LEFT-BACK Charlie Crane has refuted the idea that he is in the team simply through nepotism.

The defender is coach Ian Crane’s (pictured) son but has been impressing as part of the Hayes back four and added another clean sheet to his record following Saturday’s 3-0 over Marlow.

Known as ‘Chas’, the full back admits that team-mates do wind him up about the fact that his father is the manager, but believes performances like Saturday’s prove that he deserves his place.

“Yeah, they do have banter here and there about it, especially last season, but I laugh it off and I think I have proved to the players that I am here on merit,” he said.

“I’ve had good feedback from them saying ‘you are good enough to play for the team and not because your dad is the manager’.

“I’ve never had anyone say that I get picked because my dad’s the coach, unless of course they’ve said it behind my back. Certainly no one has ever come up to my face and said it really.”

The 20-year-old also wants to demonstrate a keen work ethic and not a bad attitude should he be the one overlooked for a place in the starting line-up.

“I wouldn’t say it causes a feeling of resentment,” he said. “If that person is there on merit, I won’t argue. I just want to prove to myself that I’ve got to work harder and show the gaffer that I want to start.”

But while things are going well, Crane does acknowledge that his working relationship with his father is at the very least an interesting one.

“It’s challenging. Not everyone gets the chance and you get your good and bad feedback from it but it’s going well. He doesn’t treat me differently to the other players.

“I probably get it worse if anything – there’s no special treatment.”