Boss feels that his Alex squad are equipped to be challengers for top seven finish.

David Artell says that his Crewe Alexandra squad are equipped to challenge for a top seven finish this season but that they have to develop that winning mentality to do so. The Alex boss has gone on record to say that our away form last season was simply not acceptable and although it did improve in the second half of the campaign, those limited wins on the road ultimately prevented us from reaching the play-offs.

Crewe fell shorts by two wins and Artell is looking for his side to emulate last season’s successes at Gresty Road and achieve more points on our travels.

The Crewe boss told us: “We did well at home last season but we still lost some games we shouldn’t have. We let ourselves down on our travels and our away points were nowhere near good enough. The players knew that and it is up to all of us to rectify that this season.

“It is going to be tough and will take an incredible effort from everyone because it is a tough league but we have a chance. We do have a chance and it is down to the players to achieve that.

“They have to believe it because the only ones who will stop them getting there is them. If they want to get in there and do everything they can to make sure that happens, then they will get in there.”