FORMER Pewsey Vale defender Jon Guthrie has turned his attention to helping Crewe Alexandra stay in League One after securing his professional future by signing a new contract.

The 21-year-old, from Milton Lilbourne, has broken in to the Railwaymen’s line-up as first-choice left-back, starting the last 12 games and last week signed a new two-year contract at Gretsy Road, with the option of a further third year.

After sealing his own long-term future with Crewe, who are 22nd in the table with six games remaining, Guthrie is now fully focussed on trying to help his side successfully escape the drop zone.

“It’s good news for me. The manager (Steve Davis) told me ‘you’ve been playing well and we want to reward you with a new deal’ a few weeks ago but it’s always in the back of your mind until you get it sorted because you never really know what’s going to happen,” Guthrie told the Gazette & Herald.

“It’s nice to get it sorted before the end of the season. I was always happy to stay here.

“I feel really settled up here now and everything’s great. I’ve been playing in the side at left-back, and I think that’s where they see me, but I’d be happy to play anywhere.

“I’m enjoying every game and I think that my biggest highlight was the derby game at Port Vale (on February 22). We won 3-1, I felt like I had my best game and other people seemed to think that I played well too.

“We’re not in a great position but we’ve got to make sure that we stay in League One. That’s all we can think about at the moment and we’ve got to into every game thinking that we can get a result.”

Guthrie made a sensational switch to Crewe from Sydenhams League Pewsey in February 2012 after spending 14 weeks on trial with the Cheshire club.

The defender’s first-team debut came as a late substitute against Swindon Town in October that year before the former St John’s School pupil was handed his first start at AFC Bournemouth in January 2013.

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