28 players – the stat that shows team selection has been tough for Crawley Town
An eye-opening statistic has exposed the selection dilemmas that have plagued Crawley Town manager Scott Lindsey this campaign.
Out of all 24 League Two teams, the Reds have fielded the second highest number of players – with 28 different members of their squad getting game time so far.
That number is topped only by fellow bottom-half side Cheltenham Town, who have used a whopping 30 players.
Caused mainly by numerous injuries and suspensions, it’s an element of Crawley’s season that has made Lindsey’s job all the more difficult.
"I would say that 90 per-cent of that time has been out of my hands,” he said. “Whether it’s international call-ups, suspensions or injuries.
“I think it’s just where we are and what we’ve been this season. Would I like it more settled? Of course.
"You look at teams at the top of the division, Walsall and such, they’ll probably pick the same team seven, eight, nine, ten times a season and I’ve not had that luxury. I just simply haven’t. And not through knowing what my team has been, more so that it’s been taken out of my hands through circumstance.”
Lindsey is hoping that burden eases slightly, particularly with the January transfer window looming, but is wary of the intense winter schedule approaching.
He said: “Hopefully that does settle down back end of the season. I’ll certainly get these Christmas games out the way and hopefully that settles down.
“I will have to make changes during that Christmas period – I think that’s normal. We play a lot of games in quick succession. We’re gonna have to change it up and chop it up. That will be normal for me to do so but yeah, it’s just what we are.”
Crawley’s boss gave a reminder of the challenging circumstances at the club that differs to some of the league’s other sides.
“We’ve got to remember all those other clubs have all got academies underneath them,” he said. “We haven’t. We’ve just got the first team. So, I’ve got to sign a number of players that I think is going to be enough. We’ve actually got 31 pros.
“I know some of them are out on loan but we have to be mindful we have got nothing underneath that. So, I have got a decent sized squad but we probably do need to use them all and probably will do.”
The Reds will be likely to bolster that squad during the January transfer window and Lindsey has already been working with Director of Football Erdem Konyar on potential incomings.