Crawley Town announce the return of their new manager Scott Lindsey, leaving fans on social media rather surprised.
Scott Lindsey returns just six months after he left for MK Dons in September 2024, only for the 52 year old to be sacked at the beginning of March 2025 with the League Two side winning just one of the previous 11 games before being axed.
Lindsey returns following the departure of Rob Elliot, with Crawley looking likely to drop out of League One, 12 points from safety as of March 19th, 2025.
According to Sam Gadsdon, Media Manager at Crawley Town, he arrived at the club at 10:45pm on Thursday night, before being announced at 12am.
Meanwhile, this is also Crawley’s FIFTH appointment of a manger in under three years.
▪️ Oct 22 – Nov 22: Lewis Young
▪️ Nov 22 – Dec 22: Matthew Etherington
▪️ Jan 23 – Sep 24: Scott Lindsey
▪️ Oct 24 – Mar 25: Rob Elliot
▪️ March 25 – Present: Scott Lindsey
Somewhere Only We Know.#TownTeamTogether🔴 pic.twitter.com/V7QqZHNGlc
— Crawley Town FC (@crawleytown) March 21, 2025
🤩 He’s home.#TownTeamTogether🔴
— Crawley Town FC (@crawleytown) March 21, 2025
CLUB STATEMENT:
Crawley Town Football Club is delighted to announce that the club’s promotion-winning Manager Scott Lindsey has returned to the club for a second spell as Manager. Scott returns to the club on a deal lasting until June 2028.
Lindsey enjoyed heroic seasons with the club during his first spell in RH11. Having joined the club in January 2023, the 52-year-old steered the club away from relegation to the National League despite the club being in a precarious position with only a few games of the season remaining. A scintillating 2-0 away victory at Hartlepool all but secured Crawley’s football league status, which was confirmed with a 0-0 draw at home to Walsall.
By the end of the next season, Lindsey had transformed Crawley into a winning machine, which paid dividends as the club secured play-off football for the first time in its long and proud history. An EFL record 8-1 aggregate victory over MK Dons saw Crawley visit the iconic Wembley Stadium for the first time, where Lindsey’s men saw off Crewe Alexandra by two goals to nil.
The third tier of English football beckoned, and Scott’s Red men got off to a flying start with victories over Blackpool on opening day and Cambridge a week later. Lindsey departed Crawley in September 2024 but now returns home for a second spell.
During his time with the Red Devils, Lindsey endeared himself to the Crawley fanbase and held the fans in such high regard, which he would often refer to in his post-match interviews. The news of the manager’s return to his familiar stomping ground will be enjoyed by many, and Reds fans will be sure to give a warm Crawley welcome on Saturday afternoon.
Lindsey will be in attendance at the club’s training session tomorrow morning and be in the dugout on Saturday.
Scott will confirm his coaching staff in due course, but in the meantime, Louis Storey, Anthony Sweeney and Steve Hafner have departed the club. We would like to thank the trio for their hard work during their time at the club and wish them all the best in the future.
Chairman Preston Johnson said: “We are very excited to welcome Scott back to Crawley Town. We all love the culture and commitment he brings to the Club and the game. We’re striving for success at the highest levels of English football and to strengthen relationships with our fans and the broader community. Our lead investors are committed to a long-term vision, and Scott Lindsey is essential to that.”
😀 Good morning.#TownTeamTogether🔴
— Crawley Town FC (@crawleytown) March 21, 2025
👊 Scott is joined at the club by Neil Smith, who departs his role as Manager of Cray Wanderers to join the Reds as Assistant Manager.
Welcome to the Reds, Neil!#TownTeamTogether🔴 pic.twitter.com/GdYMfZBYUZ
— Crawley Town FC (@crawleytown) March 21, 2025
Here’s how fans reacted as Crawley Town announce the return of their new manager Scott Lindsey, leaving those on social media rather surprised….
@edward_w97: So beautifully WAGMI Crawley. Return of your hero manager, who left you for MK Dons just under 6 months ago, announced to the public at 10 past midnight on a Friday. Lindsey’s gone up nearly 20 places in the pyramid with his latest job, in the only way that he possibly could.
@louiectfc: Breaking this at midnight 😂😂 superb little club we are sometimes. Welcome back Scott you beautiful man. I’m all in
@JamesCollen9: Why the fuck is a club announcing a manager at 12 am
@DanJones3142: Why is this being announced at midnight, how am I expected to sleep 😭😭😭
@BeverlyGills1: Didn’t he leave you in the shit for what he thought was a better club? Now you’re just taking him back because the better club doesn’t want him?!
@AlexBurke1: What the actual fuck have I woke up to today! Tears over the corn flakes! He’s back! Unreal
@AdamM_NFL: Who announces a new manager at midnight? This club is insane. Also, a 3yr and 3 month deal. That’s a new one! Love this! A 3yr 3 month deal announced at midnight on a Thursday/Friday. Only Wagmi
@HowellToTorres: I’ve watched this 8x and sent it to everyone I know and told my wife who doesn’t give a shit, but Lindsey is home.
@MattAddinall: None of this makes any sense. Eben been shown the door?
@tashkentterror: Announcing the return of your old manager at midnight is a new one on the breaking news front.
@AidanParfitt: Very odd, my neighbours cutting onions at this time
@yellowandblue88: We are all thankful for the job he did at MK. Everyone enjoyed that downfall in form. Shame he couldn’t complete the job of relegation.
@FalknerJosh: OH MY FUCKING GOD 😍 fair fucking play!!!! I did not expect him to return at all!!! Tough ask to stay up but fuck me am I excited for next season whatever league we are in!!!
@rous_jayden: Holy fuck what have I woken up too
]
@OffTheLineBlog:
Hmm…
He’s going to have to do it without his “Golden Boys” of 2023-24.
Likely has to re-build a largely L2 standard side on their way down to L2.
Going to be a huge test of what Scott Lindsey is about in a tough transition.
MK spell fell flat; time to re-find his mojo.
@ctfc83: 🤩😍 definitely didn’t think he would return but the best news let’s just hope wagmi gives him everything he wants next season regardless of what league we are in
@MilesPidgeon: Watched it for 30 mins non stop. Absolute shivers, goosebumps
@jammygeez: Oh my god, goosebumps! Wow, just wow. Well done @SportsCheetah
@CrawleyRumors: Hesssss Backkkkk ❤️❤️😘😘❤️❤️😘❤️❤️😘❤️❤️❤️😘😘❤️🫡❤️
@Jackbatchelor0: Cheers lads absolutely sobbing now 👍
@Adam_Kirby05: NO FUCKING WAY 😱😱😱😱
@CrawleyRumors: This is perfect 😍
@MarkyCTFC: If you think for one second that I am going to forgive him for leaving the club just because he has returned 6 months later after it didn’t work out then you are absolutely correct.
@BazmanCTFC: Unbelievable turn of events. Can we have the Crawley mk boys back too?
@MattButcher00: People are gonna wake up to an early Christmas tomorrow 🤣
@OB__37: Wow. Not on my 2025 bingo card…
@TomJC1285: I woke up to this news and thought it was fake. It makes relegation alot more tolerable. At least there will be a buzz around the club again 🙂👏
@mattythfc22: What an absolute circus 🤣
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