Crawley Town are 'running into the second half of the season with enthusiasm and focus', says co-owner Ryan Gilbert

Reds ended the first half of the season with a 3-1 defeat to Bromley and are currently 20th in the League Two table, just two points off bottom spot.

But Gilbert, who is part of ownership group KB Sports and Leisure along with Raf Khalili and Maxwell Strowman, is positive about the second half of the season and imminent January Transfer window.

Gilbert also said they are committed to Scott Lindsey as they look to embrace the challenges ahead.

He told us: “We’re running into the second half of the season with enthusiasm and focus. We’re committed to the gaffer and look forward to the games ahead.

“We all feel the pressure, not just our boys on the field but our fans as well, we are thinking about the collective.”

It’s been a tough time in terms of results this season but Gilbert said a lot of games have been tight. “So many of the results...talk about aggravation,” he said. “It’s fine margins. Is it about lack of trying? No. This is a game of inches.”

But on Monday night a section of Crawley fans targeted their frustration at club captain Dion Conroy. Gilbert said: “We recognise that fans have shown up and have been there consistently. They are investing a lot of their own time and effort behind this. But none of us can say we know what it's like to be on the field during these times.

“It's dark, it's cold and it's loud and we have to support everyone out there.”

And on transfer, Gilbert said the recruitment team have planned well for this window. “ Perhaps in the past they've been too much of a scattered approach,” said Gilbert.

“We have maybe left recruiting too late in the past, but I want to give Raf, Erdem and our man Scott full credit for going in with a prepared mind.”

SussexWorld.co.uk/Crawley Observer plans to have a fuller conversation with Khalili and Gilbert mid-January.