Thoughts of a lifelong fan: I am optimistic for next season, whatever happens

Putting those two statements together, I am very optimistic about Crawley Town for the 2025/2026 season, regardless of which division we find ourselves in, and as a result I am looking forward to completing (God willing) my 70th year of being a Red Devil supporter.

If you were one of the 5,105 spectators in the ground yesterday you would have joined in the salute to someone who won’t be on the “terraces” next year, the one and only “Travel” Ken Blackmore. Ken, the whole CTFC family will miss you greatly, whether it’s for your work around the club, your partnership with Gary Smith on away commentaries or just for being you.

After the tribute to a true Crawley Town stalwart, an unchanged side from the team that beat Exeter City on Easter Monday set about the job of keeping the club in League One. Whether they knew that Bristol Rovers had already lost to play-off chasing Reading, I don’t know, but it was apparent from the start that they were up for the challenge and superb goals from Rushian Hepburn-Smith, Jeremy Kelly and Camari Doyle secured a victory for the Red Devils.

The only thing that could spoil the day would be a win for the Brewers against fellow strugglers, Cambridge United. Just before half time, in their game at the Pirelli stadium, both sides had a player sent off in separate incidents, which meant their game would not finish at the same time as ours.

The Brewers took the lead in the 48th minute which, if that is how the game ended, would have meant that we couldn’t catch them without a 13-goal swing in goal difference in our favour. Then in the space of about eight minutes the situation changed twice. First of all, as our game ended in victory, Neil Harris’s Cambridge United scored an equaliser which for a moment meant that we could catch the Albion, if we won at Shrewsbury and they dropped points in their remaining two games. Unfortunately, just as our players were starting their end of season lap of honour another score came through from Staffordshire, and unfortunately it was to be a winner for the Albion.

This now means that Burton would have to lose both their remaining games whilst we beat Shrewsbury and for there to be that 13-goal swing in goal difference previously mentioned.

Something like Burton to lose by two at home to Wigan and by four at Charlton, whilst we record our highest ever EFL victory at Shrewsbury by seven goals.

I will be at Shrewsbury, whatever the situation we find ourselves in, as will be many others wishing to show their support and appreciation of the lads in Red and will be looking forward to the pre-season friendlies with an enthusiasm that hopefully will never wain.

Please, if you have any photographs from the last three seasons, whether it be of fans or players, can you let me, or Mick Fox have copies of them for the upcoming “Great Escape?” exhibition in July/August.