Alex defender Nicky Hunt has claimed that the current batch of Crewe Alexandra youngsters are some of the best he has ever played with in his long and successful career.

Hunt, who has played in the top flight for Bolton Wanderers and represented the likes of Birmingham, Preston, Bristol City and Derby County, says that he wouldn’t be surprised if other clubs are keeping tabs on five or six of our Academy graduates following the opening of the New Year transfer window.

Hunt is hoping that the club can keep the current team together thus giving us the best chance of securing promotion to League One at the end of April.

The 36-year-old former England Under-21 International told us: "To give us every chance of going up, which is the ultimate aim this season, you have to keep hold of every player.

"I'm sure there will be people coming in, whether now or towards the end of the window, but they are going to have to spend money.

"It's whether they will want to spend the money that we want for the players, it's a money-making business and we have to wait and see.

"Hopefully in the next four weeks we'll have the same team on February 1 that we do now."

Hunt added: "We've got a few older lads who are doing terrifically well, but I've been at a lot of clubs and to be honest the youth that we have in this team at the moment is up there with the best I've played with.

"They just play without any fear whatsoever, I've seen a few over the years but I think we have at least five or six who can definitely crack the Championship and maybe go onto the big Premier League."