FANS favourite Adam Dugdale hopes Crewe’s promoted heroes will stick together and emerge as a surprise package in League One.

The Alex’s current crop of stars have certainly won over a whole host of new admirers after their refreshing approach to the play-offs.

And with nine homegrown players out of 11 to start at Wembley, it’s also justified the club’s faith in their academy during a tough few seasons.

Although Nick Powell looks set to move on, Dugdale hopes the core will remain to target further success.

“It’s important to keep as many of this side together as we can.

“It’s obvious at some point we’re going to lose good players to bigger and better things.

“There have been great players here who have already done that but for us, it we can keep the bulk of this squad together it will carry on improving and we’ll be alright at a higher level.”

Veteran keeper Steve Phillips insists they are more than a one-man team.

“I will remember Nick’s goal for the rest of my life,” he said.

“He’s destined to play for the very top clubs in the world.

“But we’re not just the Nick Powell show. We’ve got some fantastic players and a couple could go on to play for England – I genuinely believe that.

“You don’t go 19 games unbeaten just by playing pretty little passes.

“It has been though real hard work, I’ve had some good times but this is the best run I’ve been on in my career.”

Out of contract, both Phillips and skipper Dave Artell are set to discuss their futures with boss Steve Davis.

“It’s a phenomenal club and maybe I would like to play here for the rest of my career,” continued Phillips.

“I haven’t spoken to Steve yet because we’ve obviously had other things on our minds but we will know soon enough.

”Playing through the pain barrier during the play-offs, Artell hopes he can land a new deal.

“I want to stay because it has been absolutely fantastic what we’ve achieved,” he said.

“The way this club plays will be rewarded the higher up we go.“To win at Wembley was fantastic; you can’t beat it as a career highlight.”

Securing promotion with the killer second at Wembley, Byron Moore would also like to stay.“ It was my best moment of my career at Crewe,” he said.

“I’ll think about my future but I’d be happy to stay if I was offered something.”