‘If he plays flat, the team plays flat’ - Crawley Town boss stresses importance of midfield maestro ahead of Salford trip
Crawley Town manager Scott Lindsey has praised the impact of returning midfielder Jay Williams – both on and off the pitch.
Williams, captain in the absence of Dion Conroy, had been out since August 19 after sustaining a knee injury in a 1-1 draw with Milton Keynes Dons.
He made his first appearance in almost three months as a substitute in Crawley’s 2-1 win against Fleetwood Town nearly a month ago.
Since then, he has played in the Reds’ next three games, impressing against Gillingham before a more difficult task against Accrington Stanley last Saturday, then starring in the eventual defeat at Salford.
“I think he's been big for the squad, definitely,” Lindsey said. “I think that he's a big presence for us out on the pitch, definitely.
“I thought he had a quiet game last Saturday (against Accrington), mind. But he didn't have a quiet game in the game at Gillingham. I thought he was very involved in a lot of actions and led the team really well.
“And I think also that if he plays flat, the team play flat. I think I saw that (v Accrington). I’d had a chat with him early part of the week and he felt he didn't feel as good for whatever reason. And therefore, the team doesn't have that spark about them.”
When asked if he may be forced to manage his minutes after a lengthy absence, Lindsey replied: “No, definitely not.
“If I’d have managed any of his minutes, it would have been in the first game. So, no, we won't be managing his minutes. He'll play 90 minutes all the time he's fit, unless he has another injury.”
Williams will be even more vital to Crawley’s endeavours after fellow midfielder Max Anderson sustained a small fracture to his femur against Gillingham.