Callum Ainley has resumed running again and is expected to return to training next week. The midfielder has not featured since suffering a Grade 3 hamstring tear in the opening minutes of our FA Cup tie at Cheltenham back in late November.

The 23-year-old had made 19 appearances this season before he suffered his hamstring injury and boss David Artell has praised his application to make sure he has returned to training ahead of schedule.

Artell told crewealex.net: “Callum is out running and will return to training sometime next week. That does not mean a return to playing is imminent but he has worked ever so hard to get back ahead of schedule.

“He is four weeks ahead of schedule, so Callum, the physio’s Owen and Steve and Liam (Anderson) deserve great credit for that.

“The plan will be for him to play some games in the Under-23s first and hopefully that will be as soon as he can and we will take it from there. As an attacking midfielder, he can be used a bit differently for 20, 25 minutes, half an hour than say a defender.

“We will incorporate him as we see fit and make sure he is 100% ready again.”