Crawley Town

Crawley Town are a professional football club based in Crawley, West Sussex. The club currently compete in EFL League One, the third tier of English football. Known as The Red Devils, they are at present in the final relegation place following their remarkable and unexpected promotion via the Play-Offs last season. Crawley Town plays at Broadfield Stadium, which has a capacity of around 6,000. Over the years, the club has had fluctuating fortunes, with notable achievements such as winning promotion to the English Football League for the first time in 2011. Their current campaign is the highest level they have been at in their history.

Crawley Town Updates

Last season, Crawley did the impossible and won promotion at Wembley against all the odds. Despite being one of the favourites for relegation at the start of the season, The Red Devils sneaked into seventh spot before producing two historic Semi-Final performances to beat higher-ranking MK Dons.

After making it to Wembley for the first time in their history, the West Sussex side produced another excellent performance to defeat Crewe Alexandra 2-0 and win promotion to League One. Despite again being predicted to finish bottom, along with losing most of their starting eleven from Wembley and manager Scott Lindsey, the club are five points adrift of safety ahead of the second half of the campaign. 

To keep up to date with news about Crawley Town throughout the season check out The Real Efl page.

Crawley Town Transfer News and Rumours

Crawley’s model of signing players from lower levels, and those that haven’t had the desired success elsewhere, brought them their unlikely success last term. But that squad was torn apart in the summer.

Eight of the eleven who started under the arch left the club, then too did manager Scott Lindsey for MK Dons earlier this campaign. A few players remained in the fourth tier, including Will Wright (Swindon), Liam Kelly (MK Dons) Nick Tsaroulla & Kellan Gordon (Notts County). But three players, in particular, had warranted a move to the Red Devils' current level.

Goalkeeper Corey Addai joined fellow promoted side Stockport, while Klaidi Lolos also moved to the North-West with Bolton. Danilo Orsi was the final big-named departure, moving to Burton. The incoming are listed below, and there are a whole host of them including Joe Wollacott, Toby Mullarkey, Max Anderson, Panutche Camará, Will Swan, Tola Showunmi and Armando Quitirna. The latter four arrivals netted all the goals in their thrilling 4-4 draw against Exeter in their final outing of 2024. 

Crawley Town Signings

A summer of huge overhaul after promotion was quite unexpected and left the club stripped of the side that had been so successful the year prior. The Red Devils had to be smart with their business, and also needed so many replacements to take the place of the outgoing players.

Player	Age	Nationality	Left	Fee	Contract Duration
Benjamin Tanimu	22	Nigerian	Singida Black Stars Tanzanian Premier League	£620k	2 year
Josh Flint	23	English	FC Volendam Dutch Eerste Divisie	Free	2 year
Panutche Camará	27	Bissau Guinean	Ipswich Town English Premier League	Free	2 year
Rushian Hepburn-Murphy	25	English	Swindon Town EFL League Two	Free	2 year
Gavan Holohan	32	Irish	Grimsby Town EFL League Two	Free	2 year
Antony Papadopoulos	21	English	Welling United English National League South	Free	2 year
Jasper Sheik	19	English	Aldershot Town English National League	Free	1 year
Joe Wollacott	27	Ghanian	Hibernian Scottish Premiership	Undisclosed	2 year
Max Anderson	23	Scottish	Dundee FC Scottish Premiership	Undisclosed	2 year
Will Swan	23	English	Mansfield Town EFL League One	Undisclosed	2 year
Toby Mullarkey	27	English	Grimsby Town EFL League Two	Undisclosed	2 year
Tola Showunmi	24	English	Louisville City American USL Championship	Undisclosed	2 year
Armando Quitirna	24	Bissau Guinean	Fleetwood Town EFL League Two	Undisclosed	2 year
Scott Malone	33	English	Gillingham EFL League Two	Undisclosed	1 year
Charlie Barker	21	English	Wealdstone National League	Undisclosed	3 year
Bradley Ibrahim	19	English	Hertha BSC II German Regionalliga Nordost	Loan	1 year
Eddie Beach	20	Welsh	Chelsea English Premier League	Loan	1 year
Cameron Bragg	19	English	Southampton English Premier League	Loan	1 year
Tyreece John-Jules	23	English	Free Agent	Free	1 year

Crawley Town Key Matches of the Season

A tough season was always expected for the West Sussex side, but it was made even more difficult by losing a huge chunk of their squad in the summer. Following the festive period, which roughly marks the midway point of the campaign, Crawley are well in touch with the sides outside the bottom four ahead of the January transfer window.

The Red Devils had an excellent beginning to the campaign, continuing the momentum from last term before the loss of Scott Lindsey hit them hard. Rob Elliot though has steadied the ship, producing some eye-catching results against Lincoln and Charlton. There are plenty of relegation ‘six-pointers’ for fans of Town to look forward to in the second half of the season, including a potential season-defining encounter on the final day against Shrewsbury.

To find out all of Crawley Town’s fixtures click on the link below:

Crawley Town standings, fixtures and live stream

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Crawley Town Key Achievements

The vast majority of the Red Devils honours came in the lower reaches of the English game, but Crawley rose into the EFL fourteen years ago. After that promotion to League Two in 2011, they went on further and straight into the third tier with consecutive promotions and spent three years at that level.

Below we will guide you through Crawley Town’s major achievements.

• League Two Promoted (3^rd) in 2011/12
• League Two Play-Off Winners in 2024
• Conference Champions Once – 2010/11
• Southern League Champions Once – 2003/04
• Southern League Cup Winners Twice – 2003 & 2004
• Sussex Senior Challenge Cup 4x Winners – 1990, 1991, 2003, 2005
• Metropolitan League Cup Winners in 1959

Crawley Town Current Squad

Rob Elliot has come in mid-season to inherit a largely shaken Crawley squad. He will though have the opportunity now the January transfer window is open to get some new players in, though there may be limited movement in this month compared with the summer, depending on the level they are at.

Crawley Town Attackers

Nineteen goal striker Danilo Orsi left a void in the goalscoring department in the summer. In came Rushian Hepburn-Murphy from Swindon, while Will Swan had also found the net plenty of times with Mansfield last season. Tyreece John-Jules arrived mid-season to bolster the forward options.

Crawley Town Midfielders

Liam Kelly and Klaidi Lolos earned moves to League One outfits, so the middle of the park was always like to see incomings. Max Anderson (Dundee) and Armando Quitirna bolster the attacking area of this department, while Panutche Camara arrived from Ipswich. Town also used the loan market to sign Bradley Ibrahim (Hertha BSC) for the year, while Cameron Bragg has just been recalled by Southampton. 

Crawley Town Defenders

Bar the loss of Will Wright, Crawley appeared to have coped well in the defensive department. Two arrivals from abroad in Josh Flint from the Netherlands, and the exciting acquisition of Nigerian international Benjamin Tanimu were welcomed.

Crawley Town Goalkeepers

There was though a huge shift in the goalkeeping department. Out went Corey Addai to Stockport, with Joe Wollacott from the Scottish Premiership his replacement. Eddie Beach was signed on loan, while Millwall’s Connal Trueman has twice come in as an emergency loan.

Crawley Town Managing and Coaching Staff

The current manager of Crawley Town is Rob Elliot. He left Gateshead at the start of October, having guided the club to FA Trophy glory and a top-seven finish. The Heed though were denied a Play-Off place after an issue with their ground that failed to reach a swift conclusion.

Eliot previously enjoyed a playing career as a goalkeeper, beginning with seven years at Charlton before playing 68 times for Newcastle. The former Republic of Ireland international hung up his boots when joining Gateshead as Technical Director but was still registered as a player.

He moved into management after Mike Williamson left for MK Dons in October 2023, taking the club into the Play-Offs despite being temporary manager. His appointment became permanent in June 2024, winning the National League Manager of the Month award in the first month of the campaign, before leaving for Crawley. 

Crawley Town Former Managers & Key Coaches

After spending most of their history in the lower reaches, some great managers have taken the reins of the club since they reached semi-professional status. From ex-players turned manager, to the controversial figure of Steve Evans who led the club to promotion, it feels like there is never a dull moment with Crawley.

While Scott Lindsey left the club following his remarkable stint in charge, taking the Red Devils from the bottom of League Two to promotion, Rob Elliot is looking to create his own legacy.

John Maggs 1982 – 1995

• Crawley’s all-time record appearance holder with 657 as a player.
• Stepped up to manage the club in 1982 for thirteen seasons.
• Was also chairman during his 30-year affiliation with the Red Devils.

Steve Evans 2007 – 2012

• Took Crawley from Non-League to the verge of the third tier.
• Had the highest win percentage with 48.1%.
• Led the club on 266 occasions, winning a remarkable 128 times.

Richie Barker 2012 – 2013

• Only managed the club for a single season in their debut campaign in the third tier.
• Led the West Sussex side to their best ever finish in their history by finishing 10^th in League One.
• Has one of the highest win percentages in their history with 37.3% from his 75 games.

Scott Lindsey 2023 – 2024

• Kept Crawley in the fourth tier after joining the club in January 2023.
• Won League Two Manager of the Month with five wins from six in September that year.
• Also only led the club for a year, but won promotion last season with a sensational campaign.

Crawley Town Legends

Crawley have seen some exceptional turn out in West Sussex across their history, none more so than in the past couple of decades. Below, we take a look at some Crawley Town legends:

Vic Bragg 1967 – 1984

Highest outfield appearance tally in the Red Devils history with 609. Played a handful of times in his final season as they won promotion to the Southern League Premier. Recently retired from Sussex neighbours Brighton after 30 years with the Seagulls academy.

Matt Tubbs 2010 – 2012 & 2014

Signed for a club record fee in 2010, estimated to be around £55k. Broke the Conference record for goals with 37, taking a place in the divisional Team of the Year. Scored eighteen times after promotion before leaving for a high six-figure fee for AFC Bournemouth.

Billy Clarke 2012 – 2014

He was signed mid-season, helping win promotion in his first year. Won the Player of the Season award in his first full campaign. Played a total of 92 times for the Red Devils, netting 24 times.

Ollie Palmer 2018 – 2020

Played 76 times for Crawley in the fourth tier. Won the clubs top scorer twice in consecutive seasons with fourteen and thirteen goals. Now playing for third-tier rivals Wrexham.

Ashley Nadesan 2019 – 2023

One of the record appearance holders in terms of EFL appearances at Crawley.  Netted during the FA Cup upset against Leeds in 2020, in a three nil win. Scored 24 goals in 118 games.

Max Watters 2020 – 2021

Had an extremely short but memorable half a season stint. Scored thirteen times in fifteen league appearances, along with a further three in all competitions. Won League Two Player of the Month in December 2020 with six goals, finishing top of Crawley’s scoring charts.

Tom Nichols 2020 – 2022

Scored a hat-trick in a memorable FA Cup tie against Torquay in 2020, winning 6-5. Won the clubs Player of the Season in his debut campaign. Played a total of 109 times for the Red Devils, scoring on 29 occasions.

Danilo Orsi

Appeared 50 times for the Red Devils. Finished as the clubs top scorer as they won their second promotion from League Two. Hit nineteen league goals and 25 across all competitions.

Crawley Town Team Metrics and Performance

The is the first season Crawley have been back as an EFL League One side, and only the fourth campaign at this level in their history. Last term, Crawley defied the odds to finish in 7^th spot with 70 points, which saw them qualify for the Play-Offs. The West Sussex side broke the record for the highest aggregate win after defeating fourth place MK Dons in the Semi-Final. On their first visit to Wembley, Crawley won promotion in the final by defeating Crewe 2-0.

This was a stark contrast from the 2022/23 campaign, where Crawley just survived falling out the EFL. The Red Devils finished the season in 22^nd spot, with 46 points leaving them just three points ahead of Hartlepool in the relegation zone.

Back in 2021/22, Crawley finished in 12^th spot, their third consecutive mid-table finish with 61 points. That figure was also identical to the season before and was the highest finish since relegation from League One. Crawley had nine consecutive years in the fourth tier, after spending their only three years in League One in history prior to that.

Watch Crawley Town’s Latest Highlights

Crawley Town Pitch and Amenities

Crawley play their home games at the Broadfield Stadium, returning its original name after nine years with two different sponsors until 2022. The ground has a capacity of 6134, and has also been home to Brighton & Hove Albion’s women side since 2018.

The Red Devils themselves moved into the ground upon its completion in 1997, having played at their previous home of Town Mead for 48 years until the land was sold to developers. Just over a decade ago, the East Stand saw some renovations to nudge the capacity over the 5k mark, along with new turnstiles and floodlights.

The Broadfield Stadium has four stands, named:

• North Stand
• East Stand
• South Stand
• West Stand

Both the North and South stands are terracing, with the former hosting away fans. As part of EFL regulations, supporters are also housed in a small part of the East Stand, which along with the final West Stand are all-seater stands. 

Crawley Town Fan Base and Support

The clubs current average attendance of over 4k is the first time they have ever reached that figure in their history. In fact, the club have only ever averaged over 3000 across five seasons upon their promotion to the EFL, with their two full season averages coming in two third-tier campaigns.

Attendances during the last few years of Non-League dropped as low as 1k, with the 2009/10 season seeing an average of 1003 across their league encounters. The clubs record attendance was an FA Cup tie against Reading in 2013, with 5580 packed into the 6134 capacity.

Two years earlier, they took 9000 fans to Manchester United for their FA Cup tie, the highest amount of Town fans at a single game until the Play-Off Final at Wembley in May. An estimated 17k fans made the relatively short journey to the capital for their first ever appearance under the arch.

Crawley Town Rivalries and Notable Matches

Due to their history and lack of ‘local’ sides, it is more difficult to pinpoint a direct rivalry for Crawley. They have played their East Sussex neighbours Brighton twice, but it would never be considered a rivalry, from Albions perspective at least. The Red Devils have encountered Sutton on seven occasions as professional sides, but their main rivalries appear to be AFC Wimbledon.

Again, the sides haven’t clashed many times over the years, with Wimbledon once a Premier League side before their own, controversial rivalry formed with MK Dons.

Some notable matches between these two teams include:

• October 22^nd, 2011 – League Two: AFC Wimbledon 2-5 Crawley Town
• April 16^th, 2016 – League Two: AFC Wimbledon 1-0 Crawley Town
• March 18^th, 2023 – League Two: AFC Wimbledon 0-1 Crawley Town
• October 8^th, 2024 – Football League Trophy: Crawley Town 3-4 AFC Wimbledon

Crawley Town Facts

Crawley Town History

Founded in 1896, Crawley played in both the West Sussex and Mid-Sussex League before they disbanded in 1935. Three years later, they were back up and running, and by 1958 they added the Town to Crawley name. 

In the early 1960’s, they moved to a semi-professional status and joined the Southern League. They spent the next four decades at that level, including 21 consecutive years in the Premier Division. After becoming Southern League Champions, they moved into the Conference and turned professional.

Despite entering administration, Crawley came through the other side stronger and would move into the EFL by 2011. The West Sussex side won a remarkable second promotion in a row, spending three years as a third-tier outfit before nine years back in League Two. They had a number of years finishing in mid-table in the middle of that stint, before two completely contrasting campaigns in the last two years.

Crawley Town Links

To see any regular updates on Crawley Town, the clubs social media pages, particularly X, is the best possible way. The club have 92k followers on that particular platform, where you can find all the latest news.

Below are the links for the clubs' Twitter, and the website:

Crawley Town FC (@crawleytown) on X
https://www.crawleytownfc.com/

Crawley Town Outlook and Forecast

Given everything that has gone against Crawley since their Play-Off Final victory on 19^th May, Crawley will be relatively happy with their league positioning. While there is obvious disappointment the club are in the relegation zone, the Red Devils were tipped by many to finish bottom of the division.

Their challenge is tough, with Shrewsbury likely to keep chipping away with Gareth Ainsworth in charge. Bristol Rovers and Northampton have had difficult seasons but both won on Saturday 4th January to open up a five and seven point gap respectively. Peterborough and Rotherham meanwhile were both expected to challenge for the top six but Posh have slipped to 19th in their most recent game. Whatever division the Red Devils end up in next season, they have embarked on a journey no one thought was possible after their relegation battle two years ago.

Frequently Asked Questions on Crawley Town

How much would it cost to buy Crawley Town Football Club?

Current owners Wagmi United purchased the club in 2022, after attempting to purchase Bradford months earlier. The American cryptocurrency consortium are rumoured to have paid around £5m, although there isn’t a great deal of information around the value of the sale. On that basis, now the club are in a higher division, it could be expected that a high seven figure fee would now be required, although that of course fluctuates with the division they are in.

Was Crawley Town ever in the Premier League?

No, Crawley Town has never been in the Premier League. The club spent most of its history in the lower divisions of the English football pyramid. They though rose to prominence in the 2010s, when they earned promotion to the Football League, but they have not reached the top tier.

Crawley played in League One, the third tier, after immediately winning promotion in their maiden EFL campaign. This though lasted three campaigns, before they returned to League Two up until last season.

What is Crawley Town Famous For?

Along with their rise into the EFL, Crawley made national headlines for their FA Cup run during the same year they reached the fourth tier. Under the management of Steve Evans, the Red Devils spent big and played illustrious opponents Manchester United, with whom they share their nickname.

Early round victories over Newport, Guiseley and Swindon hardly made headlines, but after defeating Derby County of the Championship they made their mark. After beating Torquay, they were handed big-named opposition in the fifth round. They gave an admirable showing, only losing by a single goal and were inches away from a late leveller and a money-spinning replay.

While the national attention died down, the Red Devils stormed to the Conference title, amassing a then-record of 105 points.

How far is Crawley FC from the train station?

The Broadfield Stadium is located approximately 1 mile (about 1.6 km) from Crawley Train Station. This means it takes a relatively short walk of about 25 minutes to get to the ground, or a five minute drive.

Alternatively, there are a couple of frequent buses between the two places that takes only seven minutes (five stops) and drops you at the bus station, located a mere three minute walk from the train station.

Is Crawley Town a big club?

Crawley are not considered to be a ‘big’ club having only played in the lower reaches of English football, and have never reached the top two divisions. They have a fairly wide reach of potential fans though, sitting south of the capital and are a short drive to Gatwick Airport. The Red Devils are the biggest side in West Sussex, but are much smaller than their close neighbours Brighton & Hove Albion, who they have only ever faced twice including this season in the League Cup.

Where to watch Crawley Town FC?

To watch the club live, you would have to attend a home game at the Broadfield Stadium. Alternatively, you could watch one of their 23 league games away from home. As part of the new Sky Sports deal for the EFL, at least 20 Crawley Town games will be available to watch on TV too. That includes their midweek encounter at Mansfield at the end of January, along with both their fixtures over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.