Crawley Town FC matchday programme 2014_15

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THE OFFICIAL MATCHDAY MAGAZINE OF CRAWLEY TOWN FC

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v BRADFORD CITY | Sky Bet League One | Tuesday, August 19, 2014 | Kick off 7:45pm

Michael Dunford

CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Good evening and welcome to our third home game in a week as we entertain Bradford City in Sky Bet League One.

When we visited Valley Parade in April the hospitality we received was equal to anything we have experienced in this division and we hope we can reciprocate tonight, off the field at least!

This time next week we will be preparing to face Norwich City in the second round of the Capital One Cup, having enjoyed an excellent result last Tuesday against their East Anglian rivals Ipswich.

Of course we’d have preferred a home draw but at this stage, with the top six Premier League clubs still to enter the competition, Norwich away ticks a lot of boxes for us.

Carrow Road a good venue which Norwich have rebuilt in the last 20 years into a compact but excellently appointed stadium. The playing surface will be very good and our players certainly won’t have any fear about going there and getting a result. We accept it’s not the equivalent of going to Old Trafford but Norwich have priced it sensibly and with 22,000 season ticket holders they are expecting a crowd of around 18,000.

We are entitled to 45% of the gate revenue so the money we receive will be the equivalent of staging three games such as the first round tie with Ipswich. It’s not a life-changing sum but very handy nonetheless and hopefully not the last game in our Capital One Cup run this season.

along, hopefully enjoy the experience and come back.

Every time you introduce a new person you will be entered into a draw with the first prize of £500. We feel this is a way where you can feel you are doing your bit to help push the club forward. More details will be announced in the next few days.

Finally, we are currently looking to recruit additional matchday personnel.

We need stewards, turnstile operators and catering staff who can commit themselves to attending home games and enjoy working with the public.

If that sounds like you give us a call on 01293 410000 for more information or email our Stadium Manager Peter Wimshurst: peterwimshurst@ crawleytownfc.com Our part-time staff are as important to our operation as full-time employees so if you fancy being part of the team please get in touch.

All that remains is for me to thank you once again for your support tonight and I hope to see you at one of our forthcoming away games or, failing that, be back here in September.

Come on you Red boys!

I’m sure our own fans will enjoy visiting Carrow Road. We have been given an initial allocation of 500 seats but we can get more. In short, every supporter who wants to attend from Crawley will be able to do so and tickets will be on sale after tonight’s game.

A new ticket initiative we will be launching soon is ‘Bring A Friend’ which will initially run until the end of the year.

Like every club, we want to increase our supporter base and every Crawley Town fan can play their part by bringing an additional person or two to home games. We want new people who are not currently regulars to come www.crawleytownfc.com

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£144 AJD Group West Stand or

The Checkatrade.com East Stand £126 Bruce Winfield Terrace Available August 8th

Flexi 8 is not available to under-18s. Flexi 8 can be used to purchase up to a maximum of 8 match tickets either on an individual basis or a maximum of 2 tickets for any single game / You must produce your Flexi 8 membership card at the Ticket Office before 12 noon on the day of the match (5pm midweek games) / Apply early to avoid disappointment as availability of seats cannot be guaranteed / Flexi 8 ticket holders will have category B cup tie ticket priority.

Today’s Visitors 14: Solid start for City 15: Four to Watch 17: The Bradford City squad 19: Fan Fare, with Bantams fan Jonny Lonsdale Bradford players celebrate with scorer James Hanson (centre) after his goal helped secure an opening-day League One win over Coventry City

www.crawleytownfc.com

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Today’s visitors In Charge Phil Parkinson began his managerial career at Colchester United in 2003 and helped the U's to promotion to the Championship following a second placed finish in League One in 2006.

Parkinson has been Bradford manager since taking over from Peter Jackson in August 2011. He masterminded City's rise back to League One two years ago and secured the Bantams' place in the division last season.

He has previously had a short spell as Hull City boss in 2006 and then enjoyed three years at Charlton Athletic between 2008-11. He also took Bradford to the League Cup Final in 2013.

During his playing days, the 46-year-old graduated through the Southampton youth system but failed to make an appearance for the Saints during three years as a professional. He moved north to play for Bury, representing the Shakers on over 100 occasions but it was at Reading where he gained legendary status. In 11 seasons he appeared over 300 times and was twice voted the Royals' Player of the Year. He also helped the club win promotion the Championship.

Did you know? Parkinson has been voted in Reading's all time greatest XI.

Overview Bradford went into Saturday’s game at Walsall with two wins out of two and a Yorkshire derby to look forward to in the Capital One Cup against Leeds United.

But even if they have won at the Bescot, don’t expect manager Phil Parkinson to necessarily stick with the same line-up here tonight.

Parkinson is mindful of the hectic schedule at this stage of the season and has no qualms about rotating the players in a squad he has rebuilt impressively during the summer.

Midfielder Alan Sheehan missed the Walsall game because of a family 14

@crawleytown

Familiar face: Billy Clarke, who made 92 appearances for Reds, returns with Bradford tonight after joining the club in the summer bereavement so he could return tonight but Parkinson insists he will make changes to cope with City’s demanding schedule.

He told the Bradford Telegraph and Argus: “We’ve got to be pleased with the first two games but we’ve got a run coming up now where we want every member of the squad to be right up to speed.

received international clearance in time to feature. If not, he should be available tonight.

“The bench was a decent one against Morecambe and won us the game,” added Parkinson. “Hopefully that will happen time and time again – we’ve got to make sure we have the strength on there to be able to change the course of any football match.”

“Like we’ve always done, we’re going to utilise the squad we’ve got. Filipe Morais and Ben Williams came in for the Capital One Cup game at Morecambe last Tuesday and everybody’s going to get opportunities to play. It’s unrealistic in this run of games to expect the same XI to play. It’s not going to happen.”

The City boss would love to take some momentum into the Leeds cup game, which has been chosen for live TV coverage.

With Sheehan absent, James Meredith was due to play at left-back on Saturday and City were hopeful that Swiss defender Christopher Routis will have

“It’s something to look forward to but we’ve got to put that on the backburner. It would be great to go into that game in a strong league position.”

He added: “It’s great to have that excitement so early in the season and when the Leeds game comes we’ll be ready for it.

Four to watch Billy Clarke A player that Reds’ fans know all about, Billy was with Crawley for two years before joining Bradford following the expiry of his contract in the summer.

Billy came to Crawley from Blackpool in January 2012 and in his first few months played a big role in helping us to promotion from League Two with 20 goals in 92 appearances in total for Crawley.

The Irishman came through the youth system at Ipswich Town alongside current Blackburn Rovers striker Jordan Rhodes and appeared 49 times for the Tractor Boys before joining Blackpool on a free transfer. His time in Tangerine was hampered by injuries but he did help them win promotion to the Premier League.

Did you know? Clarke made 45 appearances for Ireland at under-17, 18, 19 and 21 level.

Alan Sheehan

23 times and, after loan spells with both Mansfield and Leeds United, he joined the latter on a permanent basis in 2008.

seasons with Guiseley and continued his fine goalscoring form with 46 goals in 67 matches before joining Bradford.

He struggled to make an impact with the Whites and spent time out on loan at Crewe, Oldham and Swindon. He joined Swindon permanently in 2010 then a year later he moved to Notts County. The 27-year-old played for the Magpies for three seasons, making 114 appearances and captaining the side. Has played five times for Ireland under-21s.

Did you know? A self-confessed Bradford supporter, Hanson spent time in the City youth system before being released.

Did you know? Sheehan played in the same Notts County side as current Crawley defender Dean Leacock.

James Hanson

8 9

6 A versatile defender who can play left back or centre back, Sheehan has previously played against Crawley for Notts County and Swindon Town.

Originally with Belvedere in his native Ireland, Sheehan was spotted by Leicester City and joined the Foxes in 2003. During five years Sheehan played

Gary Liddle

A powerful striker who plied his trade in non-league before signing for Bradford City, the 26-year-old has been with his hometown club since 2009.

Joining from Guiseley for a compensation fee, Hanson has found the net on 55 occasions in 190 City matches. He was with the Huddersfield Town youth team as a youngster before dropping into non-league with Eccleshill United in 2006.

Hanson found the net on a regular basis for his first senior club and scored 17 times in 21 appearances for Eccleshill, which prompted Guiseley to snap the frontman up. He went on to spend two

Following in the footsteps of Alan Sheehan, Liddle was a summer signing from Notts County, the midfielder agreeing a one-year deal on a free transfer. The 28-year-old boasts a wealth of League One experience having spent six seasons with Hartlepool United and playing 247 times for his local club.

The Middlesbrough-born midfielder or defender began his career with his hometown club, coming through the youth system before turning professional in 2002. He spent four years with Boro before being released and joined Hartlepool United in 2006.

After leaving in 2012 Liddle spent two years with Notts County – often partnering Dean Leacock at the heart of defence. Liddle made 78 appearances for the Magpies.

Did you know? Liddle won the 200304 FA Youth Cup with Middlesbrough, playing in the same team as England and Sunderland winger Adam Johnson.

www.crawleytownfc.com

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The Bradford squad 1. Jordan Pickford Goalkeeper • Currently on loan from Sunderland after a similar spell with Carlisle United last season.

• Came through the Sunderland academy with former Crawley keeper Jonny Maddison.

• Played for England at under-16, under-17, under-18 and under-19 level and had loans at Darlington, Alfreton and Burton Albion

12. Ben Williams

Goalkeeper • 31-year-old began career with Manchester United but failed to make the grade at Old Trafford.

• Spent time on loan at Coventry, Chesterfield and Crewe before joining the latter permanently.

• Made 125 appearances for Crewe in four years and had spells with Carlisle, Colchester and Hibernian.

2. Stephen Darby

Defender • The 25-year-old right back joined City on a free transfer from Liverpool in 2012.

• The captain had spells with Swindon, Notts County and Rochdale on loan before joining Bradford.

• Made one Liverpool appearance and has more than 80 Bradford games under his belt. Former England under-19 international.

3. James Meredith

• Defender • Australian left back came through the Derby County youth system but left in 2007 on a free.

• Played against Crawley when he was at York and his father was once ranked third in the world at squash.

• Formerly with Sligo Rovers and Shrewsbury Town, Meredith spent three years at York, playing 131 games.

5. Andrew Davies

• Defender • Appeared 53 times for Middlesbrough after coming through the club's youth system.

• Had loans at QPR, Derby, Southampton, Preston, Sheffield United, Walsall and Crystal Palace.

• Joined Bradford in 2012 after spells with Southampton and Stoke City.

18. Christopher Routis

Defender • A 24-year-old defender who was a summer signing from Servette on a free transfer.

• The Geneva-born player appeared 41 times for Servette scoring three goals in four seasons.

• Originally was on trial at Bradford before earning a permanent contract.

before taking in spells on loan at Boston, Bury, Livingston and Darlington.

• Moved to Darlington on a permanent deal in 2008 but left after one season to join Rochdale.

• Enjoyed a four-year stay at Dale and went to Bradford last summer on a free transfer.

23. Rory McArdle

20. Felipe Morais

Defender • Experienced central defender arrived at Valley Parade in 2012 on a free from Aberdeen.

• Has played 82 times for Bradford and has previously been at Sheffield Wednesday and Rochdale.

• Despite being born in Sheffield, McArdle has made five full appearances for Northern Ireland.

Midfielder • Recently arrived at Valley Parade after leaving Stevenage, where he spent two seasons.

• Began at Chelsea and has previously played for Millwall, Hibernian, Inverness, St Johnstone and Oldham.

• Played for Portugal's under-21s in 2004 and appeared twice for his country.

4. Matthew Dolan

Midfielder • Born in Middlesbrough, Dolan is another member of the squad to have come through Boro's Academy.

• Has had loan spells with Yeovil Town and Hartlepool United during his time with Middlesbrough.

• Enjoyed a loan stint with Bradford last season and the 21-year-old signed permanently in the summer.

11. Billy Knott

Midfielder • 21-year-old Knott was with the West Ham and Chelsea youth Academies before joining Sunderland.

• Made one appearance for Sunderland in three years and had a loan with AFC Wimbledon.

• Also played for Woking, Wycombe and Port Vale – scoring twice against Reds last season – before signing for Bradford in the summer.

14. Mark Yeates

Midfielder • Experienced winger who has previously played for Sheffield United and Watford.

• Began at Tottenham and had loans at Brighton, Swindon, Colchester, Hull and Leicester.

• Played for Middlesbrough in 2009 and joined Bradford on a free in 2013, making 29 appearances last season.

7. Aaron McLean

Striker • Played against Crawley when he represented the likes of Aldershot Town and Grays Athletic.

• Joined Bradford in January 2014 from Hull City for an undisclosed fee.

• Signed for Hull in 2011 after scoring 71 goals in 157 games for Peterborough.

Ex-England C player

Mason Bennett

Striker • Highly rated forward who arrived at Valley Parade on loan from Derby in August 2014.

• Had a spell on loan at Chesterfield last season, playing twice but failing to score.

• Came through the Derby youth system and has scored once in 24 games for the Rams.

16. Mo Shariff

Striker • Came through the Slough Town youth team before being signed by QPR in 2010.

• Had loans at St Albans, Staines, Woking and Dagenham before joining Bradford.

• Agreed a permanent deal at Valley Parade after a short trial period with the club.

17. Jason Kennedy

Midfielder • Began career with Middlesbrough www.crawleytownfc.com

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Fan fare The lowdown on Bradford with City fan Jonny Lonsdale

How have Bradford looked in pre-season and the early competitive games?

With the upheaval of the squad and releasing players that were known as the 'history makers' the early days are about getting to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. We are playing a 'diamond' formation this season so it will be interesting to see how we fare with this new style of football. Early indications are that we look quite solid but it remains to be seen how many chances we will create.

Name: Jonny Lonsdale Supported Swindon since: 1985 Favourite Player: Andrew Davies

There was a lot of squad strengthening in the summer. Which of the new boys are you looking forward to seeing this season and why?

Billy Clarke looks a great footballer and Billy Knott also appears to have a great engine on him. If Aaron McLean has a good season for us then I am quietly confident we can be successful and have a top-half finish. Mo Shariff looks like an exciting player but with our new tactics it remains to be seen how much action he will get.

Are you happy with the job Phil Parkinson has done for Bradford?

Quite unbelievably, Parky was getting some stick last season from a minority of City fans despite leading us to a Wembley cup final and promotion the previous season. I honestly believe that during my time of supporting the mighty Bantams he is the best manager we have ever had. To get a League 2 team to a major cup final then go back to Wembley and get promoted is some achievement, one he can live off for quite some time. He doesn’t often get his tactics or preparation wrong for games although some of his signings

have been a bit hit and miss.

How has former Crawley man Billy Clarke got on in his first few games for Bradford?

He is what people would call a 'baller'.

He runs at defenders and complements Mark Yeates very well. He can cross a ball which is very important when you have a target man like James Hanson.

Who will be the City players to look out for this evening?

Andrew Davies is an absolute general at the back but how Reds deal with the enigma that is James Hanson may ultimately decide the outcome of this game.

What do you remember from previous matches against the Reds?

The fantastic gesture when the club laid a wreath in memory of the Bradford City fire victims at last season’s game at Valley Parade. It was appreciated greatly by all associated with the club.

Finally, what are your predictions for this evening's game?

I think it will be a tightly contested affair which will end 1-1.

www.crawleytownfc.com

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Played for both Jake Wright

Like Forrest, Jake arrived at Crawley in 2008 from Halifax after beginning his career at Bradford. The 28-year-old joined the Bantams' youth team in 2003 and in 2005 turned pro, making one appearance before moving to Halifax.

Bradford youth team before moving to Nottingham Forest. He appeared 15 times for Forest and had loan spells with Brentford, Mansfield and Macclesfield before moving permanently to the latter in 2009.

During two years at Macclesfield Sinclair appeared 78 times before he joined Peterborough United for an undisclosed fee. Emile bagged 13 goals in 47 games and after loans with Barnsley and Doncaster, he moved to Crawley and scored four goals in 19 appearances. The striker spent time on loan at Northampton in the second half of last season before making the move permanent.

Kyle Bennett

Danny Forrest Danny came through the Bradford City youth system and was tipped for great things before picking up an injury. He ended up going out on loan at Halifax Town before his stay at the Shay turned into a permanent one, on a free transfer.

He made 103 appearances for Halifax in three years but in 2008, after the club’s financial problems worsened, he joined Crawley. During his two-year stay with us, Danny played 70 games and scored eight goals. He moved to Barrow in 2010 and has played for Guiseley, Harrogate Town and Bradford Park Avenue.

He has returned to Guiseley for a second spell this season.

Jake spent one season at Crawley and impressed in his 41 games as a Red to get a move to Brighton in 2009. During the 2009-10 season, Jake went on loan to Oxford United and after a number of excellent performances he signed for the U's on a permanent deal. He has since made 153 appearances for Oxford.

Emile Sinclair

Kyle spent parts of last season on loan at both ourselves and the Bantams but struggled to break into both line-ups after joining from then Championship club Doncaster Rovers.

The 23-year-old began his career with Wolves before moving to Bury in 2010.

He played 32 games for the Shakers and scored twice but did enough to persuade Doncaster to come in for the winger just a year later.

Emile originally spent time in the

He has so far made 75 appearances for Donny and played four times for Crawley last season and 18 for Bradford. In 2008, Kyle played for England under-18s. His brother is the Norwich midfielder Elliott Bennett. www.crawleytownfc.com

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The wore that number In another new Simply Reds feature, we take a look back down memory lane by highlighting players that have worn a certain shirt number during our Conference and Football League. And where else can we start than No.1

Michel Kuipers

Ben Hamer

Michel joined the season before the Reds reached the Football League, the former Dutch marine arriving from Brighton & Hove Albion on a free transfer. His first season began badly with Kuipers sent off on the opening day of the season against Grimsby Town and shortly afterwards for a second time against Forest Green Rovers.

A current Premier League goalkeeper, Ben was given his professional debut

by Crawley after arriving on a seasonlong loan from Reading just prior to the 2006-07 campaign.

However, on returning to the team, he won the supporters over with a number of top performances. He helped Crawley during our superb FA Cup run and was part of the Conference title-winning team before he stepped up again in League Two during the following campaign.

Michel was in and out of the team but came up trumps with two unbelievable performances against Crewe and Barnet. He was part of our 2012-13 League One squad but left in January to join Barnet. He was released by the Bees in 2013 and now works with the Brighton & Hove Albion Academy.

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@crawleytown

During a testing time in Crawley's history, Ben performed heroics on a regular basis and played over 40 times that season before returning to Reading and spending four separate loan spells with Brentford. In 2011, Ben made the move to Charlton Athletic on a permanent basis and win promotion from League One during his time at the Valley. After three years and over 100 appearances for the Addicks, Ben left on a free in the summer to sign for Leicester City.

Paul Jones

Simon Rayner

Scott Shearer

Paul spent three years with us after agreeing a switch from Peterborough United in 2012 – becoming Sean O'Driscoll's first signing during his short tenure at the club.

The big Canadian spent 2008-10 at Crawley after joining from Torquay United on a free transfer. He ended up playing 81 times for Crawley before leaving and playing for Three Bridges.

Paul was a regular under O'Driscoll, Richie Barker and John Gregory before being let go at the end of last season following a total of 92 appearances for Crawley. The 28-year-old joined Portsmouth in June on a free transfer on a three-year contract.

Simon began his playing days at Bournemouth before joining Salisbury on loan. In 2002 he moved to Wales to play for Barry Town and then spent the 2003-04 season with Port Talbot.

He went on to play for Lincoln and also represented Alfreton Town before signing for Torquay. Prone to the odd error, Simon was a former Canada under-23 international and made two appearances for his country.

Scott often vied for the No.1 jersey with Michel Kuipers during his two seasons with the club. He joined Reds from Wrexham in 2010 and was part of the squad which won successive promotions to League One, making 41 appearances. When Steve Evans left for Rotherham in 2012 Scott followed him north and he was part of another squad which won back-to-back promotions.

The Millers released him in May and he has signed for Crewe Alexandra this season.

He began his career with Leyton Orient, Paul spent time on loan at Exeter City before joining the Grecians on a permanent deal in 2005. Following six seasons in Devon, Paul joined Peterborough in 2011.

Ashley Bayes An experienced goalkeeper, Bayes was one of Steve Evans’ first signings after taking over with Ashley arriving at the Club from Grays in 2007. He ended up playing 45 times in the 2007-08 campaign – his only one as a Red. Following his departure from Crawley, Bayes went on to play for Stevenage and Basingstoke Town and is now with AFC Wimbledon. Prior to joining Crawley, the much -ravelled 42-year-old played for the likes of Brentford, Torquay, Exeter, Leyton Orient and Woking.

Rene Gilmartin Rene arrived on loan from Watford in 2012 when the club was in League Two and made his debut in the FA Cup fifth round tie against Stoke City, which Reds lost 2-0. He made six appearances for the club and when he was released by Watford at the end of the season He joined Plymouth and played 13 games for the Pilgrims before he was released in the summer of 2013. Rene returned to his native Ireland and is playing for League of Ireland side St Patricks Athletic these days.

www.crawleytownfc.com

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all

together now Crawley Town FC is a key part of the local football community and we offer a host of attractions to keep the passion for the game burning among young players.

Soccer Schools

junior

reds

Junior Reds Membership Crawley Town FC player escorts and mascots

Young players stand alongside Crawley Town’s stars in the tunnel and walk out onto the pitch for the pre-match handshakes and with the starting XI (see photo below).

Football Birthdays Fun Days Player and coach progression pathways

Opportunities for players and coaches to develop their football training by linking in to services we can provide like development squads and coach education.

community@crawleytownfc.com

Call 01293 410 000 now www.crawleytownfc.com/team/community @ CommunityCTFC Crawley Town Community Sports Foundation

Community Sports Foundation

by Birtug Kazim, Community Sports Foundation Manager

Meeting their heroes Brian Jensen, Mitch Rose, Connor Essam and Lewis Young visited our popular Soccer Schools at Maidenbower Junior School (pictured below) last week and took part in refereeing matches and coaching the players.

Around 50 children and parents were pleased to see the players before the opening game of the season, and Brian, Mitch, Connor and Lewis enjoyed getting stuck in and working with the children.

We’d like to thank all those who have taken part in our Soccer Schools so far this summer, and for those who are keen to join in the fun we have limited spaces available for our remaining courses.

If you want to take part in future Soccer Schools email samdowling@ crawleytownfc.com or call 01293 410 000

What are you doing when you leave school?

• Our BTEC National Extended Sports Diploma is equivalent to three A Levels • It opens pathways to University, Careers in sport, Scholarships in the USA • And you can be part of the Crawley Town family Crawley Town FC Community Sports Foundation is offering an exciting opportunity for 16-19 year olds to pursue an Educational Scholarship at the Football Club starting in September.

Stay in touch

@CommunityCTFC

Crawley Town Community

Sports Foundation

The Scholarship involves a twoyear full-time NVQ Level 3 BTEC National Extended Diploma in Sport equivalent to three A Levels.

There will be more opportunities to study other sport-related courses as well as play futsal for Crawley Town FC against other Football League Clubs.

Call 01293 410 000 or email simonpearce@ crawleytownfc.com

www.crawleytownfc.com

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Maidenbower Junior School 4-day courSe

5th to 8th August

The checkatrade.com Stadium

2-day courSe

24th + 25th July 1-day courSeS

12th August (4 to 8 years) 14th August (9+ years)

from as little as

£1.25 per hour (concessions) £2.50 per hour (non-concessions) Enquiries: samdowling@crawleytownfc.com or call 01293 410 000

oriel High School 3-day courSe

26th to 28th August

Did you know…

There are lots of great reasons to be a Junior Reds’ member.

Not only do you get 10% off any of our Soccer Schools and 10% off in the Club Shop, but we have partnered up with lots of places in and around Crawley, all of whom offer special discounts and incentives to Junior Reds’ members. You can often save the cost of membership just by making one visit to some of our partners!

For more information on Junior Reds call us on 01293 410 000, email reds@crawleytownfc.com or visit www.crawleytownfc.com/fans/junior-fans/ SPECIAL DISCOUNTS FOR JUNIOR REDS MEMBERS IN AND AROUND CRAWLEY SHAKEAWAY

• By becoming a member you get brilliant discounts including a free milkshake on every member’s birthday!

BURGER KING

• A free kids’ meal when an adult meal is ordered!

HOLMBUSH PAINTBALL • The ultimate paintball experience!

Two for one deals on half-day sessions!

HOLLYWOOD BOWL

• 20% off for Junior Reds visiting this amazing bowling centre! Info at www. hollywoodbowl.co.uk

MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS GROUP

• The operator of some of the UK’s best and top attractions including the LEGOLAND® Windsor resort, Chessington World of Adventures, THORPE PARK and Alton Towers!

We will be announcing some of the fabulous deals for our Junior Reds members throughout the year.

Just go to our website page www. crawleytownfc.com/fans/junior-fans/ to find out what deals you can get and call Junior Reds Membership on 01293 410 000 for your unique code.

FRANKIE & BENNY’S

• You get a discount card giving you 20% off a meal if you’re 13 or over

and 100% if you’re younger! The only requirement is that you’re with a full paying adult, so get mum and dad down there too!

K2 CRAWLEY

• Free swimming for a child when accompanied by a full paying adult plus other great offers throughout the year.

CINEWORLD CRAWLEY

• Fantastic deal with a difference: each adult accompanying a Junior Red gets full student discount no matter how old they are! To book go to www. cineworld.co.uk

LASER HUB

• Take the flyer you get with your membership pack to Laser Hub and get great discounts: one game £4 per player, two games £8 per player and three games £11 per player plus free pizza with a 3 game family ticket and free soft drink with any game!

Not to mention half price bronze membership. Visit www.laserhub. co.uk for more details.

SMITH & WESTERN

• Our Family Stand sponsor offers Junior Reds members discounts at its amazing themed restaurant in Tilgate Park. More details of offers at www. crawleytownfc.com/fans/junior-fans/ For bookings and restaurant info visit www.smith-western.co.uk

Olly Loug hton 14 on S Herb aturday  will be er J 31  A t will be 9 oseph on Au iden g K on Se erns will b ust ptem ber 2 e 8

The partnership between Crawley Town FC and Thales enters its third season with their sponsorship of Junior Reds. This enables us to provide fantastic opportunities for registered children and young people up to the age of 18.

We host fun days, events and football parties, and offer various partnership discounts throughout the season - giving Junior Reds members full benefit of the partnership.

Peter Hitchcock, site director of Thales’ Crawley facility, said: “This agreement represents a wonderful opportunity for us to continue our support for Crawley Town Football Club, and to help give the Junior Reds a chance to watch their team.

Thales UK is rightly proud of our continued commitment to charity and the local community.” www.crawleytownfc.com

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at CRaWLEY tOWN FC Fun football session three amazing packages Personalised Crawley gear Special guest visit

TO BOOK CALL: 01293 410000 OR EMAIL: birthdays@crawleytownfc.com

www.crawleytownfc.com/fans/birthday-parties SPONSORED BY

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Reds Player YOUR CLUB 24 HOURS A DAY SEVEN DAYS A WEEK

We’re delighted to have former Reds’ legend Tony Vessey on board this season as summariser at home games on Reds Player.

@crawleytown www.facebook.com/crawleytown 1896CrawleyTown FC Vess played 428 games for the club after playing in the top flight for Brighton and is our third-highest appearance maker.

He will be alongside Reds Player commentator John Barnett at the Checkatrade.com Stadium offering his insights as we bring you exclusive live commentary on all our games – both home and away. At away games, alongside John you will hear the voice of Reds’ fan Warren Lucy.

That’s not all you get with Reds Player – the exclusive premium content service for all supporters of Crawley Town.

After each game there will be extended match highlights with commentary on highlights from home games.

You can also enjoy: • Exclusive Manager and Player interviews • Behind the scenes interviews and exclusive content You can watch brief tasters of Reds Player video interviews on our You Tube channel (www.youtube. com/1896crawleytownfc) but the full versions - and lots more beside - are only available on Reds Player - and it only costs the equivalent of 10p per day!

Why not take out a subscription?

For more information go to www.player.crawleytownfc. com/home and get following your club 24-7.

www.crawleytownfc.com

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The Interview

Gwion Edwards It’s been a long and winding road for Gwion Edwards before the Welsh winger finally became a Crawley Town player permanently last month.

By Warren Lucy

www.crawleytownfc.com

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The young Welshman impressed everyone during his loan stint with the Reds last season, during which time he scored twice. John Gregory's move to bring the 21-year-old back to the Checkatrade.com Stadium on a longterm deal eventually came to fruition.

However, for our Welsh wing wizard it took a lot longer to get a break in the game he loves.

Gwion's route from a non-league Academy to a Premier League Club, taking in a loan spell in Scotland, and then to Crawley is an intriguing one and featured several aborted attempts to get a break as a teenager, as he explained.

“I was playing for my local team and for the Aberystwyth Academy one day at the weekend and training once a week with them. It wasn't much training really. It was a good set-up but nothing compared to an academy like Swansea.

“I had a trial for Cardiff and they turned me down. I played in the prestigious Ian Rush youth tournament and a scout from Manchester United was there. He invited me up to Old Trafford to have trials every half term, but nothing came of it. I went around a few clubs but nothing was put on the table for me.

“One day, my local team went to play against Swansea's under-18s. I was only14 at the time and there was a spare seat on the bus. My mate's dad was in charge of the team and said I could come along. We had the works – a tour of the Liberty Stadium and we managed to meet a few Swansea first team players and Roberto Martinez, who was the manager at the time. It was great.

Straight after the game, a representative from the Swansea youth team came up to me and said he wanted me to sign for them. Joe Allen – who's now at Liverpool - and Jazz Richards – who's still with Swansea - played against me that day.

“It's funny looking back as I only went for the day out and because there was nothing else to do! Shortly afterwards, I had the chance to go on trial with Bristol City but I decided to join Swansea instead.”

Gwion admits it was hard to get the breaks when you are playing for a Premier League club’s youth team. “I wasn't going to get much of a chance to play at Swansea and there were a few of us like that,” the winger admitted.

“It can also be hard to get out on loan

when you are in under-21 squads – clubs come and look and weigh up whether to take the under-21 player or someone with more experience of senior football.

It's an easy decision for them, which makes it difficult for players who were in my shoes. So you’ve got to take your chance when you get it.”

For Gwion, that involved a spell on loan in the Scottish Premier League last season with St Johnstone. “It was a good experience,” he said. “The standard of football was probably equivalent to League One but against clubs like Celtic you got to play against decent players and all of the stadiums were pretty good.”

In March he joined Reds and after four games on the bench he finally got on against Tranmere, sealing our 2-0 win with a late strike which was also his first professional goal. Three days later, on his first start for Reds, he scored our first in the 2-1 win over Leyton Orient.

No wonder John Gregory wanted to bring him back on a permanent basis.

“Initially, the Gaffer asked Swansea about coming back on a season-long loan earlier in the summer,” said Gwion.

“I think the club were in talks for quite a while and then I got a call saying that Crawley wanted to buy me. I thought it was a great opportunity to play football.

At this stage of my career, when someone really wants you and is willing to pay money to bring you in and put you in the first team it's a big thing. ”

way: “I hope I can do well here and perhaps push on from the Wales under21s to the senior team,” he added. His last Welsh appearance in May saw him notch his first international goal in the European Championship qualifier against England at the Liberty Stadium.

“I've settled now after living in a hotel for the first couple of weeks,” he added.

“I've now got a flat down by Walshy (Joe Walsh) in Haywards Heath. I'm on my own at the moment but I expect to bring my girlfriend down here soon.”

Looking ahead to tonight's game, Edwards is expecting another tough 90 minutes after playing one of his six loan games for us last season at Valley Parade when Reds lost 2-1 to a late goal.

“Tonight will be another difficult one,” he added. “I think they've strengthened well over the summer but we've started really well and our confidence is high.

Bradford will be another difficult test but we're very much looking forward to carrying on our good start.”

Now he's a Red, Gwion's looking forward to kicking on and making the most out of a career that will hopefully take both him and his new club a long

“Playing for Crawley is a great opportunity. When someone really wants you and is willing to pay money to bring you in and put you in the first team it’s a big thing.” www.crawleytownfc.com

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No.7 Gwion Edwards www.crawleytownfc.com

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Join the stampede...

Cowboys from all over the dusty plains are heading to Smith & Western for a good ole slice of American fine dining!

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Ya’ll find us open all day every day, so why not mosey on down with all the family to enjoy a taste of the wild west!

Tilgate Drive, Tilgate Park, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 5PQ Tel: 01293 560660 www.smith-western.co.uk

Commercial

ewan dunlop, commercial manager

Tonight is our third game in a week and the third time our West Stand sponsors the AJD Group have sponsored a match. AJD Group are also our official signage suppliers and they should be yours too.

There’s more information below along with a couple of other opportunities that might interest you.

Match sponsors

The 19th Man package

At AJD Group we are the proud owners of three well-known brands, AJ Print, BPE Signs and Just.

Do you know a die-hard Crawley Town fan? Looking for the perfect Crawley Town FC gift? Well this season why not make them our 19th Man?

BPE Signs was formed in 1952 and is a sign company producing commercial signage for well-known brands. AJ Print was formed over 10 years ago and specialises in large format digital printing and exhibition work. Just is our newest brand, which will be fully launched in the near future.

Fancy following in AJD’s footsteps?

Match and ball sponsorship opportunities still remain for the 201415 season and will get your business into the hands, eyes and ears of everyone inside the Checkatrade.com Stadium on match day. As well as great hospitality for your party in the Mayo Wynne Baxter Executive Suite, your company will benefit from: • Exposure inside and on the front cover of the match programme • PA announcements through out the day • Season long recognition in the match programme • Present the man of the match champagne • Professional photos on the pitch with your thank you gift

This season we’ll help you make someone’s Crawley Town dream come true by offering our brand new 19th Man’ package which for just £195 includes the following amazing benefits; • 2 x Executive Hospitality tickets* for your chosen fixture (including 3 course meal and Directors Box seats) • A bottle of bubbly to celebrate the day • A welcome write up with photo inside the match programme • Their name in the official team list (under number 19) on the back of the programme • A signed shirt with their name and No. 19 on the back presented by John Gregory on the pitch before the match * Additional tickets available at discounted rate if required With a limited number of fixtures and only one 19th Man per match please do get in touch as soon as possible if you’d like to take advantage of this great opportunity and make someone’s day.

Matt Cowdrey presents the man of the match after the Ipswich game to midfielder Jimmy Smith www.crawleytownfc.com

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2014/15 Player Sponsors 1 Brian

2 Lanre

3 Ryan

4 Conor

OYEBANJO

DICKSON

HOME: S. Markham AWAY and shorts: Leon, Oscar and Amélie Lavictoire LACES:

HOME: AWAY: SHORTS: LACES:

HOME: CTFC supporters, Plymouth branch AWAY: SHORTS: LACES:

6 Sonny BRADLEY

7 Gwion

EDWARDS

8 Jimmy SMITH

McLEOD

SIMPSON

HOME: AWAY: SHORTS: LACES:

AWAY SHIRT, SHORTS and LACES: Dave and Kaitlyn Taylor HOME:

HOME, AWAY and SHORTS: Holiday Inn

HOME: Allan Porthouse AWAY: SHORTS: LACES:

HOME: Sasha Hughes AWAY: Ashleigh Hill SHORTS: Nick Hill LACES: Nina Bayley

18 Matt

Jensen

HENDERSON

5 Dean

LEACOCK HOME: AWAY: SHORTS: LACES:

9 Izale

11 Josh

LACES:

12 Joe WALSH

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14 Lewis

15 Charles

16 Connor ESSAM

HARROLD

HOME: AWAY: SHORTS: LACES:

HOME: AWAY: SHORTS: LACES:

HOME: AWAY: SHORTS: LACES:

LACES: Adam Bailey

YOUNG

BANYA

19 THE

20 Bobson

21 Gavin

22 Emmet O’CONNOR

RICHEFOND

HOME: AWAY: SHORTS: LACES:

HOME: AWAY: SHORTS: LACES:

HOME: AWAY: SHORTS: LACES:

HOME: AWAY: SHORTS: LACES:

HOME: AWAY: SHORTS: LACES:

ISAACS

John GREGORY

Paul GROVES

HOME, AWAY, SHORTS and LACES: Crawley Metals

HOME, AWAY and SHORTS: Kurn and Kurn LACES:

HOME: AWAY: SHORTS: LACES:

RED ARMY

24 Bradley

BAWLING

TOMLIN

23 Ryan

If you would like to sponsor a player contact ewandunlop@crawleytownfc.com or call 01293 410001 www.crawleytownfc.com

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e: SonalLukka@crawleytownfc.com t: 01293 410 001

Match sponsors Match

Sponsor

Swindon

Mayo Wynne Baxter

Bradford

AJD Group

Rochdale

Nuffield Health

Fleetwood

Homes Partnership

Yeovil

Checkatrade

Peterborough

KR-L

Walsall

Crawley Observer

Crewe

Available

Scunthorpe

Available

Chesterfield

Extech

Port Vale

Mat Cowdrey

Colchester

Available

MK Dons

Brewers

Preston North End

KR-L

Doncaster

AJD Group

Barnsley

Available

Sheffield

KR-L

Bristol City

Oakenhurst

Leyton Orient

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Gllingham

Eurovans

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www.crawleytownfc.com

43

Team behind the team In this new feature we talk to people who work for Crawley Town behind the scenes. Today we catch up with Ben Harwood and Tom Martin, who look after the pitch at the Checkatrade. com Stadium on behalf of our contractors

Q: Tell us what happened to the pitch over the summer. It looks excellent.

BH: There was obviously a lot of standing water on the playing surface last year that could not get through to the drainage due to the amount of thatch and black layer - which has now been removed - that had built up over the years.

With the pitch having a very good renovation this summer we are confident we can avoid the amount of games postponed we had last season but obviously this is dependant on the weather but we feel we're in a very good position.

From the pre season games we have seen the new lads seem to like to get the ball down and play so we hope we can give them a good surface throughout the season to help them bring success to the club.

TM: We are still working on encouraging route establishment and it is currently between 6-8 inches, which puts us in good stead for the winter. There is also a vigorous aeration programme set up for the year so we can help any heavy rainfall get through to the drainage.

What's your weekly routine?

BH: The pitch is currently being cut everyday and fed fortnightly because we now have a 95% sand root zone pitch it is a very hungry baby.

You will still see the odd divot as we are not lucky enough to have any fibre or Desso re-enforcement, which you see at Premier League clubs, but the problem with divots will not be as extreme it was before.

TM: In the off-season we were obviously really busy making sure the pitch would be fine for this season. Now the pitch is laid and looking good, it's just about maintaining the standard, looking after 44

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it and keeping things ticking over with the mowing of the turf.

So what did you do before you came to Crawley?

BH: I used to do green keeping at Worthing Golf Club. It was there that I gained my Turfcare NVQ Level 2 and it increased my knowledge of pitch work. My father used to be the stadium manager at Brighton & Hove Albion and I used to go along with him and see what he used to do when I was a young age. I've held that interest in football ever since really.

TM: I worked in retail stores and also at Hilliers Garden Centre and Holmbush Farm in the past. That was where the interest in turf and grass really and I've been a groundsman at Crawley for almost a year now.

What are the positives of working on the Crawley Town pitch?

BH: It's a relaxing job when the weather's nice! I like working on it during the week and then seeing it on the Saturday when the players are doing their thing on it – it's quite a nice feeling. After the match, the fun for the next home game begins again!

TM: To work on the pitch is a big thing for me. The fact that I support Crawley Town makes me quite proud to work on the playing surface. (continued)

(right) Tom and Ben hard at work at the end of last week preparing for the first of two home games in the space of four days against Swindon and Bradford City

www.crawleytownfc.com

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Join the health club that turns your efforts into rewards.

Call the centre today for a FREE day pass!* Visit Crabbet Park, Turners Hill Road, Crawley, RH10 4ST Call 01293 884 488 Or go to nuffieldhealth.com/local

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Terms and conditions apply. Visit nuffieldhealth.com/rewards for full details. Nuffield Health Š 2011.

19 MAY

27 MAY

These pictures show the renovation work which took place during the summer. The pitch was re-seeded on May 19 and grass started to come through by the 27th. By June 2 we had a good covering and a week later it got its first cut.

2

JUNE

9

JUNE www.crawleytownfc.com

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They also served

WARREN LUCY CATCHES UP WITH OUR FORMER PLAYERS

Matt Tubbs evades Kyle McFadzean during AFC Wimbledon’s cup defeat to MK Dons last Tuesday Former Crawley forward Ben Wright maintained Eastleigh's 100% start to their Conference campaign with a late winner in their Hampshire derby against Aldershot Town last Thursday.

With the game looking like ending 0-0, Wright pounced in the 94th minute to win the game for Eastleigh. Ben moved to Eastleigh from Salisbury City in the summer. He joined Crawley at the beginning of the 2010-11 season for a fee believed to be around £60,000 but after loan stints with Hayes & Yeading and Newport County he moved to Braintree Town and Forest Green Rovers.

Former fans' favourite Kyle McFadzean now has two goals from his first two MK Dons competitive appearances following his opener against AFC Wimbledon in the Capital One Cup last Tuesday.

Kyle scored last on the opening day of the season as MK Dons beat Gillingham 4-2 to notch his first for his new club.

Kyle moved to MK in the summer for an undisclosed fee after spending four years with Crawley and helping us from the Conference to League One after Steve Evans brought him to the club from Conference North side Alfreton Town. The former England C captain

appeared 133 times for Crawley and scored nine times for the Reds.

Another ex-Red to score last Tuesday in cup action was Matt Tubbs, who bagged a late consolation against MK Dons in the same game.

Tubbs had a loan spell with Crawley last season from AFC Bournemouth and found the net eight times on his return.

He originally joined Crawley in the summer of 2010 from Salisbury City for a £70,000 fee and scored an incredible 58 goals in 65 games before moving to Bournemouth, the team he supported as a boy, 18 months later. Matt struggled to break into the Cherries line up and after a loan spell with Rotherham he returned to Crawley on a temporary deal in January 2014.

two-year deal. John began his career with Ebbsfleet United before going on to play for Bristol City, where he was prior to Crawley signing him in 2011.

Remaining in the Conference and Jon Shaw netted against Wrexham in Gateshead's 3-0 victory last week. Jon's in his third spell with the Heed having returned to Tyneside after two years at Luton Town.

Jon played 17 times on loan for Crawley from Rochdale in 2009 and bagged five goals – including a 96th minute equaliser against Ebbsfleet in a 4-4 draw. He previously lit up the Conference when he scored 20 goals in 37 games for Halifax Town in the 2007-08 season and has since played for Barrow and Mansfield Town.

Another former Crawley man to be in the goals last week was John Akinde, who netted for Barnet in their 2-0 win over Bristol Rovers. Akinde only scored one goal, against Shrewsbury Town, for Crawley in 31 games before being released and joining Portsmouth on a short-term deal in 2013.

He spent last season with Alfreton and bagged 18 goals in 42 games before moving to Barnet in the summer on a www.crawleytownfc.com

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AtoZ : Q&A

A

AWAY What is your favourite away ground that you've played at?

JW: Probably Wolves as it was the most people I’ve played in front of and it was a great atmosphere, even before the game. It was just a shame we lost to them.

B

BANTER – Who's got the best banter in the squad?

JW: I’d have to say Gav (Tomlin). He’s pretty funny, I don’t know what he has about him but he’s just a naturally funny guy. Brian Jensen’s pretty funny as well.

In the first of our new Alphabet Answers feature, we sat down with Joe Walsh for the first of our new Q&A interviews with your Reds’ heroes.

Then it would probably be some trifle for dessert!

E

EVENINGS – A quiet night in or a night out with the lads and why?

F

FOREIGN – What's your favourite holiday destination and why?

JW: Night out with the lads, definitely.

You don’t get too many chances for nights out when you play football regularly!

JW: Florida. It’s so good over there in America. The food, the weather and it’s slightly cheaper than over here.

G

GAME – What's been the favourite of the games you have played in?

H

HOBBIES – What do you like to get up to away from football?

JW: That’s a hard one… probably when I scored two against Tranmere last season. That doesn’t normally happen.

JW: I like to go shopping and play Fifa on the Xbox.

B for banter: Gavin Tomlin

C

CLUB – What football team do you support?

D

DINING – What would be your last meal?

JW: Cardiff City. It’s my hometown club and I had a season ticket for about five years before I played for Swansea. I used to go to Ninian Park with my dad until I started playing.

JW: Like a death row sort of thing? I’d go for chicken wings from TGIs for starter and then TGIs barbecue ribs with some Jack Daniels’ sauce.

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I

IDOL – Who was your favourite footballer as a youngster and why?

JW: Robbie Fowler. I don’t know why! I just loved the fact that he just seemed to pop up and score goals every week.

O

OPTIMISM – What would you like to achieve in your career?

JW: To play at the highest level possible for Wales and to maybe try and play in the Premier League.

P

PETS – Do you have any pets?

JW: I don’t have any pets at the moment. I’m thinking of getting a dog soon so that may change in the next few weeks. I wouldn’t mind a bulldog.

Sharp-shooter: Robbie Fowler

J

JOBS – Have you had any other jobs aside from football?

JW: No, I went to Swansea at a young age. I suppose I was just born to play football!

K

KID – What were you like as a young boy?

JW: I was quite chilled to be honest. I didn’t do any work really, I just used to hang about with my mates.

L

LOATH – What annoys you the most and why?

Q

QUALITY – Who's the best player you've ever played with or against

and why?

JW: I’ll say Joe Allen was the best I’ve played with. Best player I’ve come up against? Probably Nathan Redmond at Norwich. I played against him when we played England under-21s and he was sharp and scored a hat-trick.

R

RAPID – Who's the quickest player you've played with or against?

JW: Muzzy. Muzzy Dumbuya was very quick, as our fans saw when he played for us a couple of seasons back.

JW: Nothing really annoys me, to be honest. I’ll have to get back to you on that one. (Ed: Joe never did!)

M

ever tune?

JW: I haven’t really come across any real decent nicknames, to be fair. What did Matty (Harrold) say? I suppose the Beast isn’t a bad one, yeah, we’ll go for Beast!

U

UNKNOWN – Tell us something that people don't know about you.

V

VIDEO GAME – Do you own a games console and how often do you play it?

JW: Although I don’t look like I can play it, I could have played rugby for Wales, I reckon. I can’t speak Welsh either.

JW: Xbox. I play it a few times a week… okay, I play it every day and the missus is constantly trying to get me off it!

W

WORLD – Where would you most like to visit in your life?

JW: Australia. I’d love to go there and do a bit of exploring. I wouldn’t worry about the sharks, snakes or any of that.

X

XYLOPHONE – Can you play any musical instruments?

Y

YIKES – Do you have a fear of anything?

Z

ZODIAC – What's your star sign?

JW: I’m scared of spiders. I’m terrified of them all, it doesn’t matter what the size. At home I get the missus to get rid of them with the glass and paper.

JW: Definitely R&B. Favourite tune… that’s a hard one as well. I’m not an Usher fan… I’ll go for Jay Z. I like anything he does. Favourite tune?

We’ll go for ‘99 Problems’.

N

JW: Probably Only Fools and Horses.

I have the box set. Del Boy’s my favourite in it, just because he’s a bit of a geezer rather than anything else. I’m not a fan of all these ‘series’ that some of the boys watch.

JW: No. I’m no good with anything musical!

MUSIC – What sort of music are you into and what's your favourite

NICKNAME – What's the best nickname you've come across in your footballing career?

T

TELEVISION – What do you like to watch on the TV and why?

Quick off the mark: Muzzy Dumbuya

S

–TRANGE – What's the strangest thing you've seen in your life?

JW: How strange has it got to be? I have no idea. What did Matty (Harrold) say for this one? I don’t know. That’s another hard one you’ve given me! I’ll get back to you on that one. My mind’s gone blank!

JW: Don’t know. I think it’s Taurus but you’ll have to look it up. I was born in May. Is it Taurus? I’ve no idea to be honest

www.crawleytownfc.com

51

Way back when

JOHN BARNETT LOOKS BACK AT PAST SEASONS IN OUR HISTORY Just as it has been this week, These days the League Cup appears on Therefore, it was quite an achievement to be able field a side, courtesy of Crawley Town’s schedule very early on the League Cup was on – it has been the first midweek match manager Dave Haining playing at right Reds’ agenda back in 1978. of this and last season – but on this day back and the loaning of goalkeeper Colin O’Hanlon from Three Bridges. back in 1978 we entertained Hastings United (the now defunct club) on a Other interesting items of note are that Saturday in the Southern League Cup a supporters’ coach for the second leg first round first leg, a week before our would only cost £1, and the thriving first league match. Our Sussex rivals membership of the new social club had were in the Premier Division, while we reached 400, with annual subs just £1.62! were in Division One South.

In addition, plans were afoot for some new toilets and improved floodlights at The season had barely kicked off but Town Mead. we were already beset with injuries and unavailability, a point emphasised With a weakened side against senior in both the programme and the opponents, it was quite a surprise when match report in the Crawley Observer. we took the lead inside three minutes Goalkeeper John Maggs was one through Mick Elliott. From there we absentee, along with David Easton and looked in control of the match, creating Ali West, who were working, and Vic The modest programme, priced 5p, several chances, while at the other Bragg and Dave Palmer which the club produced for our game end O’Hanlon made one great save to who were on holiday, 36 years ago today maintain our lead. the latter after getting It was club legend Steve Breach who married. Indeed, the came the closest to doubling our editorial suggests advantage, but he was denied by that Easton and a combination of goalkeeper and West would have crossbar before firing over the bar from to replaced on a close range. Inevitably, the visitors made permanent basis!

Reds pay 15 minutes from time when inspirational substitute Kevin Barry set up Micky Westburgh to chip O’Hanlon, and it stayed 1-1.

The second leg ended 0-0, so a replay back at Town Mead was required which saw us triumph 2-0 before we exited to Bedford Town after a replay in the next round.

We would go on to struggle in our league campaign however, losing our opening four games – including the second one 7-1 to Dover Athletic.

Ultimately we finished second from bottom. That year saw the return of Eric Whitington after five years away, together with the arrival of ex-Chelsea star Marvin Hinton, but it was also the last season as a player for Maggs, who retired through injury and became the club’s manager. In total, we used 31 players that season with skipper Vic Bragg (38) and Ricky Fitzgerald (36) our leading appearance makers in the league.

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Our opposition ended up in a similar position in the Premier Division, but this was a transitional year for the Southern League. Thirteen clubs left to join the newly-formed Alliance Premier League in the summer of 1979, effectively disbanding the Premier Division, with the remaining sides transferring into the midland and southern divisions. It mant we would face Hastings United in the league the following season. A premier division was reintroduced for the 1982-83 campaign and we would earn promotion into that in 1984.

Ricky Fitzgerald, who only missed two games that season

How The Crawley Observer reported the 1-1 game www.crawleytownfc.com

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Reds Matchday

With Presenter Michael Kurn

So here we go, another exciting season in the Sky Bet League One is underway. A great start away last week at Barnsley and today against Swindon is the first of two matches in three days with Bradford to come on Tuesday.

If you weren’t here on Tuesday, may I welcome you back to the Checkatrade. com Stadium and thanks again for supporting your local club!

In terms of the matchday experience, I very much hope you enjoyed what we did last season and we hope to build again to enhance your enjoyment from the moment you arrive until the moment you leave.

Thank you very much to all of you who took the time to fill out our survey over the summer on match day entertainment. Your suggestions and ideas have been very useful in helping to create this season’s entertainment.

Our aim is to build a fanatic atmosphere inside the ground ahead of kick off and

at half time.

You are all amazing on the road at raising the roof and we want to make our home ground a fortress of noise on a match day. So as per your suggestions, we have made a few changes and we will be trailing a few things so please do let us know what you think.

We want your input to so make sure you send us your tweets and pictures via Twitter using #CTFCMatchday.

We want you score predictions and match day photos, you never know your pictures and post match tweets may find there way in to a future edition of Simply Reds!

Here’s to another great season and please keep your ideas and thoughts coming my way.

Coming up today: • Pre-match we have our Junior Reds Challenge and Home v Away. Plus all the team news and a few exclusive words from John Gregory.

• Half-time will see the return of the Checkatrade Challenge, plus all the scores from around the grounds.

Come on you Reds!

2.55pm #Wall of Colour!

Every home fan will have an A3 card on their seat or handed to them at the turnstiles.

Please raise them (colour side up) when the teams come out and be part of the Wall of Colour! www.crawleytownfc.com

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Crawley Town Manager John Gregory | Colours: Red

(GK) Brian Jensen

Lanre OYEBANJO

Ryan DICKSON

Conor HENDERSON

Dean LEACOCK Sonny BRADLEY

Gwion EDWARDS

Jimmy SMITH

Izale McLEOD

Josh SIMPSON

Joe WALSH

Lewis YOUNG

Charles BANYA

Connor ESSAM

Mitchell ROSE

Matt HARROLD

THE RED ARMY Bobson BAWLING

Gavin TOMLIN

Emmet O’CONNOR

Ryan RICHEFOND Bradley ISAACS

(GK) Raphael SPIEGEL

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Bradford City Manager Phil Parkinson | Colours: White and claret

1.

Jordan Pickford (HK) 2. Stephen Darby 3.

James Meredith 4.

Matthew Dolan 5.

Andrew DAVIES 6.

Alan Sheehan 7.

Aaron Mclean 8.

Gary Liddle 9.

James Hanson 10. Billy Clarke 11. Billy Knott 12. Ben Williams (GK) 14.

Mark Yeates 15.

Lewis Clarkson 16.

Mo Shariff 17.

Jason Kennedy 18.

Christopher Routis 19.

Oliver McBurnie 20.

Filipe Morais 22.

Matt Urwin 23.

Rory McArdle 24.

Niall Heaton 31.

James Pollard

Match Officials Referee: Carl Berry Assistants: William Bull and Ian Cooper Fourth Official: Darren Blunden

Next Home Match

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E2 MM RA ER OG CH PR VOU014/15

(subject to Johnstone’s Paint Trophy draw) Crawley Town v Rochdale Sky Bet League One Date: Saturday September 6 | Kick-off: 3pm