Crawley Town host MK Dons in the first leg of the League Two play-off semi-final on Monday, May 6. We spoke to Scott Lindsey about his pride of leading the side to their first ever play-off game, how important the fans are and being the underdogs. Here is his press conference in full
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00:00So Scott, exciting big game Monday, how is the squad looking going into that game?
00:04Yeah, looking good. The mood around the camp is very positive. We're really pleased that
00:11we've got in. We didn't want the season to finish, so extending the season is positive.
00:18Lots to play for. We're preparing now for what's going to be a tough game against a
00:25really good side. We've got some tactical bits and pieces into the players today, as
00:33we will Saturday and Sunday as well, the back end of it. So yeah, we're really looking forward
00:39to it. It's going to be a brilliant game. I think it's two really good sides and should
00:45be a really good spectacle.
00:46Yeah, it's been a season of the club seeming to make a lot of records and hit some great
00:52landmarks, away wins, goals scored, points gained. How excited and proud are you to
00:58be leading this team out in this game, now first ever game in a playoff for Croydon Town?
01:01Yeah, really proud. Really proud. A lot of work has gone in from a lot of people, but
01:07me as the leader, I'm a really proud man to be leading them out in a playoff campaign.
01:12I think it's been a tough season. We've had some ups and downs. There's been some periods
01:20where we didn't pick up points, but played well. So we always looked at that process
01:26of the performances were really important to us because we felt that that was key of
01:33how we want to be here at Crawley. We always went after performances. We felt that we get
01:40them performances right, the results will always follow. They're a by-product of our
01:43performance and we stuck by our guns. Even when things wasn't going well in terms of
01:51the result, we've always stuck to our principles of play. I think that's kind of stood us in
01:56good stead to get us where we wanted to get to. I think that was important. But now we're
02:05really excited for the next couple of weeks.
02:08Mike Williams has said on Saturday that like us, Crawley, when they get it right it's very
02:15hard to stop. Obviously you agree with that, you said they're good two good times, but
02:18where is this tie going to be won and lost do you think?
02:22I think it's two teams that are very similar, play very similar shape, very similar formation,
02:30very similar rotations, passing lines. Very, very similar. In fact they're not far off
02:36being identical to us in many ways. Where it's going to be won, in my opinion, is who
02:43wants it the most. I think playoff games are very much like that. But I know that I've
02:51got a good group of players in there that will be ready. Like I say, we're really looking
02:58forward to it.
02:59It's a two-legged game. Do you prepare for 180 minutes or is it 90 minutes, see where
03:04you are, then 90 minutes?
03:06Yeah, no, we do. We have to look at the first game as the first half. So yeah, for sure
03:12we will be looking at that and we have spoke about that in depth with the coaching staff
03:17and the players. So we have looked at that and we have kind of prepared as though this
03:23first game here is the first half of a game in effect. So yeah, for sure. So tactically
03:31there'll be certain things that we don't do because of that and there's certain things
03:37that we will do because of that. So yeah, we've definitely taken that into consideration.
03:42Yeah, and we've seen incredible queues here over the last few days. How amazing is it
03:48going to be to walk out and have an absolute packed house? MK Don's have sold their allocation
03:52as well. It's going to be an incredible atmosphere, isn't it?
03:54Well, that's why we do this job. We do this job because of them reasons. We do the job
03:59because we want to, first of all, be successful. We do it because of these moments where you're
04:06playing in these big games. I think it's been fantastic. Buzz around the place, the queues.
04:13It's almost like going back to the olden days when fans used to queue up. But full credit
04:18to the staff behind the scenes. We've had the media guy selling tickets. We've had the
04:24secretary selling tickets. The staff behind the scenes have really mucked in and everyone's
04:30kind of rolled their sleeves up and got on with it. I think that's a credit to this football
04:34club. We've got some really good people here. But no, I'm looking forward to the game. I'm
04:38looking forward to walking out and seeing the fans. I've got to be honest with you,
04:42the fans have been fantastic all season and they're a big reason why we're here as well.
04:47And obviously in the game, the ties could end in penalties. Have you been practising
04:51this week? No, not this week, but we will do coming into the second game for sure. And
04:57where are we with the squad? Is everybody full complement? Yeah, full complement. We're
05:03fully fit. We've had Kellen Gordon and Harry Forster have joined in parts of training today.
05:10But back end of the week they'll be full training so they'll be available for selection as well.
05:16Scott, you talked about the smiles and the queues outside today. Take you back a few
05:22months when you came in, how the mood has changed, how the club coming together has
05:27changed, how everything around here has changed in those short 15 months or so. Yeah, night
05:33and day there's a lot that's changed and it had to. It had to change in my opinion. There
05:39was a lot of things at this club that were not right, not professional enough, certainly
05:45in the playing squad. It took me 28 days before everybody turned up on time. There
05:51was a lot of loose professionals. So I had to, as a manager, I had to put that straight
05:57and put players in line. Some of them players had to go and then we had to bring in, in
06:05my opinion, better people, better staff, better players in terms of their attitude and professionalism
06:12and we've just kind of raised the standards of how I want people to work. We work extremely
06:17hard, got some unbelievable staff, some unbelievable human beings in that building and them dressing
06:22rooms downstairs and you can only be successful if you've got the right people to do it. There's
06:31a lot of clearing out and a lot of standards to set in order for that to happen and I can
06:36see now that it's a real difference from when I first come in, for sure.
06:41You said that when you were at Swindon that nothing much you could have done would have
06:44made the fans love you, you never really quite knew why, whereas here it's worked. What have
06:50you done in that time? What would you need to get a fan base around that club?
06:54I think number one rule when you're a football manager is to win games. I think that always
06:59helps and in the manner we've won games as well, we've been exciting to play. We've scored
07:08some unbelievable goals. We looked at the awards dinner the other night and we looked
07:14at the goals that were scored and we could have sat there all night watching them. I
07:20think the supporters here have certainly taken on how we play. I think they like the way
07:26we play and I think they've really thoroughly enjoyed it and embraced it. I've built a relationship
07:33with the fans as well. I appreciate them and I think they appreciate me. I've enjoyed
07:39my time here, for sure.
07:42You go into the play-offs having finished seventh, do you feel slight underdogs generally
07:47and do you like that tag?
07:50I always feel like an underdog, every Saturday mostly. I think that's what we are. At the
07:55start of the season we were back to be favourites to go down, but it doesn't mean anything to
08:03me because I know how hard we work, I know what work goes in and I know how the attitude
08:09of the players beyond that dressing room door and in those four walls of what we can achieve.
08:16That doesn't necessarily have to spill out to the public or to anybody else. We know
08:19what we're capable of. But we always feel that we're underdogs. Whatever happens, we're
08:25always in that ilk anyway, so we're kind of used to that.
08:32Do you feel real momentum going into?
08:35I don't think it matters. I've got to be honest with you, I hear a lot of people talk about
08:39that. A lot of pundits talk about it. A lot's to be said for momentum going into play-offs.
08:45It's not true. I remember when I was at Forest Green when we won promotion from the National
08:52League. I think we got beat to Southport away, we got beat to somebody else, I think maybe
08:58Maidstone or somebody like that. We didn't go in with no momentum, but once you're in
09:04the play-offs, it's isolation. It's them games that are in isolation and you've got to be
09:09ready and organised for them. So I don't take that momentum. I don't really read much into
09:16that if I'm on the studio.
09:18You touched on it a little bit there already, but it must be particularly pleasing to finish
09:24in the play-offs given how close you were to those bottom two last season.
09:28Yes, definitely. We're kind of calling it an achievement in itself. Of course, you don't
09:34achieve anything unless you win something, but we see that as an achievement based on
09:38what happened here last year. We were third from bottom, we were scrapping for every point
09:46back into the season and we just about survived. To go from that to having a bit of a clear
09:55out with some experienced players. A lot of people would have questioned, wow, we've
10:00got rid of all these big-name players and these experienced players and we've signed
10:04kind of nobodies. No disrespect, but they were players from non-league that people hadn't
10:08heard of. There was a lot of questions being asked about what on earth is going on there,
10:14but we quietly went about our business knowing what we were doing. I felt it needed a clear
10:19out. I felt it needed freshness. I think it needed newness in terms of young players who
10:24had not played the level. I backed myself as a coach, I backed my staff as coaches in
10:29order for us to polish them. Yes, to finish in seventh place is an achievement, definitely
10:37from last year, but the next hurdle is to go through to Wembley and then the next hurdle
10:44after that is to win it. It's one stage at a time.
10:48You said momentum doesn't count for anything compared to the Cardiffs. Do you kind of see
10:51this next week as a mini-season in itself almost?
10:54Yes, certainly. I think we've got to look at it like I spoke earlier. It's two games.
11:00It's two halves of football, but extended obviously. Rather than 245s, it's 290s. That's
11:08how we've got to look at it. But we're going to be really prepared for what will be, in
11:16my opinion, a really good side. I think they're a very good side. I've really enjoyed my work
11:20this week watching them. It's almost like watching ourselves, but with a different kit
11:25on in many ways. They've got some very, very good players and they've got a very good manager.
11:30They're a very good club. They're a really good club. You have to look at their stadium
11:36and their facilities, what they've got. They're a big club. But we've got good players as
11:41well. I trust my players and I think it's going to be a really good game.
11:44You've got one player who's done well, very well in particular, on his way here now. How
11:48important is Dan Lawson going to be in these two games, without necessarily seeing Dan
11:52at one point?
11:53He's going to be really important because he's a proper person for a start. He's a complete
11:58winner. He's probably going to be doing more work than you actually believe in the dressing
12:03room before the game. He's a fantastic character and he wants to win. He's such a good person
12:09to have on your team, let alone what he does on the pitch. On the pitch he's been obviously
12:14a different class because he's put the ball in the net and he works his absolute socks
12:19off. I love him. I'd run for a big wall for him. I think he's been fantastic for us. He's
12:25going to be big for us, certainly in these two games.
12:29Scott, just a couple of quick ones. You mentioned momentum there isn't necessarily... other
12:36managers have said it's about who holds the nerve on the day. What do you feel your side
12:42need to show?
12:44Courage to play our way. I think that's important because we play a certain way. We don't want
12:52to get away from that. I think that's important to me as a coach. I try and put the message
13:00to the players that we've got here for a reason. We've got here because of the way we've played
13:04all season so we can't get too far away from that on the night. We've got to make sure
13:08we stick to our principles and play our way. We're just unfortunate that we're playing
13:13against a team who are very good, who are probably going to try and stop us from doing
13:18that. But that's the game. We're ready and prepared for that and we're looking forward
13:24to it.
13:25And finally, obviously the fans coming along. What part can they play? What's your message
13:30to the Crawley Town fans?
13:31They can win us a game. They really can. They've won us games before. They've been fantastic
13:36home and away. They can. They can beat that 12th man. And they have done. I think our
13:41fans are the best. I really do. I think they've been unbelievable all season. I've built a
13:47real bond with them and a relationship with them. I love every one of them. I can't wait
13:51to get out there on Monday and applaud them and show my appreciation to them and hopefully
13:55we give them a good game and a good result. But yeah, they can have a big part in the
13:59game for sure. I think there's been times, certainly in play-off games, certainly on
14:06Saturday, it was a big game of course. But certainly coming into these play-off games
14:10now, we just need to make sure that we hold our nerve and we don't show any anxiety. I
14:17know there will be probably anxiety in the crowd but we need to remain calm because it's
14:22two legs. So whatever happens in the first one, it's not finished yet. And let's not
14:27let that anxiety spill onto the pitch. I want my players to feel calm as well and enjoy
14:33the game.