David Artell says the Football Club will always look to see if there are non-league gems out there but he admits that it is getting harder to be at the front of queue for the potential.

Crewe have had great success in the past with the likes of Steve Jones, Justin Cochrane, Luke Varney and John Brayford all coming from the non-league scene. The most recent one has seen Ryan Wintle arriving from Alsager Town to play in our Academy before he has gone on to establish himself in the first-team.

Artell says there is still an element of luck in discovering non-league players that are good enough to make the step up.

David Artell told the club’s official website: “Is it harder to find Ryan Wintles? Yes.

“It’s very difficult. We’ve never had a big network of scouts, but we have contacts at other clubs who you hope tip us the wink if they see a good one.

"So there’s still a network, but you have to put your money where your mouth is eventually.

“In the last two weeks I’ve watched Guiseley, Witton, Curzon Ashton, FC United and Salford, and Nantwich recently too.

“In a normal week you are seeing two or three games – if I claimed for all my mileage I’d bankrupt the club, but I don’t.

He added: "I just see it as part of the job. My wife’s not very happy, but have we got a chief scout? No.”