspiration to other players in the squad if they are out of the picture at the moment. Artell says that the Academy graduate ‘gave him no choice but to pick him’ because of his form for the Under-23s and his work ethic in training.

After scoring double figures from midfield for the club’s Development Squad, Finney has thrust himself forward and has gone on to make 16 first-team appearances. He started last weekend’s derby game at Vale Park and is aiming to extend his contract this summer.

Artell told the club’s official website: “Finney is a great example of he’s made me pick him in the end because he’d done so well over three months and he’d been out on loan and had all that experience.

"He comes back and does so well for such a long time because three months is a fairly long time, you cannot pick him and he did ever so well and he has done ever so well.

"He didn’t play particularly well on Saturday but none of them did, apart from Ben.

“Ollie is a great example of someone who’s in on merit which is terrific for him.

The boss added: "If anybody, certainly any of the young players, want to be in the team, be in on merit and then there’s no argument and there’s no reliance on me looking further forward than just the game in front of us, so that’s the challenge."