Crawley Town confirm new permanent manager after securing survival
He did the job he was asked to do – and now Colin Kazim-Richards has got the job.
Crawley Town have today (Tuesday, May 12) confirmed the former Derby County and Brighton striker has got the job permanently.
The 39-year-old was given until the end of the season to make sure he kept Crawley in League Two and in the end he did it by one point with Harrogate and Barrow both going down.
In his seven games, the former Derby and Brighton striker won two, drew three and lost two and achieved the target given to him by owner Raphael Khalili.
Following the final draw with Salford, Kazim-Richards said: “I did the job. I don't want to jump the gun and say too much. I've always liked to have respect.
“And I think it's important that it comes from the club first, not me sitting here saying to you that. But that's the progression, right? In terms of what comes next. So we'll sit down and we'll talk for sure.”
And now the news has been confirmed he is here to stay. Colin will be joined in the dugout by Julian Gray, who will continue his role as Assistant Head Coach.
Club Owner Raphael Khalili said, “I’m delighted to confirm that Colin and Julian will continue in their roles on a permanent basis.
They achieved the immediate objective of securing our Football League status, and I was hugely impressed with the way they handled what was an incredibly difficult situation when they arrived at the club.
They brought a real sense of calm and stability to the dressing room, while building strong relationships with both the players and staff, something I’m confident will continue as we work towards a brighter future for this football club.
I firmly believe Colin is the right person to lead us forward, and I’m looking forward to working closely with him as we prepare for the 2026/27 season together.”
Speaking on his appointment, Colin Kazim-Richards added, “It’s a great feeling to now be able to implement the culture and mindset that I believe this club deserves. We can build on the foundation we created during those seven games, in terms of the way we work, the staffing, and the people we’re working with.
It’s about creating an environment where people can come to work and perform at the highest level, while also understanding the standards of this club and the standards that will be set by us. That includes the type of football we want to play and a mentality of domination.
I’m very happy to now be able to implement all of those things and help push Crawley Town in the direction the supporters deserve. I’m absolutely ecstatic to continue the work that Julian and I have started, and I look forward to forming a deeper connection with supporters as we approach the new season.”
Kazim-Richards said after the Salford game: “I want to be great. I do. Anything I do, I want to be the best at. Anything I do, I want to learn from and always progress and progress.
“And coming into next season, that will be no different. Getting promotion - that's part of the biggest point, even signing up and coming in. And I'll put that out there now - my aim would be to get promotion.
“That's everything I would work for. Everything I would push. I don't want to blow our own trumpet, and I haven't said this before, but if you look at our points per game ratio, I think we're in the top half in seven games.”