Crawley Turn To Familiar Face As Matt Gray Emerges In Survival Bid

Relegation haunted Crawley Town could turn to a former assistant manager to help save their Football League status, SportsBoom can reveal. 

The Red Devils have parted company with Scott Lindsay for the second time with the Sussex club just one point outside the SkyBet League Two relegation zone.

Desperate to avoid the drop, Crawley will hope for a new manager bounce when they return to action with a home game against Gillingham on Saturday.

One of the early favourites to succeed Lindsay is Matt Gray, who was an assistant manager at the club until becoming Sutton United gaffer in 2019.

The 44-year-old Londoner subsequently masterminded Sutton’s rise to the EFL for the first time in the club's 123-year history.

In 2021/2022, Gray guided Sutton towards the League Two play-offs only for United to finish eighth, one-point off an end of season extension.

The same season Sutton reached the EFL Trophy final and led Rotherham United 2-1 until a stoppage time equaliser denied them the trophy. Rotherham eventually won 4-2 on penalties.

Gray ensured the club’s tier four status in 2022-2023 but was sacked in December 2023 after an 8-0 battering at Stockport County.

Knows The Club

He had an extended absence from the game before re-emerging as Eastbourne United manager in May last year.

The former defender couldn’t work his magic at the National League South outfit and was sacked in October after a winless 10-game streak.

But with Gray’s affinity and knowledge of Crawley, he could be handed a short-term deal to revive Town’s fortunes.

Lindsay managed just five draws from his last 10 games with the previous victory against fellow strugglers Harrogate on January 31.

Other possible candidates include Mat Sadler, recently dismissed at Walsall, former promotion winning Oxford United manager Des Buckingham, currently coaching in Saudi Arabia and ex Sunderland interim head coach and Wycombe boss, Mike Dodds.