In addition, the club’s ambitious new owners, Wagmi United LLC, a group of US cryptocurrency investors, had hardly inspired confidence in that first full season in charge as they gave stints in the managerial hotseat to Kevin Betsy, Matthew Etherington and Scott Lindsey.
To be fair, the latter, recruited from Swindon, did the business in keeping the club in the Football League. He then undertook a massive squad revamp last summer, though there were concerns as to whether the new recruits, some from Non-League, would be up to the task.
If it looked a bit iffy on the surface, then it hasn’t looked that way on the pitch. The Red Devils are nowhere near the relegation scrap and headed into the weekend just two points off the play-off places, albeit in 14th place in a congested table.
Under the tutelage of Lindsey and his coaching staff, Crawley have also played a passing style of football that has been easy on the eye. Up front, they’ve had a striker in Danilo Orsi in a rich vein of form. He netted his 15th league goal of the campaign – 17th in all competitions – to earn a precious 1-0 win at AFC Wimbledon in midweek.
Signed from Grimsby last summer, the 27-year-old insists he never felt his new side would struggle to maintain their status.
“I don’t think it crossed anyone’s mind that we were going to be in any sort of dogfight this year,” he told The FLP after the midweek victory. “We saw on a daily basis what we were doing in training and we saw how hard the gaffer and the rest of the coaching team worked.
Smart
Denne historien er fra February 25, 2024-utgaven av The Football League Paper.
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Denne historien er fra February 25, 2024-utgaven av The Football League Paper.
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SEASIDERS' EVANS LEADS BY EXAMPLE
BLACKPOOL assistant coach Steve Agnew was delighted with his team’s performance as they confidently saw off the threat of Burton Albion at Bloomfield Road.
CHRIS' GUTSY BLUE BATTLE BACK TO NAB THE TOP SPOT
CHRIS Davies conceded his Birmingham City side were not up to their usual quality despite beating Peterborough United in a thrilling encounter.
WELLENS SLAMS ORIENT SUBS
LEYTON Orient boss Richie Wellens bizarrely criticised his substitutes’ efforts after his side were held at home by leaders Wrexham.
HARRIS HAILS HIS DOMINANT LIONS
North End outfought at The Den
ROONEY'S JOY AFTER ARGYLE HIT HATTERS...
WAYNE Rooney could not contain his delight after his Plymouth side breezed past Luton on Friday night.
RAMS LEFT FUMING OVER SAINZ STRIKES
NORWICH manager Johannes Hoff Thorup supported calls for the introduction of VAR in the Championship – even though he benefited from two major refereeing errors in his team’s win at Derby.
CARRICK'S CHUFFED WITH STARLET DOAK
MICHAEL Carrick thinks exciting winger Ben Doak has shown how determined he is to develop at Middlesbrough after helping to secure victory over Stoke City at the Riverside.
'Mature' Leeds are class above Cov
DANIEL Farke praised the “maturity” of his Leeds United side after they thumped early-season strugglers Coventry City with a dominant display at Elland Road.
SKIPPER TRAVIS IS TOPS FOR EUSTACE...
DELIGHTED Blackburn boss John Eustace lauded ‘inspirational’ captain Lewis Travis after his goal set them on their way to victory over 10man QPR.
BLADES BLUNTED BY PEPPY POMPEY
CHRIS Wilder heaped praise onto winless Portsmouth after they held his Sheffield United side to a goalless draw at Fratton Park.