ALEX HAVEN’T SHOWN ENOUGH FIGHT, ADMITS MIDFIELD STAR
CREWE Alex midfielder Tom Lowery is relieved to be playing again but determined to improve his own performances to try to help the club out of relegation trouble.
The 23-year-old missed the first 13 games of the league season because of a contract dispute and, although he remains out of contract at the end of the season, an agreement was reached that meant he returned to the side a month ago.
But he is part of a team that is bottom of League One, six points adrift of safety ahead of Saturday’s game at home to Gillingham.
Lowery said: “It is good to be back playing, I had a tough few months at the start of the season where I wasn’t playing so it’s nice to be back on the pitch.
“I just tried to stay as fit as possible, just tried to keep my head down really, work hard in training and hope that an opportunity came that I would be able to be back playing.
“The most important thing for me is to play football, that is what I am paid to do so I am really pleased to be back playing.
“I have to play my part, I have to try my best on the pitch, which I always do. Obviously I have to improve my performances at the moment because they haven’t been good enough.
“But I will always give 100 per cent for the team.”
In the meantime, he is focusing on his football rather than speculation about his future.
He said: “I try to just block it out and just focus on what I can control which is staying fit, working hard in training and basically focusing on what I can control.”
The Crewe academy graduate believes the club can still get out of trouble despite a tough year in which key players Perry Ng, Harry Pickering, Ryan Wintle, Charlie Kirk and Owen Dale – in his case on loan – have left.
Lowery added: “We lost some good players last year but it’s an opportunity for others to come in and do well in the team. We all have to improve and improve a lot because it has been nowhere near good enough.
“We have some great players in the squad. I think we definitely have enough to stay up and stay in this league. So, I think we will be able to turn it around.”
However, he understands supporters’ frustrations with a team that has won just one of its 17 league games, the latest defeat coming in a 2-0 reverse at Bolton on Friday.
He said: “It’s nowhere near good enough at the moment, not playing
well enough at all, not getting enough points.
“We need to really work hard this week and need to go into the game on Saturday really focused on winning, we need three points on Saturday.
“We have to work hard this week, put everything in, in training and then hopefully on Saturday we’ll get a win.”
He added: “Fans are well within their rights to be venting their frustrations because we as players haven’t been good enough.
“We haven’t been showing enough fight on the pitch, we haven’t been playing to the best of our abilities. So, yes we can fully understand the fans’ point of view at the minute.
“Their support is massive. We are really grateful for their support. On Friday their support was brilliant so, we need that support.”
· CREWE Alex have revealed they have been formally warned by the EFL about their supporters throwing pyrotechnics.
The club say: “Having launched in November 2017, all EFL Clubs
have signed the ‘Club Charter on Pyrotechnics’, including the commitment to taking strong and decisive action against any fans found attempting to bring a banned item into a ground, or those who discharge pyrotechnics.
“Unfortunately, Crewe Alexandra has been formally warned as to the conduct of its supporters and the throwing of pyrotechnics.
“The club wish it to be known that any supporter that is in breach of the terms of the Charter will be subject to a minimum three-season ban.”