What's next for Matty Crowell?

By RICHARD WILLIAMS

24 December 2007

MATTY CROWELL is hoping he has not played his last game for Wrexham.

Midfielder Crowell was shown a straight red card just 14 minutes into Saturday's 3-0 defeat against highflying Rotherham United at Millmoor.

The former Wales under 21 star, who has not figured for the Reds since the beginning of October, was sent off by referee Gavin Ward following a two footed challenge on Rotherham's Ian Ross.

Crowell, in his fifth season at The Racecourse, is out of contract in just seven days time and the 23-year-old will now serve a three-match suspension for the dismissal, meaning he would not be eligible to play until the New Year.

And Crowell, who had been looking to impress manager Brian Little during the festive programme, is left hoping he has a future at Wrexham.
"My contract is up now and I am suspended for three games," said Crowell today.

"They are three games that I won't be able to impress the manager. I had my opportunity and maybe people will say that's your chance, and that's fair enough.

"I lasted 14 minutes and I just really gutted and upset.

"It is not the best situation but you have just got to knuckle down, take each day as it comes and see what happens.

"I am just disappointed that I couldn't have tried to put it right in the game. I really felt I could and I really wanted to help the team in the situation we are in.

"I am just grateful to the manager giving me the opportunity in the first place, so we will have to see what happens."

Crowell, delighted to be back in the Wrexham side, admitted to feeling as though he had let everybody down at Rotherham.

"I was delighted to be back, but I feel really bad. I feel like I have let everyone down," said Crowell.

"I never go in intentionally trying to hurt someone. I honestly went for the ball. He got there before me but it was one of them.

"If I didn't go, it was as if I have chickened out of the tackle. And if I go in, it might look worse than it is because he is already there before me.

"I really am grateful to the manager for giving me the opportunity but I feel really bad. I feel I have let the team, the staff, the manager and obviously the fans who came here.

"I have got to put my hands up and take responsibility. I am sorry. I really am."

Crowell, handed a six-month contract to prove his fitness by former manager Brian Carey in the summer following a serious knee injury sustained at the start of the year, believes he can still do a job for Wrexham.

"I have worked hard in training. Times have been tough because I have not been involved," added Crowell. "But I always thought I was good enough to play here and I am just gutted.

"I just give everything for the team whenever I play. I never try and duck out of tackles and I am so disappointed. I want to stay at Wrexham, I love it here. Whatever happens, I still think I am good enough to play here.

"I really do believe that I can do a job here."

Manager Little, who would not be drawn on whether he will be offering Crowell a new deal, said the midfielder had earned a recall after impressing in recent weeks.

"I can't answer that yet. There are a million other things in my mind at the moment to be honest," said Little.

"I gave Matty a chance because of the way he has been on the training ground. Matty has trained very well and his attitude was good.

"The 4-3-3 system we played he has worked ever so well. We played Everton reserves on Tuesday and he sat in there and did a great job for us."

Little was forced to change the system following the sending off and said being reduced to 10 men – with the scoreline still blank – was the turning point, though he did not disagree with the decision.

"From our point of view, that's where we have lost the game from there on in," added Little.

"There was no real contact in the tackle but I can understand the referee making that decision. At the end of the day, it was a double footed tackle and I can't say the referee is wrong.

"I didn't think there was any contact but I thought the second worst tackle of the game wasn't even booked and that was one of our players getting fouled in our half."