- 26/06/2025
Matt Pole and Mark Dunford discuss the latest goings on at Crawley Town, including the fixture release
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00:01Welcome to a special Crawley Town episode of the Galmouth Action Podcast where we take a look at all the latest goings on at the Reds.
00:07I'm Matt Pohl and this week I'm delighted to be joined by Red Devils expert Mark Dunford and it's safe to say it's been a very busy week for Crawley Town.
00:15The Reds have announced two signings, bid farewell to four members of last season's squad and discovered their itinerary for the upcoming 2025-26 League 2 campaign.
00:24This week on this special episode we'll give you the lowdown on Crawley's two new faces, pick over the bones of those four departures as we mentioned and highlight the key leave fixtures the Reds have to look forward to next season.
00:34Mr Dunford, thank you very much for joining us. Your head must be spinning after the week they've had at Crawley Town.
00:40It's funny, isn't it? You can tell the season is ramping up now. It's just the summer. I don't think it's going to get any quieter now.
00:46They obviously go to Spain next week, don't they? So it's going to be a few more signings to come and probably people leaving.
00:55So it's just going to get busier and busier now up until August 2nd, the kicker for the season.
01:02Better than twiddling your thumbs, isn't it? We'll talk about players in a minute, but we'll start with the main show this week has been the fixture list.
01:11That's been released today. We'll start with the key points. Who do they open and close their league season against and what does their Christmas schedule look like?
01:19Is it a lot of travelling that they have to grapple with this festive period, Mark, or is it looking OK?
01:24It's not looking too bad. The opening game is the horrible trip to Grimsby, but you'd rather do it in August, I think, than you would in February, a cold Tuesday night in February in Grimsby or whatever.
01:36So, yeah, so Grimsby away. Not, yeah, I mean, you'd rather be at home opening day of the season, but that's OK.
01:44They finish at home to Salford, which could be an interesting one. Both sides could be pushing for playoffs.
01:51Salford had a good season last year. I think they finished just outside the playoffs last year.
01:55Or did they just get into it? But yeah, so that could be an interesting one.
02:00But Christmas, because last year they had a horrible, they had Birmingham at home just before Christmas.
02:05Then I think it was late in or in a way, Boxing Day.
02:08And then they had a trip to Exeter on the thing, just horrible trips.
02:12And I remember Scott Lindsay being a little bit grumpy about those, even though he wasn't actually there when they played those fixtures.
02:18But I remember when the fixtures came out, he was.
02:20But this year, Saturday before Christmas, they go to Swindon, which isn't a bad trip.
02:26And then they have Colchester at home on Boxing Day, Bromley at home on December the 29th, and then Barnet away on New Year's Day.
02:35So a lot less travelling than they had last year.
02:39So, I mean, obviously Scott Lindsay will say that they're all tough games, etc., blah, blah, blah.
02:43But if you were going to ask Santa for a Christmas schedule, I think you'd ask for something like that.
02:52And obviously, a good Christmas period sets you up for the second half of the season.
02:57So all signs point towards, hopefully, a good Christmas period and a good second half of the season for Crawley Town.
03:04Yeah, fingers crossed.
03:05And as you said, I think if you can minimise travelling over that short amount of time, perfect.
03:08Yeah, absolutely.
03:09You can manage the squad much better, can't you?
03:11Yeah.
03:12Yeah, absolutely.
03:14And we've touched on those points, but which of the five fixtures you're most excited about?
03:19Obviously, Crawley have lost AFC Wimbledon, one of their great rivals.
03:23But I sense a rivalry with MK Dons might well and truly form this season.
03:29It could, yeah.
03:30I mean, obviously, the last time they played each other, Crawley won 5-1 at Stadium MK, so in the FAO semi-final.
03:36And I think they're still a little bit bitter and humiliated by that MK Dons.
03:40So I think those two fixtures, the first one, they're both on Tuesday nights, first one at home on August the 19th, and the away trip is on February the 17th.
03:51Yes, obviously, there's so much narrative, a ridiculous amount of narrative in these games with the amount of players MK Dons have got from Crawley with Liam Kelly, Jay Williams, Lawrence Maguire, etc.
04:05And then, obviously, the whole Scott Lindsay saga.
04:09I don't think the fans took to Scott Lindsay particularly well at MK Dons because the results didn't go their way.
04:15So nothing than Scott did other than not win a lot of games.
04:20So, yeah.
04:21So that is going to be interesting how there's going to be a bit of needle, no doubt.
04:25And I've written a piece about six games to look forward to this year, so you can read that on Sussex World.
04:31But, yes, I've put in there that it could be quite a tense atmosphere if there could be, if there was an atmosphere at Stadium MK.
04:39So, yes, that's going to be really interesting.
04:42But I'm interested by the Barnet Games.
04:44I think the Barnet Games will be interesting there back in the Football League, not too far to go.
04:49So I imagine there'll be big crowds in both games.
04:54And also Chesterfield as well.
04:56Crawley haven't played them for a few years.
04:57So they came up last year.
05:00They had a really good season.
05:01And I think they're one of the favourites to do well this year in League Two.
05:04So they'll be really good games.
05:07But the opening game, I think, is a chance for against Grimsby away.
05:11They had such a good away record when they got promoted, Crawley.
05:15And I think it was like the most away wins in a season.
05:17Most goals scored away from home.
05:19In a season.
05:21So that's one to really lay down a marker, I think.
05:24I think everybody's going to be excited about the opening game.
05:26See what kind of team Lindsay puts out.
05:29Well, no, we're getting on to the goalkeepers.
05:31But who's going to be his number one?
05:33Etc.
05:33Stuff like that.
05:34So, oh, sorry, my screen's gone blank.
05:38Oh, no, I'm back.
05:40So, yeah, those sort of games.
05:42And then you've got like Notts County.
05:44They're always a big side come.
05:45And I always remember when they beat Notts County 2-1 in that promotion winning season.
05:50The atmosphere that night was great when Adi Yemo scored the winner.
05:56So, yeah, there's lots of games to look forward to.
05:58I mean, essentially, they've got to play everyone twice.
06:01And every game is vital when they want to win every game.
06:04So, but there's always those little narratives in those, especially MK Dons this year.
06:08It's going to be great fun.
06:10I know this is probably putting you on the spot a little bit.
06:12But who do you see?
06:13I know that Scott Lindsay has played down Crawley's potential promotion aspirations.
06:17But of the club, other clubs that are in the division, Mark, who do you reckon will be up there?
06:20I think Notts County and Salford, as you said, and Chesterfield aren't bad shouts, are they?
06:25I think they are.
06:26Yeah, they're always going to be up there, those.
06:29But you always look, I mean, Grimsby had a good season last year.
06:31They finished ninth, I think, which is probably their best finish for quite a while.
06:34So, I think that they're one to look out for, sort of dark horses maybe.
06:39But I think you can't look past Chesterfield and Notts County and Salford just because, you know, they've got the money.
06:45They've got the budget.
06:46That doesn't always work out, as we've seen with MK Dons.
06:48I was looking at the odds earlier, and MK Dons are the favourites.
06:51They're always the favourites.
06:52Always the favourites.
06:53But look where they are.
06:54I mean, last season, they had a very, very poor season.
06:58So, yeah, who knows?
07:00If they get it right this year with what they've got in charge and that, and if they get the mix right with the players, they should be up there with their stadium, with their budgets, et cetera.
07:11They should be up there.
07:12But I don't know.
07:13I think they'll probably fail again, and it will be โ my money's on Chesterfield to win the league this year.
07:20Yeah, I hope they do.
07:21I went up there to cover Horsham against Chesterfield.
07:23Oh, that's right.
07:24Lovely bunch down there, and Chesterfield is a beautiful place.
07:27So, good luck to them.
07:28They've got my seal of approval, and as long as it's not the MK Dons, I think, is the resounding opinion.
07:38We will see how it goes.
07:40Moving on to the player front now.
07:42Crawley Town announced a signing of Dan Cashman last week.
07:46I think not to the surprise of many people, Mark, but we'll come into that in a bit.
07:50The 24-year-old who joined the club following the expiration of his contract at Worthing has signed a two-year deal.
07:56Yeah, not a surprise.
07:57We mentioned it last week's episode, didn't we?
07:59What's the reaction been to the deal, and what has Cashman had to say about the signing?
08:04I think everybody's really excited about this signing.
08:07I mean, he's had a couple of really good seasons in National League South with Worthing, and he's young.
08:14There's potential there, but I think what people are just generally most excited about is that he comes from Crawley.
08:20So, he was born here.
08:22He supported him as a kid.
08:24So, I think that's what people โ because people will know he will be playing for the shirt.
08:28I mean, everybody plays for the shirt when they come, but when you're born and bred Crawley, you just โ fans have that instant affinity with the player, and hopefully he will fit in.
08:39And he's got a bit of personality as well, I think, and I think he's going to excite the fans.
08:44And he โ I mean, he's saying all the right things when he's come in.
08:48He said he feels like the perfect fit.
08:51I think I was just sort of finding myself again enjoying playing football and then coming to a place where I feel I can help the team and assist them with the manager and progress as a player and help push the team on.
09:01So, that's what he's hoping to do.
09:02And he said it's always nice when you go to a new club and you've got some familiar faces.
09:06I think he mentioned Dion Conroy and another player as well.
09:10I can't remember which one, sorry.
09:12But โ so, he's already got friends here and that always helps if he can fit in with the team instantly and then we'll see what he's like in the friendlies.
09:20But I think he will play a big part this season.
09:24Him and Harry McCurdy, I think the two players, fans should be really excited about and could be some goals between them this year.
09:33Yeah, fingers crossed.
09:34First, sticking with incomings, the Reds just today have signed highly rated goalkeeper Harvey Davies on a season-long loan from Premier League Champions Liverpool.
09:43It sounds like an exciting prospect by all accounts, Mark.
09:45Tell us a little bit about the 21-year-old and what does this mean for the Reds' goalkeeping department?
09:50I know they burnt through goalkeepers last season, didn't they?
09:53Is this with an idea to maybe have him as the settled number one or what do you reckon?
09:57Yeah, so, yeah, eight keepers they used last year due to injuries, international call-ups, everything.
10:04It was ridiculous, really.
10:06There was a few hit and misses.
10:07Toby Stewart was particularly good, I thought, at the end of the season.
10:10Shame they haven't brought him back.
10:12But with Harvey Davis, it looks like a really good signing.
10:15He's, like you said, he's really highly rated.
10:17He's been at Liverpool since he was nine.
10:19And he's featuring consistently for the youth teams at Merseyside.
10:24He regularly trains with the first team and faces shots from the likes of Mohamed Salah,
10:29Luis Diaz and other international stars on a daily basis.
10:32So, you'd like to think he's got some pedigree.
10:35I mean, he's played at England at under-19 and under-20 levels as well.
10:38And he's got a bit of experience at this level as well.
10:41He made 32 appearances for crew in all competitions in a 23-24 season.
10:45So, they're not just getting a youngster and he doesn't know what the two people are all about,
10:49which is absolutely key.
10:51And to answer your question, he's got to be the number one, hasn't he?
10:54I would have thought.
10:55Jojo Wallacott had a mixed season last year.
10:58He's still with the Reds.
11:01But with this signing, I would have thought he will be number one.
11:04And Ryan Sanford, we're going to get on to him.
11:06He signed a new contract.
11:08So, at the moment, they've got three keepers.
11:10I imagine Lindsay would be delighted to have three keepers.
11:12But I can't see past Harvey Davis not being number one.
11:16He looks absolute quality.
11:20And they've got a good track record with under-21s from Liverpool with James Balaghesi.
11:24We all remember him well.
11:26I mean, he played in the Kevin Betsy side before he was recalled home.
11:31So, he didn't have much success in terms of team results.
11:33But he was exceptional.
11:36So, I mean, anyone who's going to be from Liverpool's academy,
11:39and that's what you'd imagine was going to be quality.
11:40So, yeah, it looks like a very, very good signing.
11:43And hopefully, he will be settled for the year.
11:46Yeah, absolutely.
11:47And I think I'd agree with you there about Davies being the number one.
11:49It's the experience for...
11:50Because did he play for Croup in the play-off final against Crawley, Mark?
11:54No, he didn't, unfortunately.
11:55No, so we didn't get to see him there.
11:57But, yeah, I mean, playing 32 games at this level,
12:01he'll know what it's all about.
12:02He's probably a lot more physical.
12:04But being an academy Premier League player,
12:07he'll play the kind of football Scott Lindsay wants.
12:09He wants someone who's good on the ball,
12:11plays it out from the back like a lot of Premier League sides do in that.
12:14So, it seems like he'll be the perfect fit for Lindsay's side.
12:18Yeah, I think it's a canny sign in that one.
12:20But despite these incomings,
12:22Crawley have also seen a plethora of players depart since our last podcast.
12:26Starting with Armando,
12:27who joined League One side Wickham Wanderers
12:29on a permanent transfer for an undisclosed fee.
12:31The 25-year-old netted seven goals
12:33and 38 appearances for the club last season.
12:35What was the prevailing mood from the supporters about this departure, Mark?
12:39I remember him being linked away to it.
12:41It was an Argentinian club in January.
12:43So, did this come as much of a surprise that he'd left?
12:47I don't think it did.
12:48Reaction-wise, it's been a bit sort of mixed.
12:50I mean, there were times where he was brilliant last season.
12:54He scored a lot of goals early.
12:55Then he had a couple of injuries.
12:57But it was around January, I think.
12:59If a player looks like he wants to leave the club,
13:02fans turn on you straight away, don't they?
13:04So, I don't think there was too many people shedding many tears here
13:08at Armando leaving.
13:10It was, yeah, Club Atletico Talleres was the team.
13:14He was videoed having a medical there.
13:19So, I don't know.
13:20I don't think anyone had really found out
13:21why that deal never got done.
13:26But, yeah, he will be missed because he is a game-changing player.
13:32He's brilliant on the ball, can score from free kicks, penalties,
13:37good dead ball taker, very quick, very skillful.
13:41But maybe more of a League One player than a League Two player,
13:45I don't know.
13:47So, I don't think he will be hugely missed.
13:51But, yeah, any player that leaves means fans are going to be looking
13:58for another player to come in.
13:59So, if he leaves and we don't get a like-for-like replacement,
14:02then you start to worry a little bit.
14:04But, yeah, I was a little bit surprised by the reaction
14:08because the fans didn't seem overly bothered by it.
14:10Yeah, well, just a day later, Panucci Kamara left the Reds.
14:15The midfielder, who was in his second spell with the club,
14:17rejected the offer of a new and improved contract
14:19and activated a relegation release clause in his contract,
14:22which allowed him to join Scottish Premier League side Dundee United
14:26on a permanent deal.
14:28I must admit, I was surprised to see him join a Scottish Premiership club, Mark.
14:31I don't know what you make of that move.
14:34And what did you make of Kamara's second spell
14:35at the Broadfield Stadium in general?
14:37Well, no disrespect to Panucci, but I think that shows the level
14:42of the Scottish Premiership, the fact that he's going there.
14:46I mean, he's a good player and he struggled to begin with this season.
14:52He came back to great fanfare.
14:53Fans were really excited.
14:55And he was in and out of the side.
14:56And then, yeah, not so much when Rob Elliott came in.
15:01He was more of a substitute and came on.
15:05And he was mixed.
15:06But the last few games under Lindsay is like Rashaun Hepburn-Murphy,
15:10Panucci, Kamara, all sort of came to the fore.
15:12And Scott Lindsay's obviously a big fan of him.
15:14And they obviously wanted to keep him.
15:16Like you say, he turned down a new and improved deal.
15:19So it's a shame he has gone.
15:20But I suppose if you get the opportunity to go to a top level in any country,
15:27you're going to go to it, aren't you?
15:28And you'd like to think they've got some good money for him.
15:32Although it's a relegation clause.
15:34So you don't know how much he would have gone for.
15:36But, yeah, no, I was a little bit sad because he's a great character.
15:41And when he's on fire, he's really good.
15:44There was a couple of games towards the end of the season where he was electric.
15:47Him and Rashaun Hepburn-Murphy, like I say, were linking up.
15:51And he was great.
15:52But, yeah, no, I think Scott will be a bit upset.
15:54I'll hopefully speak into Scott later.
15:56So I'll be asking him about it.
15:57And it'll be interesting to see what his views are on the players that have left,
16:01how disappointed he is.
16:03So, but, yeah, no, sad to see Panucci go.
16:06And I think if you were going to ask fans which one they asked that about,
16:10I think it would be Panucci.
16:11Panucci, but they don't judge him.
16:14He's always been a fan favourite.
16:16And he was the one holding up Ken Blackmore's shirt at the end of the game,
16:19the game after Ken Blackmore sadly died and that.
16:23So, yeah, big fan of Panucci.
16:25And, yeah, didn't have the greatest of seasons,
16:28but he had some real good moments.
16:30Yeah, sounds like he was a popular player amongst the supporters.
16:33Crawley then bid farewell to defender Rory Feely,
16:37who has moved to Irish Premier Division side Cork City
16:39on a permanent transfer for an undisclosed fee.
16:42Feely had only been at the club six months before his departure,
16:44so I can't imagine there were too many tears shed about his departure.
16:47Mark, what did you make of this one?
16:50Yeah, not a surprise at all.
16:52I just don't โ he didn't feature at all, I don't think,
16:55when after Lindsay returned.
16:57He might have been on the subs bench,
16:58but he certainly didn't play any games.
17:00The first game he started was when they lost 4-1 away at Lincoln City.
17:06And I watched that game and he wasn't very good.
17:11And I think at the time, and it's probably a little bit unfair on him,
17:14I've made comparisons to Mark Wright's league debut for โ
17:18My phrase.
17:19A professional league debut, should I say, against Harrogate Town.
17:24And, yeah, Mark Wright, yeah, let's not get on that.
17:28He's out of his death.
17:30Ridiculous.
17:31But, I mean, he's not as bad as that because he's had a reasonably good career feeling.
17:36But he just didn't seem to fit in at Crawley.
17:38And he just โ yeah, he didn't seem like a Scott Lindsay kind of player.
17:41So, yeah, I don't think anyone was too surprised or too upset that he's gone.
17:46Well, in contrast, I think arguably the biggest blow came this week
17:50when hugely popular midfielder Jeremy Kennelly announced his departure.
17:55He's left the club to pursue opportunities closer to his home in the United States.
17:58And Kelly was reportedly offered a new contract to further extend his time
18:02at the Broadfield Stadium but chose to explore options closer to home.
18:06Big blow, Mark, that one.
18:08How much of a dagger through the heart is that one?
18:11Because he was โ not only was he popular, which is always a bonus,
18:14but he was a brilliant, integral part of that midfield, wasn't he?
18:18He was.
18:18I love watching Jeremy Kelly play football.
18:21He's just โ he's just some of the best feet you've seen.
18:28I mean, at any level, really, just how quickly he controls it,
18:31how he turns on a sixpence.
18:33And I remember Scott Lindsay saying quite early on,
18:35he seems to be quicker on the ball than he is off the ball.
18:38And he was.
18:39If he got the ball on his feet, he would just jink round players.
18:42He was fantastic.
18:44So it was a real big blow.
18:46I got the impression quite early on when I was speaking to Scott
18:50about these player negotiations that he was a bit frustrated
18:54that nobody had signed early.
18:55And the fact that he didn't sign straight away did make you worry that โ
19:00because he clearly loved the club, and the club have done great things
19:03for him as well as him doing great things for the club.
19:06He's put his name on the map.
19:08But I don't know.
19:09You get the impression he may be a little bit homesick.
19:11He's looking to go back to the US.
19:13I mean, he could play โ I think he could play a higher level,
19:16much higher level in the UK, let alone in America.
19:19But playing in the MLS, it's quite a good standard now.
19:22It's getting better and better, isn't it, with Messi, et cetera,
19:25and all that.
19:26So, yeah, a real sad thing to go.
19:30He was just such a big part of that.
19:32I always forget that he only came in halfway through that promotion
19:35winning season.
19:36He had such an impact.
19:38I mean, people, fans straight away were โ I remember when he signed,
19:43oh, they're only getting him in because he's American,
19:45the American owners and all that.
19:46I mean, ridiculous.
19:48But he won them over very quickly.
19:51And he was just such a nice person to interview as well.
19:54I remember speaking to him on Thanksgiving Day in a preview to a game,
19:59and he was just so happy.
20:00But when you spoke to him and you talked about Thanksgiving,
20:03you got the impression, oh, he missed his family, missed being in America
20:07for that moment kind of thing.
20:08So, maybe that's โ I think that was a big part.
20:10I don't think it was anything to do with Crawley not wanting to be
20:13at Crawley Town.
20:14I think it was more about wanting to be back in the US.
20:17Yeah, well, it's interesting.
20:18I had a quick look at the Crawley Town website about his departure,
20:22and it said that the club hold no animosity to him for leaving,
20:25which must just show โ
20:26It says it all, doesn't it?
20:27Yeah.
20:27Must be a top bloke, Jeremy Kelly.
20:29So, we wish him all the best of luck.
20:31Best player in the world, as Scott Lindsay famously said.
20:33Best player in the world.
20:35And Crawley Observer player of the season last year as well.
20:38That's the one everyone wants, Mark.
20:39That's the big prize.
20:41The big fish.
20:42I've got to try and think of some Ballon d'Or pun that we can โ
20:45no, it does nothing to do with Crawley Observer and Ballon d'Or.
20:49Ballon d'Observer.
20:51Ballon d'Observer?
20:52Yeah, that's actually not โ
20:53Yeah, let's introduce that next season.
20:56Ballon d'Observer.
20:56I like that.
20:57Oh, you better use that next year.
20:59You're very disappointed if you don't.
21:01Anyway, swiftly on.
21:03Some good news for the club after all those departures.
21:06Harry Forster, Joey McKenna and Ryan Sanford,
21:08who we have briefly touched upon, have penned new deals.
21:11Forster and McKenna have both signed one-year extensions,
21:14while Sanford has committed for a further six months.
21:17Yeah, should be pretty happy with those, I think.
21:19Mark, what do you make of that?
21:21Good to see them commit, albeit in the short term.
21:24Yeah, absolutely.
21:25Yeah, I think it's good to have those players
21:28and that consistency in the squad going forward.
21:31Harry Forster and Joey McKenna both joined โ
21:35signed on the promotion-winning season.
21:37Both as sort of youngsters with potential,
21:41and Scott Lindsay used them brilliantly in that year.
21:43I remember Joey McKenna particularly.
21:44He was used initially in the EFL Trophy
21:47and really shone in that back three.
21:52And then when Dion Conroy got injured and there were other injuries,
21:55he stepped up.
21:56And because of those games in the EFL Trophy,
21:58which they got quite far in that season,
22:00quarterfinals I think it was,
22:01before they were knocked out by Peterborough,
22:02he was able to step up into those league games
22:07and he didn't look out of place at all.
22:10He got a bit of a free training ground injury last season,
22:13which ruled him out.
22:14But again, he started really well last year,
22:17again with injuries to Dion Conroy,
22:19Josh Flint when he got injured.
22:23But I think we were saying last week about if โ
22:26because when we were talking about Toby Malarkey leaving,
22:29if all of Crawley Town's defenders fit,
22:33it's quite a tough choice for Scott Lindsay who he picks.
22:36I mean, I know he'll have in his mind who he picks,
22:39but if Dion Conroy, who we're going to get on to,
22:41stays on and Josh Flint and Charlie Barker, etc.,
22:46it's a really good lineup and competitive for that back three.
22:51Harry Forster, such an exciting player when he's on form.
22:55Scott Lindsay said when he signed,
22:56he's the kind of player that will get fans out of his seat
22:58when he's on the ball and he does.
23:00He runs forward.
23:00He scored a great individual goal.
23:03Was it last season in the FL Trophy against Wimbledon?
23:05I think he โ or was it previous season?
23:09He skipped round, ran from the halfway line,
23:11skipped round a load of players.
23:13He is that kind of player.
23:14Very exciting.
23:15But again, he was a little bit plagued by injuries last year.
23:18And Preston Johnson referred to the injuries and saying
23:20it'd be unfair to just let them go
23:23because of the injuries they've had.
23:25I mean, you shouldn't just, out of sympathy,
23:27give players new contracts.
23:29But we know what they can do for Ster and McKayna.
23:33And I think they deserve their new contracts
23:35and they will be a key part, again, for Scott Lindsay.
23:38And Ryan Sanford, someone we haven't seen at all
23:40because of injuries.
23:43We saw him warming up towards the end of last season.
23:46We thought he might be fit towards the end of the season,
23:49maybe get a couple of games when Crawley were doing emergency loans
23:52all over the place.
23:54But, yeah, we've got no idea what he's like.
23:56But, again, he's been given a chance.
23:58And you'd imagine, depending on how it all goes with Wallacott, et cetera,
24:03Davis, number one, Sanford, probably playing the EFL Trophy games
24:07or between Sanford and Wallacott, depending who.
24:10So that'll be an interesting one.
24:12But, yeah, no, it's good for squad numbers to have that consistency,
24:16players that know Lindsay, players that know the rest,
24:18a lot of the players in the squad.
24:20So there is a lot more consistency in this squad so far this season
24:24than we've had in previous summers.
24:27Yes, absolutely.
24:27And you've mentioned the EFL Trophy three times there, I think,
24:31in the space of you describing that.
24:32It's the tournament every player wants to win.
24:33More than anyone's ever talked about the EFL Trophy.
24:36Yeah, it's the trophy that every player is desperate, desperate,
24:39desperate to win.
24:41We've had two of the clubs that Crawley have faced have been drawn out.
24:45The third and final one is the Academy team,
24:47which we've drawn out to in Sky Sports News.
24:49But tell us who they've โ which football league clubs have Crawley
24:52got in their group so far, Mark?
24:54It's โ without giving too much away, it's a pretty horrible draw for Crawley.
24:58Oh, it's horrible, but at the same time could sort of play in their favour
25:04because it's Leighton Orient and Peterborough.
25:06Leighton Orient obviously just missed out on promotion,
25:08losing the play-off final to Charlton.
25:11So you'd imagine they'll be pushing for promotion.
25:13So is the EFL Trophy going to be important to them?
25:16Probably not.
25:18Peterborough, though, on the other hand, seemed to love the EFL Trophy.
25:21Yes.
25:22One of the last โ beat Birmingham and pulled off a shock in the final last year.
25:27And Crawley were knocked out by them in the quarterfinals a couple of years ago,
25:31but completely outplayed them.
25:33They were brilliant.
25:34And I remember speaking to Alan Swan from the Peterborough Telegraph reporter up there,
25:37and he was so impressed with Crawley that night.
25:40He was like, you're getting promoted this year.
25:43And it turns out they did.
25:46So, yeah, it's tough.
25:47I mean, because you get the academy team you play at home no matter what,
25:51and then it's a case of which one of the other two you play away.
25:56And you want Peterborough at home Leighton Orient away, don't you?
25:59Just for that travelling because, yeah, nobody wants to go to Peterborough on a Tuesday night.
26:05For whatever reason.
26:06So, yeah.
26:08So, it's a tough draw on paper.
26:12But you'd like to think โ because I can't remember how it works.
26:16I think it's one team goes through and then the best place second โ
26:20no, the top two go through and then the third team go through, et cetera.
26:25So, if they get โ yeah.
26:29If they get Peterborough at home, if they don't take it at six โ
26:32Peterborough are a team who struggled in League 1 last year, disappointed really.
26:37They had a good run that got them out of relegation trouble at one point.
26:42You'd think they'll be looking for โ they're a big side.
26:44They've always got championship ambitions.
26:46Leighton Orient, like we said, I imagine they'll be going for it next season.
26:50So, you'd hope they put out weakened signs.
26:52Crawley obviously haven't got the academy, haven't got under-21s.
26:56They'll have a squad and they'll use squad players within it.
27:00But Lindsay took it seriously that season before last and it paid off for them.
27:04And I think he'll do the same this year.
27:06And if you're into that sort of thing, you can see what academy team Crawley have drawn
27:10at around half two on sussexworld.co.uk forward slash forward.
27:13If you're a football pervert, Matt.
27:14If you're a football pervert.
27:15If you're a football pervert.
27:17I love that kind of thing.
27:19I'm assuming that we've played โ do you remember which under-21s they've not played yet?
27:23I know it was Brighton last year, wasn't it?
27:25If they played Tottenham or Arsenal or Chelsea yet, that would be good for them if they have.
27:29It would be great to get one of those teams.
27:31They've had Aston Villa a couple of times.
27:33Yes.
27:33And I remember them absolutely battering Aston Villa 5-1 or something like that one year.
27:39But, yeah, that would be great to get a Chelsea and Arsenal or a Tottenham.
27:43Someone like that.
27:44Oh, I think West Ham they had one year as well, maybe.
27:46Oh, right.
27:47That might be wrong.
27:49But, yeah, it'd be great to have a London club, Crystal Palace, something like that.
27:53That would generate a lot more interest, wouldn't it, than Aston Villa or someone dull like that.
28:01As you can tell, we're all thoroughly excited for the EFL Trophy draw.
28:04So, yes, keep your eyes peeled.
28:06And final one for this week, going all the way back to contract extensions.
28:11Do we have any news regarding Dion Conroy and Liam Fraser, Mark?
28:15Of the players that we've mentioned, those are the only two who were mentioned in Corrie Town's retain list whose futures haven't been resolved.
28:23Do we have any news whatsoever?
28:25I've had no updates.
28:27Like I said, I was hoping to speak to Scott this afternoon.
28:29So, hopefully get some kind of updates.
28:32So, keep an eye on Sussex World if there is.
28:34But, yeah, Dion Conroy is an interesting one because he is Scott Lindsay's general.
28:38He's his club captain.
28:40He loves โ I remember when he came back from injury and that everyone else was fit.
28:47And I said, oh, is there going to be a bit of a selection headache?
28:49No.
28:49If Dion Conroy is fit, he plays.
28:51That's what Scott Lindsay said.
28:53So, he is such a calming influence and so good on the ball in that centre of the back three.
28:59So, I imagine Lindsay wants him.
29:01But has Dion Conroy done what he wants to do at Crawley Town?
29:06Has he got a taste for League One again after playing there last season?
29:10So, who knows?
29:11But, yeah, we've got no indication.
29:13Liam Fraser, I don't know.
29:16I get the impression again it might be a case that he wants to go back.
29:20Because he's Canadian, isn't he?
29:22He's Canadian, US, Canada, playing the MLS maybe.
29:27I was so impressed with him when he played.
29:29And it would be great if Crawley could have him.
29:31I think he would dominate midfields in League Two.
29:35Just, again, another really just calm on the ball.
29:38Breaks up play well.
29:39Uses the ball efficiently.
29:41No frills about him.
29:42He just gets on with it.
29:43And that's the kind of play you need in that centre of that, in that pivot role in midfield.
29:48But, who knows?
29:49I imagine they're working hard to try and keep both of them.
29:52But, like, my instinct would say maybe Conroy stays, Fraser goes.
29:57Doesn't stay.
29:58Watch this space.
29:59Well, thank you very much for joining me this week, Mark, for this very special Crawley
30:03Town episode.
30:04You can catch up with all the latest sports news covering everything we've talked about
30:07today at sussexworld.co.uk forward slash sport.
30:09And you can watch more excellent videos on ShotsTV.com and Freeview Channel 262.
30:14Thank you very much for watching.
30:16And we will see you soon.
30:18Thanks, Mark.
30:18Thanks, Mark.
30:19Thanks, Mark.
30:20Thanks, Mark.
30:20Thanks, Mark.
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30:37Thanks, Mark.
30:38Thanks, Mark.
30:39Thanks, Mark.
30:40Thanks, Mark.
30:41Thanks, Mark.
30:42Thanks, Mark.
30:43Thanks, Mark.
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