After being considered one of the bookies’ favourites to struggle this season, Crawley have made an impressive start to the season and are sat second in the table as they visit the Eco-Power Stadium.
On paper many of their recent games seem to have been entertaining affairs with a number of goals being scored, both for and against. And write them off at your peril - most recently they came from a two-goal deficit away at Grimsby to win the game 3-2, with the winning goal in the 96th minute.
LAST TIME OUT
Crawley Town 3 Sutton United 0
Sky Bet League Two, Saturday, September 30, 2023
Line-up: Addai, Wright, Conroy, Williams, Maguire, Darcy (Khaleel 76), Gladwin (Roles 76), Kelly, Tsaroulla (Forster 76), Campbell (Lolos 63), Orsi (Henry 73). Subs not used: Ashby-Hammond, Johnson.
THE MANAGER
Scott Lindsey had a lengthy playing career, predominantly in non-league circles, other than a 12-game stint at Gillingham in the mid-90s.
The 51-year-old has served in a number of roles to get to his current position, having coached at Gillingham, Lincoln City and Swindon Town. It was at Swindon where he got his first opportunity to manage in the Football League, having been appointed manager in June 2022. After only 30 games with the Robins, Lindsey left to take over the mantle at Crawley.
THE KEY MEN
Goalkeeper – Corey Addai
The 25-year-old began his career at the Arsenal youth academy before linking up with the Coventry U18 team in 2014. Whilst with the Sky Blues, Addai enjoyed loan spells with Mickleover and Telford United. After leaving Coventry in 2020, Addai joined Barnsley, where he was loaned out once more, this time to Chesterfield in the National League. Corey made the move to Denmark to Decond Division side Esbjerg fB for the 2021/22 season and joined Crawley in the summer of 2022.
Defender – Nick Tsaroulla
In October 2020, Crawley signed full-back Nick Tsaroulla alongside striker Max Watters in a double swoop that many Crawley fans regard as the best in their history. Tsaroulla joined the Reds following his release from Brentford B in the summer of 2020. The 24-year-old came through the Tottenham ranks in his youth career including the U18 and U23 squads before being released in the summer of 2018. Tsaroulla was quickly snapped up by the Brentford B setup following his release from Spurs.
Midfielder – Liam Kelly
The experienced midfielder began his career at Reading where he spent six years before moving to Dutch club Feyenoord in July 2019. Things didn’t go to plan in Holland and he joined Oxford United on loan the following January, staying for the remainder of the 19/20 season and returned on loan for the 20/21 season. The 27-year-old returned to England permanently when signing for Rochdale in the 21/22 season and joined Crawley this summer.
Striker – Adam Campbell
North east-born Campbell will be a familiar figure to Rovers’ Owen Bailey, having played in the same Gateshead side the last two seasons, bagging 25 league goals during that period. Over a decade ago the 28-year-old made his league debut for Premiership giants Newcastle United and has played for a number of clubs since including St Mirren, Notts County and Morecambe. He’s made an impressive start to this season scoring four league goals in nine games.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Crawley Town joined the Football League for the 2011-12 season and won promotion from League Two at the first time of asking. They met Rovers for the first time in August 2012 at the Eco-Power Stadium and came away with a 1-0 win. The return match, at Crawley’s Broadfield Stadium in February 2013 ended in a 1-1 draw, James Husband scoring for Rovers.
Of the eight meetings between the teams, all in the Football League, five have been drawn. Crawley have won once and Rovers twice. Last season, Rovers beat Town at home for the first time, winning 4-1 with goals from Joe Olowu, George Miller (2) and Kyle Hurst.
TURNED OUT FOR BOTH
Among those who have played for both clubs is striker Max Watters. Signed by Rovers from non-League football in 2018, he showed promise in the Under-23 side. In 2019-20 he made six first team appearances, all as a substitute, but failed to score. He was released at the end of the season.
Watters signed for Crawley in October 2020 as a free agent and became an instant hit. He scored sixteen goals in nineteen appearances and was sold to Cardiff City in January 2021. He is currently playing for Barnsley.
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