Lee Bell believes Connor O’Riordan’s loan move to Raith Rovers will accelerate his progression and improve his chances of starting games for Crewe Alexandra down the line.

The 18-year-old has switched to the Scottish Championship side on a deal until January, and could line up against Dundee this weekend.

Assistant Manager Lee has urged the talented central defender to grasp the opportunity and come back to Crewe a better player.

He said: “For him, I think it is a brilliant opportunity.

“It’s not a safe bet and I think that’s the right thing for him, let’s get him out of his comfort zone, moving away from home for the first time and going into a really competitive, good league. I’m really looking forward to seeing how he does.

“It will only benefit Connor and us in the long run. It can accelerate his progression and get him closer to our team.

“The message we’ve given him is that he’s got to work as hard for them as he does here and nail down a starting position. If he can do that, it’ll give him a really good chance of coming back and playing games for us.” 

Connor, from Crewe, made 13 appearances he made for The Railwaymen last term. The 6ft 4ins centre-half’s progress will be monitored by Alex coaching staff as he bids to make an impression across the border.