CREWE ALEXANDRA have come in for Radcliffe Boro wing-back Richard Battersby and are taking the 21-year-old on a week's trial writes STEVE BOTT.

Battersby has been in outstanding form for Radcliffe Borough in recent weeks and Nationwide First Division Crewe's assistant manager, Neil Baker, contacted Boro boss Kevin Glendon last week about him.

Now Battersby is set to go down to Gresty Road next week for trials and no doubt will be hoping that he can follow in the footsteps of Neill Hardy who made the jump from UniBond Division One to the Nationwide First Division last summer when he moved from the Boro to Stockport County in a £25,000 transfer. Glendon said of Battersby's big chance: "Neil Baker rang me on Friday. I told Richard about it on Saturday and he starts there this coming Monday.

"I think Richard has really progressed this year. The penny's dropped on a couple of things with him, but he's still got a bit to do.

" If someone gets hold of him full time -- and this also applies to some of our other players -- I don't see why Richard shouldn't do very, very well.

"The style of football we play is what is attracting all the scouts, but lads like Richard should be playing at a higher level if they are going to do something.

"Failing that they should stay with us because we play with a style that allows players to express themselves.

"Richard's crossing is good, he's quick and he's young. He's learnt a lot defensively too because originally he came to us as a wide midfield player.

"But the biggest thing about Richard is that he listens. If he is doing that and he goes to a professional club and continues to listen it can only improve him.

"A club like Crewe is a good place for Richard to go. They play the game we try to play and Richard certainly won't feel out of place training with them. He's comfortable on the ball."

As well as Hardy, Boro have also lost striker Paul Mullin and midfielder Simon Carden to a higher level in recent times.

They both joined Accrington Stanley in deals that raked in a total of £23,000 for the Boro.

"If we still had Mullin, Carden and Neil Hardy playing for us, what sort of a team would we be now with the players we have at the moment too?" said Glendon.

"We aren't a club to stand in the way of a young player with a chance to progress though -- and if it benefits Radcliffe Borough as well, so be it," said Glendon.