Crawley Town's owners' maths model may work again, but WAGMI, please communicate something

Last season was a truly momentous one in the history of Crawley Town Football Club, and one where our owners could justifiably claim that their mathematical model contributed greatly to our success.

The year before, their first year as owners, was, they will claim, a season where they did not fully utilise that model and thus, to achieve promotion as we did, just six weeks ago, must be considered even more remarkable. The players they brought in at the beginning of the 2023/2024 season were actually written off by some of our fans before even a competitive ball was kicked.

During the season, most of our fans warmed to the players that some had written off, and quite right

too, considering what they achieved. This close season has seen heroes leave the club, including Klaidi Lolos, Corey Addai, Will Wright, Danilo Orsi and Nick Tsaroulla for undisclosed fees, whilst Laurence Maguire chose not to sign on for Crawley because of what seems a better financial from MK Dons.

The one departee who I can totally understand, but regret as much as any of them, is Adam Campbell, who has obviously decided to go home. I am sure that there will be some supporters wishing we could have offered all these players more money to stay at Crawley, but there lies the crux of the matter.

Despite the increase in home attendances over the last two seasons the income still will remain far below most of our competitors, last year in League Two, and even more so in League One when we start again in August. Perhaps our ticket prices should have been raised more this year, but can you imagine what the reaction would have been from some of our fans if that had happened?

I do understand, but don’t agree with, the attitude of some people who want their money back on their season tickets, presumably thinking our team deserved the wage rises they have probably received from their new clubs. Without a doubt in my mind, I would have liked to have given them the chance to do it all again with us, but I’m afraid that, barring a Euro Lottery win, wasn’t possible.

The signings of Jeremy Kelly and Jack Roles on new contracts are a plus in my opinion, and the new signings, so far, of Scott Malone, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, Josh Flint, Antony Papadopolos and Charlie Barker also show a raised level of experience from those players that we signed this time last year.

On top of that, players like Ade Adeyemo and Sonny Fish must also seize the opportunity and become the same level of heroes that have unfortunately just left us, and we must also sign at least another four players, one being a goalkeeper.

One question that does need answering is why our owners haven’t communicated some sort of context behind the departures. Perhaps it’s because Eben Smith has absolute confidence that his mathematical model will prove successful again for the new season, if so, then please communicate this to the fanbase. If he is proved right, I will be ecstatic this time next year, but the lack of communication does, I believe, still show a lack of understanding of football fans in this country and how they grow attached to the players wearing the shirt of the club they support. THIS IS ENGLAND, not the USA. Talking of England, Swiss roll anyone?