Lewis Young reveals what had to change for Crawley to return to winning ways - and why he avoids 'getting too emotional'

Following an awful run of form, which left the Reds bottom-of-the-table, Kevin Betsy was sacked last Sunday (October 9) – a day after a chastening 3-0 defeat at Grimsby Town. Assistant Dan Micciche also left the club.

Club legend Young, who retired as a player in August 2021 after 240 competitive appearances for the Reds, has taken temporary charge whilst the owners, WAGMI United, continue their search for a new manager.

Young guided the Reds to a 2-1 victory over Newport County on Saturday (October 15) – admitting after the game that he would ‘100 per cent’ like the job on a full-time basis.

“It's a saying, tongue in cheek a little bit, but I just want to evolve on what we did last season,” Young said.

"We won’t try to change and reinvent everything we've done.

"I went a little bit like for like from last year – a 4-4-2 with some old lieutenants.

"They are like titans, running through, battered and bruised inside, throwing themselves in front of shots at the end.

“That's what I was based on as a player, as much as people wouldn't believe it.”

Betsy oversaw one league win in 12 matches but Young said not everything from his time in charge ‘needs to be completely ripped up’.

"The team you've seen today and the way they played won't necessarily play the same way, if given the opportunity, in six months,” he said. “It's an evolving process.

“As you saw today, we've got some fantastic football players and fantastic characters.

“Who would have said David Robson would have made his debut today? I don't think many from the outside. On the flipside, who would have said Lewis Young would be in charge?”

Young said he ‘got on really well’ with the previous management, adding: “I wasn't saying it to be disrespectful to them for their efforts.

"What I thought what they wanted to do was very good. But ultimately, for a number of reasons, we weren't able to put it out into practice.

"I do wish them well. They were brilliant with me. Football is a game that moves day by day. Today we got a good result but what's to say we'll get the same Tuesday and Saturday.”

In a heartwarming moment on Saturday, James Tilley ran to celebrate his goal with Young – followed by the rest of the team.

Young said his wife was in the crowd and the sight made her ‘quite emotional’.

On how he felt during the moment, Young said: “I was probably one of the calmest ones at the end when we were up against it and I was the same then [during the celebrations].

"I'm not an emotional person who gets too emotionally high or too low.

"I've got my first three points as manager and I'm already thinking about Tuesday.

"I’m thankful to the players for their efforts but it doesn't mean Monday, Tuesday is going to be any easier for them. You can't take it easy. We're still in the bottom two. That's the reality.

"We've got to give the players more ownership and understanding that they are good. It's just now rebuilding that confidence.”

See also: Crawley Town 2, Newport County 1: 48 photos of Reds' second league win of the season including action, celebrations and crowd pictures

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