We Take a look through the sides that we will come up against in League Two next season.
Who Are They?
Based in the outskirts of West Sussex, Crawley Town were formed 120 years ago where they became founded members of the West Sussex Football League. They remained at around this level until 1951 where they joined the Sussex County League and then the Metropolitan League, five years later. The Reds have won many regional accolades over the years which have allowed them to become one of the country’s most successful non-league football sides.
In 2010, the club reached the Football League for the first time in history, after some heavy investment for a non-league side. Their impressive league performances were also a replication of how well they did in cup competitions where they set-up a dream tie with Manchester United in the fifth round of the FA Cup. Crawley lost the game 1-0 in front of 9000 supporters at Old Trafford and could have come home with a draw as Richard Brodie struck the bar in the 93rd minute.
How Did They Perform Last Season?
Despite a frustrating season for the The Reds, they managed to steer away from relegation into the National League by beating the drop by five points, securing a 19th place finish. It looked to be a good season for Crawley with high expectation upon Dermot Drummy’s shoulders at the start of the campaign but a dip in form saw his sacking just a year later. Their safety was secured after a 3-3 thriller with Carlisle United during late April.
Now under the leadership of former Liverpool and Australian winger, Harry Kewell, The Red Devils will be looking for a much improved season this time round. Their cup pedigree will also be a target for next season as Crawley were knocked out in all three of their cup competitions fairly early.
Our Last Meeting
Port Vale’s last meeting with Crawley Town came in March 2015 when the pair met in League One. Crawley were fighting for their League One status as Vale still had their mind set on a play-off push.
The Reds were victorious on this day as they ran out 3-2 winners at Vale Park. A Richard Wood header, 20 minutes from time allowed the three points to go back to Sussex as Louis Dodds scored a brace, just before half-time to make it 2-1 to Vale.
Andy Wordsworth and Izale McLeod got a goal each on a cold Tuesday night and Wood finished Vale off to assist Crawley’s survival chances.
How To Get There
The 3 hour 13 minute journey will take you onto the M6 South towards Birmingham. Then merge onto the M42 and exit at junction 3A for London/Warwick/Stratford. At junction 1A, take the M25 exit towards Heathrow and at junction 7, exit for M23 for Brighton/Gatwick Airport.
Continue on the M23 until the A264 (Horsham) where a fourth exit on the roundabout will lead you towards Broadfield Stadium.
By Train
Crawley Railway Station is located just over a mile away from the stadium. If you were to walk, it would take you around 20 minutes, but a taxi costs around £6.
A bus is also an accessible way to get to Broadfield, as the Fastway number ten leaves every ten minutes from the train station.
Odds On Promotion
Sky Bet have put Crawley Town as one of the favourites to be relegated next season therefore their odds-on promotion would be 20/1. To win the league, they have been placed at 100/1.