After succeeding the current first-team manager David Artell in 2017, Academy Operations manager Aidan Callan has been overseeing the development of the academy ensuring that the model of the club remains the same. 

Aidan has described the coronavirus outbreak as ‘challenging and difficult’ as he continues to make sure the academy is prepared for when football eventually returns.

Aidan said: “From a youth football point of view, there is certainly going to be a ‘new normal’.

“It’s how that is going to look initially, so returning to any sort of full-time training for our academy players is going to be a challenge.

“There are going to be a lot of hurdles, we are going to face. I’m hopeful we will be in a position to do that.”

In previous years the club have been able to produce a full starting XI made up of academy players on two occasions and the academy manager told crewealex.net that he is confident that will happen again in the future.

He added: “That’s the remit of our academy to produce players for the first-team and then ultimately beyond. We’ve done that very well over the years, even before my time as well.

“I’ve tried to help carry on that trend and we’ve seen very good numbers progress consistently into the first team.”