'Insane' - Crawley Town interim head coach describes last 48 hours and first day's training with players

The former Reds captain was appointed interim head coach following Scott Lindsey’s departure to MK Dons.

The 32-year-old will took charge of training for the first time today (Thursday) ahead of a busy week where Crawley host Bolton on Saturday, Mansfield Town on Tuesday and face a trip to Wycombe Wanderers.

And Gladwin faced the press for the first time. He said: " The last 48 hours have been insane, so very eye-opening it at the same time.

"Taking charging the grass today is again like a bit different because you support the manager usually but it was good. I am obviously trying to support the players for a bit of a transition period and being there for them, but also preparing for a big game at a weekend is not so easy but it's something we worked hard at and we'll go again tomorrow.”

And Gladwin said he is excited for Saturday. “I’m excited and it will be a brilliant experience,” he said. “ I think it obviously makes a bit of sense in terms of keeping a bit of consistency at the football club and helping to support the players with a face they know and obviously, I have shared the dressing room with quite a few of them as well.

"It’s been full on and not a loads of time to think, but I'm enjoying it.”

Gladwin played under and worked with Lindsey over the years and that will also help with the consistency in the next few games. "I have definitely been exposed to a lot of his ideas and a lot of the way we've done things and obviously spent studying my own coaching stuff as well. I've known for a long time that I have wanted to go into it so it’s been good. It's been eye-opening like I say and there's a lot behind the scenes that you probably don't don't get to see even as a coach. So a baptism of fire is a good way of putting of it.”

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Preparing for Bolton Saturday is a big task given the time he has had, but Gladwin has found a lot of support. He said: “There’s so much going on and it feels like so little time honestly, but it's been good, it's been exciting.

"I've got help from people and I've lent on the guys around me and the senior players as well and honestly, and it's important that I think I'll do that because they have loads of experience themselves and they're ones are going out on the grass. I want their opinions and I want to know how they feel about stuff.

"But all eyes are focussed on Saturday and go and try and get a good result against a really good team.”