The top six favourites to become new Crawley Town boss has been revealed as manager Matthew Etherington is sacked after 34 days in charge.
The League Two side have got rid of their manager, who had been in his first senior management role in football, but oversaw just three matches during his tenure.
This was a win and two losses, which left the club – taken over by WAGMI United in April 2022 – 20th in the fourth tier and looking on course for a relegation battle.
Etherington had been the club’s second permanent manager of the season, coming in as successor to Kevin Betsy who lasted four months in the role.
Lewis Young was place in interim charge following Betsy’s exit, leading the team for a month and a half, only to then leave the club when Etherington was brought in on the 27th of November.
📰 CLUB STATEMENT
Crawley Town Football can confirm that First-Team Manager Matthew Etherington and Assistant Manager Simon Davies have left their roles at Crawley Town Football Club with immediate effect.#TownTeamTogether🔴
— Crawley Town FC (@crawleytown) December 29, 2022
Let’s just recap what has happened over the last four days at Crawley Town
– Back-to-back home losses with an awful display against Sutton
– Club captain admits the squad needs new signings
– Best player sold to relegation rival
– Manager/Assistant leave after 34 days in charge— Ben Blackmore (@benb556) December 29, 2022
CLUB STATEMENT
Crawley Town Football can confirm that First-Team Manager Matthew Etherington and Assistant Manager Simon Davies have left their roles at Crawley Town Football Club with immediate effect.
Director of Football and interim CEO Chris Galley said: “It has become clear to all involved parties that this partnership is not the right fit to carry the club forward and achieve our goals. As a result, we have mutually decided to move in a different direction. We wish Matty and Simon well in their future endeavours.”
The club will appoint a new permanent manager as soon as possible.
The news of Etherington and his assistant Simon Davies’s departure at Broadfield Stadium comes just 24 hours after striker Tom Nichols was sold to the division’s bottom placed side Gillingham, a decision which left many including players of their own angry.
Nichols didn’t feature under Etherington, who had said it was “a decision that was taken out of my hands”.
The sale of Nichols left fellow Crawley striker Kwesi Appiah, currently on loan at Colchester, taking to Twitter saying the club had “surely been hacked” after the announcement of the sale was confirmed.
Responding to the news, the Crawley Town Supporters’ Association called for a meeting with the club’s owners. “We will continue to push for answers and transparency from the club on behalf of the fans,” read a statement.
TOP SIX FAVOURITES TO BECOME NEW CRAWLEY BOSS
BetVictor – 1:30pm, 29 Dec
David Artell – 6/1
Paul Tisdale – 6/1
Kenny Jackett – 8/1
Liam Manning – 10/1
Graham Alexander – 10/1
Steve Morison – 12/1
Nigel Adkins – 12/1
BetVictor – 10pm, 29 Dec
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – 6/1
Kenny Jackett – 8/1
Marc Bircham – 8/1
David Artell – 10/1
Graham Alexander – 12/1
Liam Manning – 12/1
Paul Tisdale – 12/1
This is what fans said on the top six favourites to become new Crawley boss as the manager is sacked after 34 days in charge…
@BruceScammell: Absolute comedy. You interviewed them only a few weeks ago and they were the right fit then. Something rotten going on at the club. What on earth are the owners doing!?
@stansmith1970: There won’t be a Crawley Town soon if these joke owners continue. It’s a disgrace.
@prinnyp11: @WAGMIUnited @SportsCheetah @hunterorrell CrawleyTown FC is not some experiment for you to con your ‘phoney’NFT investors into. This is a REAL football club, with real history, real supporters, local supporters who love and live and breathe the club. You’re tearing it apart.
@tomd0312: You are literally a circus rn
@PeterFrake: What an absolute shambles, now @SportsCheetah and @hunterorrell get on a plane and sort out YOUR mess, the club, the fans well being and the local community!!!!
@Snoweysnow: As a walsall fan my heart goes out to u Crawley fans as your new owners really seem to just be the worst
@iyad_samaka: Who in their right mind would want to step foot in this club now.. it’s totally off the rails. I would be surprised if any of the players even want to stick around.. how can they deliver under this toxic ownership. @WAGMIUnited Time To Go! @ctfchongkong
@DanAuton2590: Oh no, would never have guessed in a million years that this was going to fall flat on it’s arse 🙄 Who’s the next late 90’s/early 2000’s Premier League player you’re looking at? What’s Ian Pearce doing these days? Mark Pembridge? Razor Ruddock might be available 😂
@MFagmi: We need answers from @WAGMIUnited now! Beyond a joke
@terry_vella: You just couldn’t make this up
@JackCoo34982290: Don’t blame them, leaving a sinking ship with these clowns at the wheel
@joseph_burman_: If this is a sacking it’s unacceptable. Barely had a month at the club. Do wagmi understand how football works?
@jm_bell95: Fit and proper persons test? Once again, yes the owners are making catastrophic decisions for a football club but the FA and EFL need to look at themselves here for allowing this to happen 🤦🏼♂️ #TownTeamTogether #FA #EFL
@rsleighton: Why don’t you sell up to someone who knows what there doing because you lot don’t
@caribbeanpotter; Ethers is a decent fella & a real football man. I hope he gets back into the game soon. I hope Crawley Town’s owners remember how to be fit & proper owners of a football club, custodians of a vital part of the local community, before it’s too late. If not, the FA must step in.
@j987xyz: Very worried about relegation and survival as a club. Struggling to find any reassurances. Depressing.
Everyone at Bradford City watching this fiasco#BCAFC pic.twitter.com/vpnLD6yMpC
— Have Bradford City Won Today? (@bcafcwin) December 29, 2022
— Cayden (@cayden8718) December 29, 2022
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