Crawley Town F.C.

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Crawley Town Football Club are an English football team from Crawley, West Sussex.

They compete in the Conference National division of the Football Conference, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system.

History

The club was formed in 1896 and played its formative years in the West Sussex League. Five seasons later, the club entered the Mid-Sussex League as well and won the Senior Division in only their second season. Crawley entered the Sussex County League in 1951, although they had played in an Emergency County League competition in 1945-46.

Four seasons in the Sussex County League First Division ended in relegation, but Crawley returned immediately as runners-up. Meanwhile, club officials had decided that the club’s future would be better served by playing in the Metropolitan League, a competition which catered for both professional and amateur sides. The compactness of the league meant that travelling costs were kept to a minimum. Still retaining their amateur status, Crawley won the Metropolitan League Challenge Cup in 1959 and finished as runners-up to Worthing in the Sussex Senior Cup.

Crawley adopted professional status in 1962 and the following year they joined the Southern League. For the next 20 years Crawley played in the First Division in its various guises, apart from a brief taste of Premier Division football in 1969-70. During that time Crawley won the Southern League Merit Cup in both 1970-71 and 1971-72 losing in replays away from home after draws. In 1983-84 Crawley finished as runners-up to RS Southampton and returned to the Premier Division where they have remained ever since, albeit only just avoiding the drop in 1990-91 due to the ground grading system not allowing ‘promoted’ clubs into the Premier Division.

The club won the Sussex Senior Cup in 1990 and 1991, but it was in the 1991-92 season that Crawley really hit the headlines when they reached the FA Cup Third Round proper and enjoyed a money-spinning tie with Football League Third Division neighbours Brighton & Hove Albion at the now defunct Goldstone Ground. Although Crawley lost 5-0, they were far from disgraced and earned a bumper pay-day from a gate of 18,301. During that cup run they defeated league side Northampton Town at home 4-2 in the First Round proper.

In 1999 the club went into a two month period of administration after which John Duly, a club director and local businessman, took over control of the club. Mr Duly also appointed his eldest son Steven as Managing Director to run the club on a day to day basis and Jo Gomm became the club’s first chairwoman. In July 2000 Crawley received a record sum for a player as Jay Lovett was sold to Brentford for £60,000. The 2001/02 season ended in disappointment as a four-month spell at the top of the Dr Martens League ended in a final league position of fourth.

Although finishing further down the table in 2002/03, the season was ultimately a successful one, with Crawley winning the Dr Martens League Cup over two legs vs Halesowen Town; and also the Sussex Senior Cup, defeating holders Eastbourne Borough 6-5 after a sudden-death penalty shoot-out.

2003/04 proved to be the most successful in the club’s history. Not only did Crawley retain the League Cup (beating Moor Green), but also won the Southern League Premier Division for the first time, in its most competitive season for many years. This along with the league’s Championship Trophy which was won in July, completed an amazing treble, in manager Francis Vines’ first full season in charge. Promotion meant Crawley would finally be in the newly named Conference National, and established the Reds as the leading non-league club in Sussex.

In the summer of 2005 John Duly sold the club to a local group of business men (the SA group or SAG). They turned full time and spent a record the clubs record transfer fee that was reported at £60,000 but in reality was rumored to be closer to 12. This money was spent on prolific non-league scorer and twice conference national golden boot winner Daryl Clare. However after a poor start to the season and a 4th qualifying round exit from the FA cup to Braintree Town, Francis Vines (the clubs most successfull manager in history) was sacked.

Simon Wormull was given a short spell in charge as player-manager whilst the club were searching for a new manager.

The Club then hired new manager John Hollins (ex england and chelsea)but he failied to make an impact early on. But a run of 11 games without defeat saw the club climb from second bottom to finish comfortably above the relegation zone. However during this time SAG reported that they weren't making enough profit and cut all players and staffs wages by 50%. This breech of contract meant that any player could serve a 14 days notice and leave for free. This is exavtly what club captain Ian Simpemba, influencial midfielder Simon Wormull (who had managed for 3 games before the apointment of Hollins) and record signing Clare all did. The remaining players did receive some backdated payments but all bonuses from February 06 are still unpaid.

During close season the club where investigated and found to have breached their wadge cap and so where fined 10thousand pounds and docked three points. Then weeks later the SAG took the club into administration where it currently remains pending a CVA meeting. In recent times ties with the fans and community have been severed after reports of Intimidation and violence being used against fans of the club.

Fans have formed a supporters Trust and with plenty of financial pledges they have informed the administrators of their intrest in buying the club should creditors not accept a deal from the SAG reported to be 25 pence in the pound.

Honours (First Team)

Mid Sussex Senior League 1902-03

Montgomery Cup 1925-26

Sussex Intermediate Cup 1927-28

Metropolitan League Challenge Cup 1958-59

Highest Placed Amateurs Award 1961-62

Sussex Professional Cup 1969-70

Southern League Merit Cup 1970-71

Gilbert Rice Floodlight Cup 1979-80, 1983-84

Southern Counties Combination Floodlight League 1985-86

Sussex Senior Cup 1989-90, 1990-91, 2002-2003 2004-05

Sussex Floodlight Cup 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1998-99

Roy Hayden Trophy 1990-91, 1991-92

William Hill Senior Cup 1992-93

Southern League Cup Winners 2002-03, 2003-04

Southern League Championship Trophy 2003-04, 2004-2005

Southern League Champions 2003-04

External links

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