'I WANT TO HELP CREWE CLIMB'

AT THE age of 24, Jack Lankester has already packed plenty into his football career and promotion with Crewe Alexandra is next on his to-do list.

- John Lyons

The former Ipswich and Cambridge United winger made the decision to up sticks and head north this summer following three years with the U's in League One.

It's meant a drop into League Two for the first time, but Lankester doesn't intend for himself or the Railwaymen - who lost in last season's League Two playoff final to Crawley - to hang around there for long.

He's keen to play a big part in manager Lee Bell's, below, mission to bring League One football back to the Cheshire club, who headed into yesterday's big clash against Notts County in fifth place.

"I'm really enjoying it," the Bury St Edmunds-born wideman told The FLP "When I joined in the summer, it was the first time I'd moved away from home.

At Ipswich and Cambridge before, I was very local.

"It's new for me, but we've got a great changing room. It's a young team and I'm seen as a more experienced player, which is a bit different for me too.

There was a lot to think about in the summer and it's been a big footballing change, going to a team that suits the way I want to play. I've got a manager who believes in me and I'm at an age now where I want to make the most of it.

"A lot of thought went into it, but Crewe stood out to me, so it became an easy decision."

Crewe will only benefit from having Lankester's ability on board, though, frustratingly, he has been sidelined since early last month with a hamstring injury.

"It took a bit of time for me to get used to how we wanted to play, but in the last few weeks before I got injured I felt I had found my feet," he explained.