Crawley Town was 'too good of an opportunity to turn down', says new manager Elliot

After a successful stint as Gateshead manager, in which he led them to their first trophy in the club’s history and a play-off finish the previous season, it looks to be a no-brainier for Crawley to hire the 38-year-old for just his second job in management.

The former Newcastle United keeper was unveiled as the new manager on Tuesday and he joins on a two-and-a-half year contract.

In his first interview with the club, Elliot said: “I’m delighted. It’s been a crazy week. Just really pleased to be here, really grateful for the opportunity and looking forward to getting started.

“Looking forward to what hopefully will be a really exciting time.”

It will always be a big decision to change job and to move far away from your previous location, but for Elliot this was an opportunity that he could not turn down, especially after looking more into the Reds.

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He said: “It was a tough day yesterday leaving the lads at Gateshead, I’ve been there a couple of years but when the opportunity comes, it is too good of an opportunity to turn down. When we heard there might be some interest, we spoke to the ownership group here and it was such a positive conversation and then when we got to the nitty gritty and obviously watched the players and the games it was so exciting to see what these players are doing, the way they are playing.

“The game on Saturday, the result didn’t go the way we wanted but the way they controlled the game playing against Bolton, you look at that and it is really exciting to get to work with young hungry players.

“When you see the talent of the group, and the thing which most impressed me was the energy and the work rate from the lads and I think if you have that in any group you will be successful but when you have their bravery to play and the style of play that has been implemented at the club for a long time, from the previous manager; Scott [Lindsey] and the team did a brilliant job.”

“It’s just an opportunity you can’t turn down, it was a sad ending to our chapter at Gateshead because of the relationships we built but it’s a really exciting one moving forward with the club and team and people.”

He went on to say how key the people around the club will be, also highlighting the importance of the fans.

He said: “I’m a big people person and people that we can feel we can work with and develop and help and help us, I’m still inexperienced, I don’t have the answers to everything, but I have a clear of how I want the team to be, how I want the squad and the club to sort of move forward.

“We are here to try and implement that, but together, it’s not just me, it’s not just the players it’s the whole staff, it’s everyone and that’s the real feel at the club, and then the fans, that the journey that they’ve been on. The support and the bravery from the players and dhow the fans support it, that doesn’t happen everywhere and it’s something that I am really looking forward to.”