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Town signed six players last month with two of them, Dan Butterworth and Kieran O’Hara, joining on deadline day.

Toto Nsiala, Ellis Harrison, Zak Jules, Josh Harrop, O’Hara and Butterworth all completed moves to Highbury in January.

Crainey feels the recruitment done means that Town can be flexible in their approach to matches – and also knows the new arrivals will be keen to make an impression.

Ellis Harrison was one of six January signings Picture: Sam Fielding/PRiME Media Images Limited

Stephen Crainey relieved Fleetwood can put 'manic' month behind them

He said: “Dan is chomping at the bit. The last couple of games for Blackburn, he has come on for half an hour in both games.

“The longer it went and without getting any word from Blackburn, I didn’t think it was going to happen.

“Thankfully, on deadline day, it did and I’m delighted we got him over the line.

“Obviously it is disappointing losing the two young players (Billy Crellin and Jay Matete) but I do genuinely think we are stronger now with the players that we have got in: Zak Jules, Toto Nsiala, Ellis Harrison, Kieran O’Hara, Josh Harrop and Dan Butterworth.

“We have made some really good additions to the group.

“It has made us more physical, as well as the technical players that we have got.

“We can play when teams give us the time to play but we can mix it too as we’ve shown in the previous games.”

Crainey’s players return to action this afternoon when they make the journey to Shrewsbury Town.

They do so without one of their new signings, Preston North End loanee Harrop.

It’s understood he could be out for more than a month with a hamstring injury.

Crainey is keen to see a better performance against the Shrews than the last time the two sides met, Town losing 3-0 on Boxing Day.

He said: “It does stick in the throat, I’m not going to lie. I feel as if that is the one and only game where we’ve not been at it since I’ve taken over.

“We lacked a bit of intensity that day but we got to the bottom of it the next day.

“We debriefed it so, hopefully, we can right the wrong on Saturday.

“We trained well in the week and put some detail into the group. We know it’s going to be tough, Shrewsbury are a really physical side.

“Hopefully we can stand up to that, play football at the same time and win the game.”

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Fleetwood Town squad strength excites head coach Stephen Crainey