The 2021–22 season is Crawley Town's 126th year in their history and seventh consecutive season in League Two. Along with the league, the club will also compete in the FA Cup, the EFL Cup and the EFL Trophy. The season covers the period from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022.
Background and pre-season
Pre-season Crawley Town announced they would play friendly matches against Walton Casuals, Horley Town, Burgess Hill Town, Three Bridges, Horsham, Southampton U23s, East Grinstead Town, West Ham United U23, Tottenham Hotspur U23 and Beckenham Town as part of their pre-season preparations. However, the scheduled fixture against Southampton U23s was later confirmed as cancelled.
WinDrawLoss DateTimeOpponentVenueResultF–AScorersAttendance19:45Walton CasualsAway3–0Trialist, Nichols (2, 1 pen.)15:00Horley TownAway6–1Nadesan, o.g., Matthews, Trialist (Battle) (3) 19:30Burgess Hill TownAway1–1Hessenthaler 27'19:00Three BridgesAway1–0Rodari 26'35015:00HorshamAway5–0Nichols 13', Powell 24', Matthews 45+1', Hessenthaler 60', Frost 73'88715:00East Grinstead TownAway3–0Ashford, Rodari, Trialist (Battle) 19:00West Ham United U23Home2–1Trialist (Francilette) 10', Ashford 83'1,47815:00Tottenham Hotspur U23Home2–1Nadesan, Rodari1,44919:00Beckenham TownAway0–1—
Review August Crawley's first match was away to the previous season's National League play-off winners, Hartlepool United which they lost 1–0 after a late winner from Gavan Holohan. The club then faced League One side Gillingham in the first round of the EFL Cup and the away side went ahead in the 3rd minute after Gerald Sithole scored in "controversial circumstances". Crawley equalised in the 55th minute when Sam Ashford tapped in from close range and after a Daniel Phillips volley put the visitors ahead for the second time in stoppage time, Archie Davies equalised for the hosts on the 90+7th minute to take the match to a penalty shoot-out. Crawley lost 10–9 in the penalty shoot-out, with Crawley scoring their first nine penalties of the shoot-out before a miss from Ludwig Francillette. The match against Harrogate Town on 14 August 2021 was postponed due positive cases of COVID-19 within the Harrogate Town squad.
April and May Manager Yems was suspended indefinitely on 23 April 2022, amidst allegations of racial discrimination, and replaced on a caretaker basis by his assistant Lewis Young. Yems was later sacked on 6 May.
Competitions League Two
League table
Matches Crawley Town's fixtures were released on 24 June 2021.
WinDrawLoss DateTimeOpponentVenueResultF–AScorersAttendanceLeagueposition15:00Hartlepool UnitedAway0–1—5,18420th19:45Salford CityHome2–1Nadesan 38', Hessenthaler 75'2,16713th15:00Forest Green RoversAway3–6Hessenthaler 14', 30', Appiah 86'1,92219th15:00Northampton TownHome0–0—2,25420th15:00Bristol RoversAway0–1—6,51322nd15:00Carlisle UnitedHome2–1Nichols 32', Tsaroulla 90'2,15119th15:00Colchester UnitedAway1–0Payne 22'2,64014th19:45Harrogate TownHome2–2Lynch 42', Ashford 45+1'1,79112th15:00Bradford CityHome2–1Ferry 39', Tsaroulla 73'2,4358th15:00Tranmere RoversAway1–2Appiah 64'6,04614th15:00RochdaleAway1–0Appiah 14'2,2689th15:00Sutton UnitedHome0–1—3,57212th19:45Exeter CityHome1–3Appiah 31'1,96014th15:00Scunthorpe UnitedAway1–2Appiah 73'2,11216th15:00Port ValeHome1–4Appiah 44'2,23418th15:00BarrowAway1–0Tilley 56'3,42918th19:45Newport CountyHome1–1Appiah 55'1,48319th15:00Mansfield TownHome1–2Tilley 48'1,82418th19:45WalsallAway1–1Nichols 45+1'3,60918th15:00Leyton OrientAway2–1Francomb 32', Appiah 66'5,14216th15:00Colchester UnitedHome3–1Nadesan (2) 15', 55', Lynch 37'2,02214th15:00Northampton TownAway1–0Nichols 41'4,71411th15:00Carlisle UnitedAway1–1Nadesan 25'4,35011th19:45StevenageAway1–2Nichols 45+1'1,94212th15:00Tranmere RoversHome0–1—2,80314th15:00Bradford CityAway2–1Nichols 71', Craig 90+5'14,62313th19:45Swindon TownAway1–1Powell 41' (pen.)7,30614th15:00StevenageHome2–2Nichols (2) 34', 46'2,21414th8 February 202215:00Harrogate TownAway3–1Oteh 48', Tsaroulla 79', Nichols 84'1,78512th12 February 202215:00Hartlepool UnitedHome0–1—2,22812th26 February 202215:00Forest Green RoversHome2–1Nadesan 24', Tunnicliffe 32'2,08613th1 March 202219:45Oldham AthleticHome2–2Nadesan (2) 58', 61'1,92712th5 March 202215:00Scunthorpe UnitedHome0–0—2,14413th8 March 202219:45Bristol RoversHome1–2Hessenthaler 69'2,22313th12 March 202215:00Port ValeAway1–4Smith 9' (o.g.)5,13113th15 March 202219:45Exeter CityAway1–2Appiah 45+6'4,04215th19 March 202215:00Swindon TownHome3–1Appiah 29', Nichols 72', Hutchinson 90+1'2,97713th26 March 202215:00RochdaleHome1–0Nadesan 18'2,16412th29 March 202219:45Salford CityAway1–2Nichols 82'1,29013th9 April 202215:00BarrowHome1–0Appiah 57'2,08112th15 April 202215:00Newport CountyAway2–1Nadesan 15', Francillette 21'5,13712th18 April 202215:00WalsallHome1–0Hutchinson 69'2,25812th23 April 202215:00Mansfield TownAway0–2—5,02212th27 April 202219:45Sutton UnitedAway0–3—3,10912th30 April 202215:00Leyton OrientHome0–2—3,37212th7 May 202215:00Oldham AthleticAway3–3Francomb 39', Tilley 44', Oteh 69'4,59112th
FA Cup
Crawley were drawn at home to Tranmere Rovers in the first round.
WinDrawLoss DateRoundTimeOpponentVenueResultF–AScorersAttendanceFirst round15:00Tranmere RoversHome0–1—1,765
EFL Cup
Crawley were drawn at home to Gillingham in the first round.
WinDrawLoss DateRoundTimeOpponentVenueResultF–AScorersAttendanceFirst round19:30GillinghamHome2–2 Ashford 55', Davies 90+7'1,904
EFL Trophy
WinDrawLoss DateTimeOpponentVenueResultF–AScorersAttendance19:00Charlton AthleticAway1–6Appiah 75' (pen.)1,40419:00Leyton OrientHome0–4—81019:00Southampton U21Home0–4—385
Transfers Transfers in DatePositionNamePrevious clubFee 1 July 2021 DF Owen Gallacher (Burton Albion) Free transfer 1 July 2021 MF Jack Payne Eastleigh Undisclosed 1 July 2021 DF Harry Ransom (Millwall) Free transfer 5 August 2021 DF Ludwig Francillette (Newcastle United) Free transfer 16 August 2021 FW Kwesi Appiah (NorthEast United) Free transfer 4 September 2021 FW Alex Battle (Truro City) Free transfer 7 September 2021 DF Joel Lynch Free agent 21 September 2021 FW Mark Marshall (Northampton Town) Free transfer 2 October 2021 GK Dion-Curtis Henry Hampton & Richmond Borough Free transfer 5 October 2021 MF Kaan Kevser-Junior Free agent 7 January 2022 GK Taylor Seymour (Burgess Hill Town) Free transfer 3 February 2022 CF Aramide Oteh (Salford City) Free transfer 26 February 2022 FW Ronan Silva (Biggleswade Town) Free transfer
Loans in DatePositionNameClubReturn 16 July 2021 GK Blondy Nna Noukeu Stoke City End of season 3 August 2021DFWill FerrySouthamptonEnd of season31 August 2021MFAmrit Bansal-McNultyQueens Park Rangers3 January 2022 12 January 2022 CM Caleb Watts Southampton End of season 31 January 2022 RM Amrit Bansal-McNulty Queens Park Rangers End of season 31 January 2022 AM Isaac Hutchinson Derby County End of season
Transfers out DatePositionNameSubsequent clubFee1 July 2021MFTarryn Allarakhia(Woking)Released1 July 2021DFJosh Doherty(Barnet)Released1 July 2021DFJoe McNerney(Woking)Released1 July 2021GKStuart Nelson(Dorking Wanderers)Released1 July 2021DFDavid Sesay(Barnet)Released1 July 2021DFMark WrightReleased16 August 2021DFLewis YoungRetired 3 September 2021MFJosh Wright(Billericay Town)Mutual consent 6 January 2022 DF Tom Dallison Colchester United Undisclosed 29 January 2022 CF Sam Ashford Ayr United Free transfer 2 April 2022 CM Dannie Bulman Retired
Loans out DatePositionNameClubReturn12 August 2021DFEmmanuel AdebowaleHavant & WaterloovilleEnd of season31 August 2021MFJames TilleyDorking Wanderers28 September 202114 September 2021DFHarry RansomDover Athletic3 January 202223 October 2021FWRicky GermanDulwich HamletJanuary 20225 November 2021MFZaid Al-HussainiChelmsford CityDecember 202129 November 2021MFRafiq KhaleelKings Langley1 January 20223 December 2021FWAlex BattleEast Grinstead Town31 December 202119 December 2021MFSzymon KowalczykEast Grinstead TownJanuary 2022 1 February 2022 CF Alex Battle Truro City End of season 1 February 2022 AM Rafiq Khaleel Gosport Borough End of season 19 February 2022 RM Reece Grego-Cox Barnet End of season 22 February 2022 RM Sam Matthews Aldershot Town 24 March 2022 4 March 2022 CF Davide Rodari Dorking Wanderers End of season 4 March 2022 FW Ronan Silva Eastleigh End of the season
Appearances and goals Source: Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute. Players with names struck through and marked left the club during the playing season. Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Crawley. Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward
+ Players included in matchday squadsNameLeague TwoFA CupEFL CupEFL TrophyTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GKGlenn Morris4601000004702DFArchie Davies19 (14)0100 (1)12022 (15)13DFOwen Gallacher1 (2)00000203 (2)04MFGeorge Francomb37 (1)200101039 (1)25DFTony Craig32 (3)110103037 (3)16DFTom Dallison 11 (1)010103016 (1)07FWReece Grego-Cox2 (8)000000 (1)02 (9)08MFJack Powell371100 (1)03041 (1)19FWTom Nichols35 (4)1010000036 (4)1010FWAshley Nadesan30 (9)910101033 (9)911MFTyler Frost9 (5)00 (1)0101 (2)011 (8)012FWAlex Battle0 (1)00000101 (1)014FWJames Tilley23 (7)3000 (1)02025 (8)315DFLudwig Francillette24 (2)110101027 (2)118FWWill Ferry *27 (9)10 (1)0100028 (10)119DFJordan Tunnicliffe17 (1)100000017 (1)120MFSam Matthews6 (2)000000 (1)06 (3)021FWKwesi Appiah17 (9)1110000 (2)118 (11)1223FWSam Ashford 7 (5)100112010 (5)223FWAramide Oteh5 (3)20000005 (3)224MFCaleb Watts *0 (1)00000000 (1)025DFNick Tsaroulla24 (3)300001025 (3)327MFRafiq Khaleel000000101028MFJack Payne31 (4)110102035 (4)130MFAmrit Bansal-McNulty *2 (2)00 (1)000204 (3)034MFKaan Kevser-Junior0000000 (1)00 (1)035FWDavide Rodari0 (1)00000101 (1)037DFJoel Lynch21 (3)200000021 (3)238GKDion-Curtis Henry000000101039MFJake Hessenthaler31 (1)410100 (1)032 (2)440GKBlondy Nna Noukeu *000010203040MFIsaac Hutchinson *11 (8)200000011 (8)245MFMark Marshall1 (17)000001 (1)02 (18)047MFFlorian Kastrati0 (1)00000000 (1)0 + Players not included in matchday squadsName13FWRicky German16DFHarry Ransom17DFEmmanuel Adebowale 22MFZaid Al-Hussaini26MFSzymon Kowalczyk31GKAlfie Jones32FWMustafa Hussein33MFHenry Burnett42GKTaylor Seymour
Notes
References