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Favourites to become new Crawley manager as Scott Lindsey leaves for MK Dons

The favourites to become new Crawley manager are being revealed as Scott Lindsey leaves the club for league below MK Dons.

The League Two side appoint the 52 year old as new head coach and will be reunited with Liam Kelly and Laurence Maguire who he won promotion with at his old club.

Crawley currently sit 18th in their first season back in League One, with 7 points from 6 games played, a point above the drop zone.

MK Dons are 19th in League Two with 7 points from 7 games and 4 points above the drop zone.

CRAWLEY STATEMENT:

Crawley Town Football Club confirm that Manager Scott Lindsey has departed the club to join League Two side Milton Keynes Dons.

Lindsey joined the Reds on the 11th of January in 2023 and was immediately met with the task of maintaining the club’s English Football League status. After a tricky start, Scott guided Crawley to safety with a game to spare after securing a 0-2 victory in a relegation six-pointer at Hartlepool before a 0-0 draw at the Broadfield Stadium against Walsall finally secured survival for his new team.

Only a few months later, Lindsey had Crawley firing on all cylinders after the club assembled a fresh new team for the start of the 2023/24 season. Crawley often flirted with the play-offs and remained in the hunt until the final match of the season. Scott guided the side to a professional 2-0 victory over Grimsby, which secured play-off status for the first time in the club’s history. Lindsey celebrated with the fans, but attention quickly turned to the semi-finals against MK Dons.

The Red Devils disassembled the Milton Keynes outfit in the first leg and went on to break the EFL record for the largest aggregate win in play-off history, securing the club’s first trip to Wembley Stadium after a 1-5 victory in the second leg.

In the space of just under a year, Lindsey transformed Crawley from relegation battlers to play-off heroes as the Reds saw off Crewe Alexandra by two goals to nil to secure League One status. Lindsey’s name is forever etched in the club’s history.

The club looks forward to its next phase of development and will confidently recruit a new leader who will actively embrace a data-driven approach and partner with the club’s ownership and management to push the club forward.

Chairman Preston Johnson said: “Scott was such a big part of the success we had in the last year or so. We wanted Scott to stay with us, but ultimately he made the decision to leave, which we respect. We now look forward to the next phase of our journey. Scott has given both me and the fans of this club some unbelievable memories which we thank him for. I wish him and his family all the best.

Football is relentless, and so are we. We are committed to investing in the infrastructure and personnel to reach even greater heights.”

Alongside Scott, Assistant Manager Jamie Day, First-Team Coach Carl Laraman and Goalkeeper Coach Steve Hale will also depart.

An update regarding the club’s managerial status will be announced in due course.

Everybody connected with the club thanks Scott, Jamie, Carl and Steve for their incredible work during their time at the Red Devils and would like to wish them and their families all the best for the future.

FAVOURITES TO BECOME NEW CRAWLEY MANAGER

BetVictor – 26 Sept
Rob Elliot – 2/5
Ben Gladwin – 6/1
Nathan Rooney – 10/1
Brian Barry Murphy – 10/1
Andrew Crofts – 14/1
Gareth Ainsworth – 16/1
Pete Wild – 16/1
John Coleman – 16/1
Ian Foster – 16/1
Gary Caldwell – 16/1

MK DONS STATEMENT:

MK Dons are thrilled to announce the appointment of Scott Lindsey as First Team Head Coach.

Lindsey joins MK Dons from Crawley Town, where he spent around 18 months at the helm, guiding the Red Devils to League One promotion last season via the play-offs.

A vastly experienced manager, the former midfielder has coached across non-league and the EFL, joining Swindon Town in 2021 as assistant manager, before being named manager at the County Ground in 2022.

Before joining the Robins he was manager at Chatham Town, overseeing 20 wins from his 28 league games.

Lindsey also achieved promotion while assistant manager at Forest Green Rovers and was a key part of the coaching staff that oversaw a 3-1 victory over Tranmere Rovers in the play-off final at Wembley.

As a player, Lindsey enjoyed spells with the likes of Gillingham, Dover Athletic and Burton Albion, and joins MK Dons with over 30 years of football experience.

Scott will be joined at Stadium MK by First Team Coaches Jamie Day and Carl Laraman, as well as Goalkeeping Coach Steve Hale.

On joining MK Dons as Head Coach, Scott Lindsey said:

“I’m so excited to be joining this wonderful football club. I think it’s clear to everyone just how much potential there is at MK Dons, and I’m thrilled to be joining Stadium MK to help achieve it. I’m really looking forward to working with Liam and Fahad to build an ambitious and exciting football team for the people of Milton Keynes to get behind. I can’t wait to get stuck in with the players, and look forward to meeting the supporters as soon as possible.”

On appointing Scott Lindsey as Head Coach, MK Dons Sporting Director Liam Sweeting said:

“I don’t think it’s much of a secret to say Scott was our number one target from day one, so I’m absolutely delighted that he’s agreed to join the club at such an exciting time! When we started this process, it was clear that we wanted someone who would align with MK Dons but who also had a track record of improving football teams, improving players and displaying leadership traits we felt were important in the immediate future. Scott’s footballing record in recent seasons is phenomenal, proving time and again that he can maximise what’s in front of him and develop a brilliant coaching environment. The club is clearly in a fluid phase as we transition to the ownership of Fahad Al Ghanim, but I’m confident we now have a Head Coach who has proven he can navigate change, get the best of his players, and ultimately deliver on the pitch, so it’s an incredibly exciting day for MK Dons. Finally, I’d like to thank Crawley Town for the professionalism they’ve demonstrated over the past few days.”

On his first managerial change at Stadium MK, MK Dons CEO Neil Hart said:

“It’s safe to say it’s been a busy first week! While a change in Head Coach can be traumatic, I’m really pleased with how the last few days have gone and am truly delighted to see Scott join us at MK Dons. At the heart of the decision-making process was getting the best coach we possibly could to lead the first team this season, and with Scott, I’m sure we’ve done just that. With his skillset, personality and experience I’m sure he’ll be a really successful Head Coach for MK Dons, and I look forward to supporting him in doing so.”

On Scott Lindsey’s appointment, MK Dons Chairman Fahad Al Ghanim said:

“It’s clear to everyone who’s followed the EFL over the last few years just how good a coach Scott Lindsey is. Having met with him, I was encouraged to hear how he thinks we can improve, and ultimately convinced by his vision for the team. I’d like to be the first to congratulate Scott and would like to applaud Liam for all his hard work in getting the deal over the line this week. With an incredible new CEO Neil Hart appointed last week, and now a fantastic new Head Coach as well, I’m extremely optimistic about the future and what we can all achieve together.”

Twitter users reacted with the favourites to become new Crawley manager being revealed as Scott Lindsey leaves for MK Dons…

@GreenKail1: Thank you for everything Scott! Enjoy managing in a soulless, gutless, history-less, League Two, failure bound atmosphere. I hope the termination clause in your new contract makes it worth the drop in levels and the lack of love you’ll get there. We’ll miss you!

@ctfc_fan: You cannot sit on your hands and leave it for weeks this time, be proactive for a change

@ItzNathan0: Love you Scott

@JNTHFC: No words to adequately describe just how good a job he’s done at Crawley. Beautiful football, incredible recruitment, extraordinary results. The best manager Crawley have ever had, in my opinion. A hero. All the best, Scott. ❤️

@Tidy_Yid: Fair enough, the bloke’s a legend to Crawley Town. @MKDonsFC? Bit weird. Could have the pick of any League 1 and many championship teams, yet goes to franchise fc. No fans, no soul, league below. Strange one.

@LJMUK83: Gutted, a proper legend. But the team goes on, huge game Saturday, fans to get behind the players. We’ve got to hope the owners have been looking into replacements, we move on #COYR

@TomJC1285: Thanks for the memories Scott (Especially Wembley) You turned Crawley into an exciting club that were a pleasure to watch.@WAGMIUnited has to be so smart here, or the club could fall into the ground. He was a pillar holding the club up. Really shit news.

@23Dyke: Really gutted to say the least but think we all knew this day was coming. Thank you Scott Lindsey for giving us a promotion and day out at Wembley that us reds will never forget. 🔴⚪️

@ctfc_b: Football is brutal. For keeping our club in the Football League after one of the most turbulent seasons in our history, for getting us promoted against all odds, for instilling a winning mentality and brand of football that was incredible to watch. Thank you Scott Lindsey.

@MitchMoylan: Absolutely fucking criminal. That’s me done with football and this football club for a long time. The player departures were enough but this tops the lot. Fucking rot.

@tomhwilliams23: The news no Crawley fan wanted to see. Scott Lindsey is gone. The single most important factor in their survival hopes. It’ll be interesting to see who they go for next, This line was very interesting: “recruit a new leader who will actively embrace a data-driven approach” 👀

@peterbellamy: From taking the club from League 2 survival to League 1 via the play-off final at Wembley, Lindsey is back managing a team near the bottom of League 2. Nothing that comes out of Crawley is a surprise anymore. 🤐

@Deanog13: From keeping us in the EFL when we looked dead and buried to giving us the best season ever against all odds thank you for everything

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