Why Crawley Town boss believes his side should still be underdogs in League Two next season

But next season some people might see it a bit differently. After lasting just one season in League One, Reds will be back in League Two but the difference this time is some people will see them a promotion candidates.

Given the way the season has ended and the results and performances Reds have produced in the last eight games since Scott Lindsey’s return, expectations should be high.

But one person who will see then as underdogs is Lindsey himself.

We spoke to him in the build-up to the final game of the season against Shrewsbury Town and as we asked him about not being underdogs next season, he interrupted.

"But why? But why aren't we?” he said. “There are two reasons why we should be. Because we've just got relegated. We were favourites to get relegated last season. We were favourites to get relegated the season before. So what makes us special this next season then?"

Our response: “When you look at the performances and the results you've got in these last right games, people will might fear playing Crawley. You said, you want to give that winning mentality going into next season. People will be fearing playing Crawley Town if they're watching these last few games, if you keep the same squad that you've got.

Lindsey accepted that but still believes they will be underdogs in League Two. “Yeah, OK, I'll take that. But what we don't want to do is heighten our expectations for next season,” he said, “because we have to be realistic.

"We are a team that have got relegated. We are a team that should have got relegated the season before. And we are a team that should have got relegated the season before that.We overachieved in one of them seasons. So that doesn't make us promotion favourites next season. However, I will want to get promoted next season. Should we get promoted? No. Will we get promoted? I don't know. Will we be going to get promoted? Definitely.

"And that's our workbook. People have to kind of be realistic about it.

"We've had three seasons where we should have got relegated in all three. And we did get relegated in one of them, so expectations can be sometimes clouded.”

But Crawley fans will know with Lindsey in charge anything can happen. When he joined in January 2023, Reds looked doomed to drop out of the Football league. He saved them. In the 2023/24 season, everyone expected them to get relegated. Look what happened. And this season, he so nearly pulled off the great escape.

He said: “I know what needs to be done and I know how I'm going to speak to the players within the four walls of the dressing room. And I know what the targets will be. You have to be left to imagine what they are, unfortunately, because I'm not going to speak publicly about what the aims are. All I will say is that hold on to your seats because it could be a good ride.”