Phillips agreed a two-year contract with Crewe at the start of the season

Goalkeeper Steve Phillips has revealed his frustration at failing to start a game for Crewe Alexandra this season.

And, although recalled in place of the suspended Rhys Taylor for Tuesday's game with Bradford, he admits that he expects to go at the end of the season.

"This isn't good enough for me," he told BBC Radio Stoke. "I'm in my prime. I don't want to end up not playing for a season. People lose you on the radar.

"It's probably one of the worst things to happen at this stage of my career."

Phillips, who signed initially on loan from Bristol Rovers in November 2009, agreed a two-year contract in June.

But he then missed the opening two months of the season, while recovering from shoulder surgery.

Alex manager Dario Gradi signed Chelsea youngster Taylor on a two-month loan, which was later extended until the end of the campaign.

And Taylor, 22, has so far played in every game this season, until being sent off in stoppage time during Saturday's 3-2 defeat at Aldershot.

After coming on for the final few minutes at the Recreation Ground, Phillips will now make his first start of the season at home to Bradford on Tuesday night, following Crewe's unsuccessful appeal against Taylor's red card.

But a clause on his contract means that he must play a certain number of games for Crewe, if the second year of his contract is to be activated.

And former Bristol City and Bristol Rovers keeper Phillips has still been told he can go out on loan to another club.

"I will be able to leave in the summer if things keep going the way they go because I'm not going to play enough games for that second year to kick in.

"I nearly went to Lincoln last week but they had the chance of getting a young keeper from a Premier League club for free, so that fell through.

"I would have gone out and got some games there which would have been good.

"I knew the injury was going to keep me out but I had the feeling that, once fit, I would be back in the team.

"Whatever's changed has changed and I haven't played.

"If I get my chance, how long am I going to stay in the team? We'll have to wait and see."

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