Crawley Town

Crawley Town striker Dan Orsi believes the side have "done a bit of growing up" in the three-week international break.

The Reds are bottom of League Two with one win in their opening seven matches, but have not played a league fixture since September 19.

Colin Kazim-Richards' team did play twice in the EFL Trophy in that time, losing 4-1 at League One MK Dons before an impressive 4-0 home win over Bromley.

Orsi told BBC Radio Sussex: "We just had some real honest meetings in this break and went back to basics on the training ground, working hard and doing the simple things before trying to do the other stuff.

"We've done a bit of growing up over the international break as well, and I really am looking forward to Saturday's game against Chesterfield now."

Former Arsenal goalkeeper Vito Mannone, 38, arrived as player-coach in the summer, and made just his fourth appearance in the Bromley win.

Orsi said Mannone's experience would help guide the young squad through "big moments" in games.

"That's where we've let ourselves down as a group at times, conceding just before half-time through a lack of concentration," he said.

"It's just a bit of naivety at times. It's not the sort of thing you can coach, when individual players just need to think and see danger quicker."

Crawley secured their place in the football league on the final day of the 2025-26 season, finishing 22nd.

Reds chief executive Tom Allman acknowledged their poor start to the current campaign to the BBC earlier this week, but backed the squad to turn it around.

Orsi asked the fans to have patience and faith in the management and players.

"I completely get it. I'm a football fan as well. Obviously when results aren't going your way you are going to be negative about it," he said.

"The optimism at the start of the season, everyone expects to be doing something in the season, otherwise what are you really playing for and working towards?

"We've used the break well. I'm just hoping everyone can use it as a fresh start and get behind us, and really get together again like I know this club can do."

Andrew Raeburn
BBC Sport, London & South East

Crawley Town boss Colin Kazim-Richards says the return of summer signings Stephen Duke-McKenna, Kai Jennings and Vito Mannone from injury will provide him with a selection headache for Saturday's League Two game with Chesterfield.

Former Arsenal goalkeeper Mannone, 38, and AFC Wimbledon loanee Jennings, 20, both started the 4-0 win over Bromley in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday.

But what caught the eye was the performance of substitute Duke-McKenna, who replaced Jennings at the break and scored two excellent goals.

The 26-year-old, signed from Harrogate in June, had not been available since picking up an injury in the first league game of the season on 15 August.

"It's nice to have him back," Kazim-Richards told BBC Radio Sussex.

"Even if you take away his goals, just his set pieces, it's frightening, it's on the money, especially at this level. It's been a big loss.

"Having Vito come back, having Kai come back, having people gel, having a whole squad that's able to now fight in training and push themselves and try and grab that shirt, it's top to have it back."

Player-coach Mannone was also forced off on the opening day of the League Two season, having put in excellent performances in EFL Cup games against York and Watford.

Jennings was making his second appearance for the Reds, having been unavailable since making his debut on 22 August against Rochdale.

Kazim-Richards said the performance against League One side Bromley may alter his plans for the visit of Chesterfield, as he looks to get his side off the foot of League Two.

"I had an idea of what I was going to do on Saturday and now that's kind of scrapped," he said.

"There might be a few little changes, just little details, to what I was going to do."

Andrew Raeburn
BBC Sport, London & South East

Crawley Town chief executive Tom Allman says the club's league position is far short of matching their playing budget this season - but remains confident of a revival in their on-pitch fortunes.

The Reds, who only escaped relegation on the final day of last season, are bottom of League Two after only one win in their first seven matches.

Allman has acknowledged their poor start to the campaign but backed the squad to turn it around.

"I don't want to be going up to Grimsby and watching us lose, so I completely understand the frustration," he told BBC Radio Sussex.

"I think with some of the lads we've got in the squad, there's no doubting we need to be aiming higher than where we are.

"We believe our budget is certainly competitive. That's towards the higher end of the table and pushing for success.

"We've not got a top-three budget, or a top-seven budget, but we're certainly competitive.

"Fundamentally, the budget is better than where we are at the moment, it's just about getting those results on the pitch and looking onwards and upwards.

"It is only the start of October and while you don't want to be bottom of the league at any point, there's plenty of time for us to put some performances [together] and get those points on the board."

Image source, Shutterstock

Former Swindon Town, Hibernian and Crawley Town striker Harry McKirdy has announced his retirement from professional football, at the age of 29.

McKirdy was released by League Two side Crawley at the end of last season.

Writing on his Instagram account, external, McKirdy said: "After 14 years in full-time football, it's time to call it a day.

"I never thought I'd pack it in so early but sitting here where I am, happy in life, great people around me... how could I possibly have any regrets?"

McKirdy came through the youth ranks at Stoke City and Aston Villa, and made his senior debut at the start of a loan spell with Stevenage in 2016.

He had further loans at Crewe Alexandra and Newport County before being released by Villa in 2019.

McKirdy then played for Carlisle United and Port Vale before joining Swindon Town in August 2021.

He was named in the EFL League Two team of the season and and won Swindon's player of the season award for the 2021–22 campaign after scoring 24 goals in 44 games in all competitions.

Scottish Premiership club Hibernian signed him for an undisclosed fee in September 2022 but he failed to score in 33 games, mostly off the bench, and also had heart surgery during his time north of the border.

He returned to Swindon Town on loan in February 2024 and then had a short spell with Bromley.

McKirdy joined Crawley in June 2025, scoring eight goals in 33 appearances last season.

Crawley Town captain Jude Arthurs has not experienced life at the foot of the table before, but is determined to lead the Reds out of trouble in League Two.

The 25-year-old joined the West Sussex club in the summer after helping Bromley earn promotion to League One, but his new team find themselves bottom after just one win in seven games.

Since becoming a regular in the Bromley team in the 2021-22 campaign, Arthurs had never finished outside of the top half, in either the National League or League Two - and said even a slow start to a season is new to him.

"It's a first for my career," he told BBC Radio Sussex. "I've always been looking at the top of the table.

"But I'm the skipper and the leader, and I'll make sure that we are pushing in the right direction towards the top of the table, not looking below us.

"We've got quite a young squad. It's about teaching them and helping them through the game. Some of the new boys are going to need little pointers here and there.

"I lead probably with my voice but also by the way that I try to do things.

"I'm hoping that I can carry on doing that and we'll be able to turn things around.

"I believe in everyone – the gaffer, the boys, the coaching staff. We all need to be as one."

Dan Wareing
BBC Sport England

Image source, Shutterstock

Crawley Town head coach Colin Kazim-Richards has called on fans to back his squad when they face a near 480-mile round trip to Grimsby on Saturday.

Kazim-Richards' side are without a win in four League Two games and were booed off the pitch after a 3-1 home defeat by Cheltenham last weekend.

He said it was "understandable" if fans were not able to make it to Lincolnshire due to the cost of travel, but urged them to support the team from home if not.

"If you're coming, then that is massive for us," he told BBC Radio Surrey.

Kazim-Richards guided the Reds to League Two safety on the final day of last season but their poor form sees them scrambling near the foot of the table once again.

"It's understandable that it's tough to go up there when diesel is so expensive and trains aren't cheap," said Kazim-Richards.

"But it doesn't matter if there's 10, it doesn't matter if there's 50 or there's 200, we appreciate everything and we see you.

He added: "Any away game is tough when the results are not going your way, and I've always said fans are allowed to express their feelings.

"I'm positive that the results will change because they have to."

Crawley Town boss Colin Kazim-Richards says he has no problem with supporters booing his side off after their 3-1 home defeat by Cheltenham on Saturday.

Kazim-Richards guided the Reds to League Two safety on the final day of last season but they have lost four of their first six matches this term, leaving them second from bottom.

He signed 17 players during the summer transfer window, his first as Crawley boss, as part of a major rebuild of his squad.

"I think sometimes people don't take into consideration the amount of players we've had and the gelling that we have to do," Kazim-Richards told BBC Radio Sussex.

"Fans are in their right to voice their opinion. Are they booing because we lost? Are they booing because of the way we played? [Either way] I don't have a problem with that.

"I'm not a hider. If a fan wants a conversation, we can have the conversation. As long as there's respect to it, they're allowed to voice their opinion."

Kazim-Richards became Crawley boss in March and has won four, drawn four and lost seven of his 15 games in charge.

Crawley Town boss Colin Kazim-Richards says the 3-2 defeat at Accrington on Saturday was down to the team "switching off".

Speaking to BBC Radio Sussex, he said: "I'm very disappointed because I know what they can do, I know how we train, I know the details that are put into it, [and] being prepared in terms of looking at what teams do and what to expect.

"We switched off in moments, and that's how Accrington have got the three points, and deserved it in my mind because of the nous they had to go and win the game.

"We beat ourselves. That's how teams like that are going to beat us. They're not going to beat us by outplaying or outthinking [us], when we're in possession. Outthinking [us] when we're out of possession? Maybe, at this moment in time.

"We give a lot of teams a lot of problems. But we have to switch on to the other moments.

"I said to them at half-time, 'If that's the best they've got, don't switch off because you will be disappointed when we come back in.'"

Image source, Getty Images

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Crawley Town have signed midfielder Kai Jennings on a season-long loan from AFC Wimbledon.

The 20-year-old Dons academy graduate made his first-team debut as a substitute in a 5-1 FA Cup victory over Cheltenham Town in November 2023.

He has made four EFL Trophy appearances in the past two seasons, as well as four appearances in League One towards the end of 2025-2026.

Jennings scored nine goals in 27 appearances for National League Sutton United last season and has also gained experience with loan spells at Whitehawk, Walton & Hersham and Farnborough.