We may only be two games into the league season but Crawley Town and Scott Lindsey look set to upset the footballing apple cart once more.
Lindsey’s side followed up an impressive opening-day win against Blackpool with victory on the road at Cambridge United. They also dispatched Swindon Town in the Carabao Cup and currently find themselves third in League One, albeit only two games in.
The club were tipped by many observers to be playing National League football this season but defied those predictions to win promotion via the playoffs.
After a 1-0 defeat to Crewe Alexandra in the second week of February, the Red Devils found themselves placed 15th in League Two and on a run of four defeats in five matches. A successful season then- staving off the much-anticipated relegation.
What followed was a run of just two defeats in the final 14 matches that would secure a spot in the top seven and the playoff lottery. From that point, rarely has a team won the playoffs with such ease.
Facing a strong MK Dons side, Crawley really turned it on and dispatched their opponents comfortably. They followed up a 3-0 win in the home leg with an incredible 5-1 victory in Milton Keynes. Crewe Alexandra was then defeated at Wembley as League One status was secured.
Lindsey was rightly praised for what he had achieved with such an unfancied side only for that successful side to be torn apart in the summer.
The outstanding goalkeeper Corey Addai has joined fellow promoted side Stockport County after performing brilliantly last season. He made the most saves in the fourth tier and also prevented over 15 goals against xG.
Impressive midfielder Klaidi Lolos now represents Bolton Wanderers after contributing 15 goals and seven assists to the successful playoff campaign.
Fellow midfield man Liam Kelly, statistically one of the best-performing players in his position last season, has remained in League Teo with MK Dons.
Striker Daniel Orsi has also departed the Broomfield Stadium for Burton Albion. The 28-year-old enjoyed a stellar year, scoring 25 goals in all competitions.
In their places, Crawley has brought in a mixture of players, including those from non-league and loan signings. Hibernian goalkeeper Joe Wollacott, Chelsea youngster Eddie Beach and Aldershot’s Jasper Sheikhave joined Ryan Sandford in the goalkeeping department to compete for Addai’s spot.
In midfield, Lolos and Kelly have been replaced with the likes of Antony Papadopoulos from Welling and Dundee’s Max Anderson while the striking department has seen the arrivals of Muhammadu Faal from Havant and Waterlooville and Swindon Town’s Rushian Hepburn-Murphy.
The last two seasons have seen a huge overhaul of the playing staff and the manager has utilised the free transfer market, often from lower divisions, to put his side together.
The club’s activity in the transfer market activity led to them being the tip of many to struggle and eventually suffer relegation back to the basement division.
Our #EFL predictions ahead of the opening games in the Championship, League One and League Two tonight…
— The92Bible (@The92Bible) August 9, 2024
Here you have it then folks.
Here are my 2024/2025 Sky Bet League One Predictions!
Let me know your thoughts👇 pic.twitter.com/JJ1bJtjlii
— Jake Tonge (@Jake_Tonge98) August 5, 2024
When the former Swindon Town man took over, the Red Devils were languishing fourth from bottom in League Two and his decision to leave the playoff-challenging Robins raised a few eyebrows. Following his appointment, the 52-year-old oversaw 68 League Two matches, achieving 94 points and securing league status before the unlikely promotion.
Having taken the club from the bottom of League Two to such a positive start in League One, when will Scott Lindsey get his chance higher up the football pyramid?
Ryan Lowe’s departure from Preston North End after just one fixture started the managerial merry-go-round particularly early this year and led to Lindsey being touted among names such as Paul Heckingbottom and David Moyes.
Former Sheffield United boss Heckingottom was announced as the new boss at Deepdale on Tuesday, bringing an end to speculation. Heckinbottom has a great pedigree in the lower divisions, achieving promotion to the Championship with Barnsley and promotion from the Championship with the Blades.
North End has spent much of the last two decades stagnating and has not made the Championship playoffs since 2008-09, meaning this will certainly be a challenge for the new manager.
You can’t argue with Preston’s choice of manager but perhaps the club would have been the ideal choice for Lindsey to step up with. They haven’t consistently challenged at the top end of the Championship since a five-year spell in the mid-noughties and need reinvigorating.
Whilst there have been small amounts of money to spend, they are unable to financially compete with the big guns in the division. Scott Lindsey has taken relegation fodder to a promotion-winning side using free transfers and players from lower divisions. He has improved these players and developed them to surprise many pundits, a skill and approach that surely would have aided Preston North End.
Lindsey and his coaching staff have worked wonders with players from lower divisions and have demonstrated great attention to detail in match preparation, allowing the players the best chance to be successful.
With his ability to work on a shoestring budget and rebuild teams to achieve success when everyone else has written them off, is it only a matter of time before Lindsey is recognised and is approached for a role further up the pyramid?
It wasn’t to be for the Preston job but as the season develops and there are more managerial casualties, don’t be surprised to see Scott Lindsey’s name doing the rounds.
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