CREWE Alex officials gave MP Kieran Mullan an update on how the club has been preparing for a return to action during a training ground tour today.

The Crewe and Nantwich MP congratulated manager Dave Artell on promotion as he paid a visit to the club's Reaseheath complex where he also met club chairman John Bowler and vice-chairman Charles Grant.

The MP watched a training session and was shown around the indoor dome and gym before he got his hands on the League Two Runners-up Trophy alongside the Crewe boss, who he then surprised by presenting him with a signed rugby ball from Crewe and Nantwich Rugby Club.

Mr Mullan was fascinated to learn about the club's Academy path and the practices that have been put in place at Reaseheath to ensure compliance with Covid-19 guidelines.

Like other visitors, the MP had his temperature taken as he entered the training ground car park and was ushered around a one-way system while observing social distancing rules.

He said it was pleasing to see how the club was taking Covid "really seriously" and giving the public confidence to get back to sport.

The club's players and staff have passed a series of coronavirus tests and are playing warm-up games behind closed doors ahead of the League One season which is scheduled for a September 12 start.

For now it is not known when supporters will be able to return to Gresty Road. Mr Mullan said the government is doing everything in its powers to re-establish spectator sport, although he admitted the situation is an ever-moving one.

"It is a real challenge, one of the highest risks thing we can do is have really big crowds. It is always going to be based on how we are doing with the virus," he said.

"The government has had to roll back on some relaxation this month so I don't want people to be disappointed by announcements that are made too soon and can't be maintained.

"But it is looking at football and major events closely and I hope we are able to make progress."

The MP, himself, is undertaking pre-season preparations at Crewe and Nantwich Rugby Club where he is a member and he stresses the importance of participation in sport to boost health and wellbeing.

"We have learnt from Covid that the more sport we do the fitter we get and the better it is for everybody. I am always backing anything that encourages people to get fit and stay active and I know the Alex do loads of work with schools and young people across the area, getting them playing sport," he added.

"It's just great the whole range of things that get done here at Crewe. The really young people that are here training alongside the first team, taking people from start to finish right up to playing for the Alex.

"It's great to see the culture and ethos that is really focused on home-grown talent. People talk to you how important the Alex is to them. It is Crewe's identity and getting promoted meant people were really delighted. During the difficult time we are going through it is things like that that raise people's spirits."

And on A level results day the local MP asked if the Crewe boss had any words of advice for young people about their future plans.

"What we tell our guys all the way through is keep going," said Dave. "Setbacks are part of you. It's not so much the setback, it's how you respond and how to get up when you've been put on the canvass.

"The people that stay the course tend to be the most successful ones. I appreciate it's hard for 18 year olds to understand that, but it doesn't half make you more resilient and better prepared for the next challenge."

But, on the other hand, the MP admitted any words of advice he has for his hosts on his favourite sport might fall on deaf ears.

"There's always this friendly rivalry between football and rugby. So I thought why not help bridge the divide and come along with a goodwill gesture from my colleagues at Crewe and Nantwich Rugby Club to try to persuade Dave to change the shape of the ball he plays with - I don't know how much success I will have on that," laughed the MP.