Matt Pole is joined by Reds writers Mark Dunford and Sam Morton for a very special edition of the podcast.
Crawley Town will play in League One after a nine-year absence next season courtesy of their League Two play-off final win over Crewe.
Goals from Danilo Orsi and Liam Kelly earned the Reds a deserved 2-0 win over the Railwaymen at Wembley.
We reflect on a historic day for Crawley, and the 2023/24 season as a whole, and take a brief glimpse at the 2024/25 campaign.
Crawley Town will play in League One after a nine-year absence next season courtesy of their League Two play-off final win over Crewe.
Goals from Danilo Orsi and Liam Kelly earned the Reds a deserved 2-0 win over the Railwaymen at Wembley.
We reflect on a historic day for Crawley, and the 2023/24 season as a whole, and take a brief glimpse at the 2024/25 campaign.
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SportsTranscript
00:00 Welcome to another very special Crawley Town edition of the Goalmouth Action Podcast. I'm Matt Pole and I'm joined by Reds writers Mark Dunford and Sam Morton.
00:09 Crawley Town will play in League One after a nine-year absence next season, courtesy of their League Two player final win over Crewe.
00:15 Goals from Danilo Orsi and Liam Kelly earned the Reds a deserved 2-0 win over the Raleigh Wembley last weekend.
00:22 We'll reflect on a historic day for Crawley and the 2023/24 season as a whole and take a brief glimpse at the upcoming 2024/25 campaign.
00:30 You can read all the stories we are talking about with videos and pictures online at sussexworld.co.uk/sport
00:36 and you can check out other great videos on shotstv.com and Freeview channel 276.
00:41 You may also be watching on latest TV so thank you very much for tuning in.
00:45 But as mentioned, the Reds have returned to the third tier of English football for the first time since 2015 thanks to their win over Crewe
00:51 and it was a thoroughly deserved win, wasn't it Mark? Sum that performance up for us.
00:55 They were absolutely sensational. They were dominant from minute one.
01:00 Scott Lindsay, as he has done for a lot of the season, just got his taxes completely right.
01:06 I was with him yesterday when he met his 92-year-old fan Ron Spraggett
01:12 and he was explaining how they set up because they knew Crewe were going to play with one striker.
01:18 So they had Corey O'Day effectively playing as a centre-back pairing with Dion Conroy
01:25 and it just sort of nullified any kind of attack that Crewe had.
01:30 I mean, they had their one moment that we'll talk about later, the penalty.
01:34 And Coffin, Corey O'Day made a really good save early in the first half from Elliot Nevitt
01:39 but that was it. Crawley were just all over them.
01:43 Liam Kelly, as he did throughout the whole play-offs, ran the show.
01:48 Danilo Orsi was as clinical as ever. Lovely finish.
01:53 Dion Conroy, Will Wright, Lawrence Maguire, you could name them all.
01:57 Everyone stood up and performed on that day.
02:02 I think the only one real mistake that was evident was Adam Campbell's pass
02:06 that led to the incident with the penalty. But again, he was really good.
02:10 They were just sensational and to do it in front of that crowd as well,
02:14 the atmosphere was absolutely incredible.
02:17 17,000, 18,000 Crawley fans before the game, after the game, during the game.
02:23 It was just amazing. You just felt as soon as you got there, it was Crawley's day.
02:28 It was always going to happen. It was like the game the day before Oxford beating Bolton.
02:34 They were just so dominant. I thought I had to get that in that match. Oxford winning.
02:38 They were just sensational and it was emotional.
02:45 I did tear up more than once during the day, even at the national anthem at the beginning.
02:49 I was tearing up. But a wonderful occasion, a historic moment.
02:53 I couldn't be more proud of what they achieved this year and how they performed.
02:57 Yes, you mentioned it there. The crew thought they had a penalty after the break,
03:02 but saw the decision overturned following a VAR check,
03:05 which is in use in all the EFL player finals, after Christopher Long went down under a challenge
03:10 from goalkeeper Corey Adai. I know it might have been a heart and mouth moment, Sam,
03:13 but I think on the whole it was the correct decision.
03:16 Yes, absolutely the correct decision. It was literally the only heart and mouth moment in the entire game.
03:23 It was the closest that the crew came to scoring and to causing Crawley any problems.
03:28 That's a testament to how incredible Crawley were in the game
03:31 and how they just completely nullified the crew's threat entirely.
03:35 But that moment was a bit worrying at the time, as Mark alluded to,
03:39 with Adam Campbell playing a bit of a hospital pass back and Christopher Long got on the end of it.
03:46 He tried to take it round Corey Adai, who actually did an incredible job at narrowing the angle
03:53 and made him basically cheat. He just dived over the goalkeeper's leg,
03:59 who didn't touch him at all. Without VAR, it probably would have all gone.
04:03 It was given as a penalty in any other League 2 game in the season.
04:07 Crawley would have had a penalty against them. But thankfully it happened in the game that they had VAR
04:12 and it could take a look and show quite clearly that the keeper just didn't touch him.
04:16 Adai didn't touch him long at all. So that was a real good use of VAR.
04:21 I kind of understand the argument that it probably is a little bit silly to use VAR in one game
04:26 when you've not had a good season in League 2. But Crawley will be mightily pleased that it was there
04:33 to save that moment for them. But as I say, it was the only moment really of any concern for Crawley.
04:39 Apart from that, they utterly dominated the game. I'm just so, so pleased. It was just a joy to watch.
04:47 I was just going to say, Scott Lindsay said in his post-match that the referee gave it
04:52 because he knew he had VAR to put back on. In a normal game, I don't think he would have given it.
05:00 It's like umpires in cricket, don't they? Sometimes they say not out because they think it.
05:09 They got the review or they give it out thinking, "Actually, I think it was umpire's call, but we'll see."
05:14 You can't blame the referee. I thought the referee was good on the day.
05:20 I don't think there was any other particular shockers or anything.
05:24 But yeah, I think Scott Lindsay was right after the game on that one.
05:28 It's just a relief that we're not talking about VAR, isn't it?
05:30 We're just talking about a Crawley playoff final win.
05:33 Talking of reds players, goal scorer Liam Kelly, who turned into a bit of a playoff pearl,
05:41 he was absolutely superb against Crewe. How impressed were you by his performance,
05:46 not just in the final, but across the season as a whole, Mark?
05:48 Especially across those three games, what you told me, he was untouchable. He was superb.
05:53 First of all, I've got to congratulate you on playoff pearl, I love it.
05:56 But yeah, he's been incredible all season.
06:03 I always remember when they signed him, I sat in the dugout with Scott Lindsay, I think, at Crawley Town.
06:09 I think it was their fixtures release day. I asked him about him and he just said he wanted him when he was at Swindon.
06:14 He had a trial there but it never really worked out.
06:18 But he's just been incredible. To get three man-of-the-match performances for all three playoff games is just sensational.
06:26 And he has just run the show. I can't remember who it was who was saying it the other day.
06:33 He said, "When the game needs slowing down, Liam Kelly slows it down.
06:39 When it needs quickening up, he quickens it up." It all revolves around him.
06:44 He dictates the pace of the game. He's just fantastic to watch.
06:51 He's got such an engine on him. And he can score goals.
06:54 It was a lot easier than it looked, actually, his goal at Wembley.
07:01 At first I thought, "Oh God, that was a tight angle." And actually, no, he had an open goal just a slight.
07:05 I thought I'd put it home into. But yeah, he's brilliant. And boy, I know we're getting on to it.
07:10 He can sing as well. And I think he can drink as well.
07:15 Yes, we are going to come on to that. And I didn't know whether he was lying to me saying if he liked to drink or not.
07:21 But from what I've seen, he enjoyed himself after the final.
07:25 Before we move on to that, at the face match, Crawley boss Scott Lindsay said he always felt his side could win promotion to League One,
07:31 despite them being tipped for relegation at the start of the season.
07:35 That's obviously been very well documented, isn't it, Sam, about the pundits' predicts of the Crawley.
07:39 But that aside, Lindsay really has worked miracles at the Reds as a leader this season.
07:44 And it's just, again, crazy he's not been on the shortlist for manager of the season.
07:48 Absolutely. It beggars belief why he wasn't shortlisted.
07:54 Not only was he shortlisted, he would have been the outright deserving winner, really.
07:59 I think I can say just everyone was expecting Crawley to struggle this season.
08:05 Obviously, we didn't necessarily think they'd go down, but we definitely didn't think that they would have been as high up the table.
08:11 And even the players, I think Liam Kelly, in his immediate post-match interview, was asked, could he have foreseen this coming?
08:17 And he said, obviously, didn't expect this. I think they were all confident it wouldn't go down.
08:22 But they knew there was something about them. I think Roan Darcy told me that it was about 10 games in
08:28 and he was able to say there was something special going on and the chemistry was building and you could just feel that something special was happening.
08:35 But as we've said all season, Scott has just remained steadfast in his belief of they can finish in the playoffs all season.
08:43 No matter any result, if they had a bad result, it didn't change his opinion at all.
08:48 And there was only one destination they were heading for all season.
08:53 He proved himself right and proved lots of people wrong that thought they would go down, really.
09:00 And it is incredible, the job that he's done. And he deserves the keys to the town, I think.
09:05 He'll build a statue anywhere he wants.
09:08 As Mark alluded to, the Reds then held a promotion party at Broadfield Stadium on Monday.
09:17 It's safe to say the Reds players enjoyed themselves, didn't they, Mark? How raucous were the celebrations?
09:22 Oh, it was fantastic. It was so good. I mean, I sensed when I was in the box park straight after the game when the players came in full kit,
09:30 medals on, drinking, that it was going to be a long, long, heavy night for them.
09:36 And it was great that they were able to have the promotion party.
09:39 I don't think the Crawley players had much sleep between them.
09:43 Apparently, they demanded the coach take them to Goff's Manor pub on the way back from before the promotion party.
09:50 And then the coach had to go back to pick them up.
09:53 And straight away, they were there outside the ground signing autographs, having photos with all the fans who were waiting outside to go into the promotion party.
10:03 And then it was a really nice occasion because we went out in the middle of the pitch and out from the tunnel one by one,
10:10 the backroom staff came, all the club staff who have helped keep the club running,
10:16 who they couldn't have done what they've done without them this year.
10:19 And then one by one, the players came out and Liam Kelly, because he was number four, he came out fourth, but they're all third or whatever it was.
10:26 And then he, yeah, he got to, he demanded to take over control of the emceeing and it was hilarious.
10:32 He had a little thing to say about each player as they came out and it was really, really good fun.
10:38 A couple of times, language got a bit fruity, but yeah, considering there was quite a lot of families and young people in the crowd, but it was, it was amazing.
10:47 What impressed me most was how much time they spent with the fans.
10:52 Because I mean, Corey O'Day, it must've taken them an hour and a half, two hours to get round because they were lining three sides of the pitch, the fans,
11:00 and they literally went round one by one and signed everything.
11:04 And it was amazing to watch and because they, they've had long nights, they deserve a rest, but they just wanted to celebrate with the fans.
11:13 It was incredible. They did a lovely rendition of Adele's 'Someone Like You', which you can see on my Twitter, or my ex, sorry.
11:20 And yeah, it was just a really, really good night and it was great that they were able to do that at the Broadfield Stadium.
11:28 And yeah, yeah, memories that a lot of people will have of very drunken players with sunglasses on at nine o'clock at night. Fantastic.
11:40 And a few sore heads in the morning, no doubt. We're going to take a quick break and then we're going to reflect on the season just gone and look ahead to the upcoming League One campaign.
11:50 The curtain has now come down on a League Two campaign to remember for the Reds.
11:55 But with that in mind, what has been your crawling moment of the season, player for side and why?
11:59 You've got two minutes each to state your case. I'm going to start with you, Sam Morton.
12:04 I think it's got to be the 4-0 win at Mansfield. I think it's got to be. It's got to be that one.
12:12 I think that was the moment that I think we all realised that something special was happening here.
12:17 I think so. At Mansfield, we were going for automatic promotion.
12:21 And yeah, just coming to that squeaky bum time moment of the season, I think, where every point really mattered.
12:27 I think after that, they had the Wrexham game. We looked at those two games, thinking maybe a couple of points would be brilliant.
12:33 And they started off with a cruising win at Mansfield. I know they weren't in the best of form at the time,
12:39 but it really did put down a marker and a statement about where they were going to go.
12:45 And I know the form kind of dipped after that a little bit, obviously, with the Wrexham game.
12:50 And obviously, they really struggled to pick up the wins for those few weeks.
12:55 And it did leave us fearing whether they would obviously not get into the playoffs, especially after that, that Sutton game.
13:00 But I think just the way in which they won at Mansfield, it obviously ended up being so crucial at the end of the season as well,
13:07 in doing that and making sure they got that victory.
13:10 Yeah, I think that was the moment I realised something special was happening, where I was really confident they would get into the playoffs.
13:15 So, yeah, that's my moment of the season, I think.
13:18 Good choice. What about yourself, Mr Dunford?
13:21 Well, it was because we're running a piece next week with a load of fans about their moments of the season and that.
13:29 And with what Sam said, that came up a couple of times at Mansfield game,
13:33 obviously following the Newport game when they won 4-0 at Newport as well.
13:37 But mine, and nobody's mentioned this, is when they beat Notts County at home 2-1.
13:42 It was, and specifically, Addy Adeyemo's goal, because they were losing that 1-0 and it was getting to the 80th minute.
13:50 And it was just like, Notts County weren't on a good run at the time.
13:52 And obviously, we know Notts County just dropped like a stone down the table.
13:57 And, yeah, Notts County had a player sent off and it just really lifted them.
14:02 Scott Lindsay brought on Adeyemo. Lollos scored first.
14:06 And then Adeyemo from the edge of the area fired one home, his first goal for the club.
14:11 And the celebrations, I mean, like going back to the team that played at Wembley, nine of them were playing in non-league last year.
14:17 Adeyemo was one of them playing for Cray Paper Mills, the Paper Valley Mills.
14:21 What were they called? Cray Valley Paper Mills.
14:23 Cray Valley Paper Mills.
14:24 I don't want to disrespect them. I apologise, because I know they had a good run in the FA Cup this year.
14:28 But, yeah, and it was just, and the atmosphere that night when they beat Notts County was just incredible.
14:34 And I just thought that was a real turning point, because it looked like they were dead.
14:40 They couldn't find a way back. But then the player got sent off and the crowd lifted.
14:44 And it was just a real moment when he scored.
14:47 And obviously, those three points proved vital in the end as well.
14:51 So, yeah, that's my pick, just for the atmosphere and for seeing Adeyemo celebrate as well, his first goal for the club.
14:58 Such a young, talented player.
15:00 And who would you name as your Crawley Player of the Season and why?
15:04 Mark, I know that we've already handed out a Crawley Observer Player of the Season, and I think you went to Will Wright.
15:09 Is that correct? Is that, are you sticking by that choice?
15:11 I think I am, for just consistent.
15:14 I mean, if I exclude the playoffs, because Liam Kelly, I think, would be the obvious choice.
15:22 And for good reason as well.
15:26 And you look at the achievements of Danilo Orsi this year, 25 plus goals, incredible.
15:31 And scoring four goals in those three playoff games.
15:34 But, yeah, Will Wright, for me, just so consistent.
15:38 I think he played more league games possibly than anyone else, or certainly started more league games than anyone else.
15:44 And he's just been fantastic.
15:48 He scored four really good goals, three of them were shortlisted for goal of the season.
15:53 He's provided five or six assists, I think, as well throughout the season.
15:57 And he's just, and you meet him off the pitch, and he's just one of the nicest blokes as well.
16:02 I mean, they all are, this whole team.
16:03 I mean, on Monday night, yes, they were all a bit worse for wear, but they had time for everybody.
16:07 And actually, Will Wright, I had a photo taken with him and Lawrence McGuire, and he said to me, and I said,
16:11 "Oh, yeah, you remember you were Crawley Observer Player of the Year?"
16:14 And he said, "Yeah." He said, "I'm really grateful for that, thank you."
16:16 And he was just so nice.
16:18 And, yeah, because, I mean, yeah, players aren't in it for awards, are they?
16:22 Well, some of them aren't, Ronaldo might be.
16:24 But I just think he's just been so consistent.
16:28 And I think when we first announced that we gave him, there was one fan that replied and said,
16:34 "He's a Rolls-Royce of a player." And he really is.
16:37 He's absolute class, never lets you down, and he's got a hell of a shot on the cross on him.
16:42 So, yeah, that was Will Wright.
16:44 I just think he's been fantastic.
16:45 And I've got to mention Corey O'Day as well, because for improvement.
16:49 And then suddenly he's the best keeper in League Two.
16:51 He's stopped more goals than, goal chances than anyone else.
16:54 His touch in that first leg of the semi-final, incredible.
16:58 He's just, and he seems to be a real fan's favourite now, Corey O'Day.
17:02 But yeah, Will Wright, I'm sticking with Will Wright.
17:05 And what about yourself, Mr. Morton? Who's your quality player of the season?
17:08 It's a tough, tough one to choose, I think, by the sound of it.
17:12 Yeah, tough one to choose. I think, yeah, I mean, you can pretty much name any player in the team.
17:15 They've all been absolutely superb this season.
17:17 But I can't look past Liam Kelly as my player of the season.
17:19 I think I would have said that before the playoffs, but the playoffs just fully cemented it and added lots more arguments to it.
17:28 He was just phenomenal, to be honest.
17:29 I think I remember a stage of the season where he wasn't there and he was so thoroughly missed.
17:34 And it lacked that little bit of intricacy, I guess, in the midfield.
17:40 And he just, it's just top class, really.
17:44 I think because he just comes into that midfield, obviously, in the playoffs and plays like he's at least a championship level player.
17:51 I think he's even can go far as the championship, let alone League One, to be honest.
17:57 Because he is, yeah, a class player and just the passing that he is able to kind of, he starts all the moves the end of the day, even the Orsi goal.
18:05 It was a lovely little chest control, played a lovely little pass into Orsi and they've had a brilliant connection.
18:11 And obviously, he's got a great strike on him and obviously didn't need to do anything spectacular for his goal.
18:16 But he's obviously just there at the right time. He was there to be on the end of the pass from Conroy.
18:21 And obviously, he tried to get the ball back to Orsi and he was alert to put it into the empty net straight away.
18:26 And it was the least he deserved, really, for incredible performances that rightly earned him three man of the matches in a row.
18:33 And it was great to speak to him in the mix, though, and after the game at Wembley as well.
18:37 And you could see how level-headed he is. He wasn't overly excited or whatever, because as he was speaking,
18:42 some of his teammates were walking past him, kind of bigging him up, saying about how good of a player he is, how much they love him kind of thing.
18:49 They're obviously all really giddy, but he was kind of still very level-headed, focused on the interview kind of thing.
18:54 Then obviously he went off and got a little bit drunk, so I did a different side to him.
18:59 But yeah, I can't look past him. He's my favourite of the season, I think. Just phenomenal, phenomenal performances, especially in the fails.
19:06 All correct choices, I think. We're looking ahead to next season at League One.
19:10 We'll bring a whole new set of challenges for the Reds with the likes of Cholton, Reading and Wigan set to visit the Brookhill Stadium.
19:17 In terms of squad building, Mark, where do we think Crawley will need to strengthen in the off-season?
19:24 It's a difficult one, isn't it? I think, yeah, because we're due to have the retained release list today.
19:30 So it'll be interesting, because that will obviously guide where we think that they need strengthening.
19:36 But if they can keep the core, it's just a case of strengthening in each department, I think, and just making the squad much stronger and deeper.
19:45 Defensively-wise, because we know Dion Conroy has had injury issues.
19:50 And when he goes out, I mean, Harry Ransom did a good job when he did, when Dion was, and Joy McKenna as well.
19:58 But again, Joy McKenna is another one of those players that was playing non-league last year.
20:03 Whether they can step up that extra level now to League One, who knows?
20:06 So I think possibly a little bit more experience in the defensive area.
20:11 Midfield-wise, I mean, you've got Jay Williams and Liam Kelly. I've no doubt that they can be the two pivots again next year in League One.
20:19 Maybe attacking, sorry, my phone is going. Maybe in the attacking areas, sort of attacking midfield, you've got Clydie Lollos.
20:31 Adam Campbell's done a good job this year. Ronan Darcy's really good, he's very adaptable.
20:37 So maybe just another extra, but we need the main, I think the main thing is getting back up for Danny Laworsie.
20:45 Because he played, I think, did he start every game this year? He must have done.
20:50 And he, yeah, and yeah, how he did it. If he'd got an injury, who knows what would have happened with Crawley Town.
20:58 So yeah, I think that's where, that's the main, main, main point.
21:03 I think they need to get someone to back up Danny Laworsie next season.
21:07 We mentioned some of the teams there, Sam, like Charlton Redding and Wigan, but you've also got the likes of Huddersfield, Peterborough, Bolton, Barnsley.
21:16 Which games are you looking forward to the most next season in League One?
21:19 And looking at that league, there's a whole load of former Premier League clubs in that one.
21:23 So it's going to be a tough old test for Crawley, isn't it?
21:26 Yeah, real, real tough test. And it's what you want, though, isn't it? It's what you want to go to some really historic clubs.
21:32 Yeah, so much kind of history and everything. I think it's really exciting for Crawley actually to be able to be involved in that and in a really tough, tough league, which will really test them.
21:42 And there's so many that you can kind of look to. It's big games to look forward to.
21:46 Obviously Charlton's a good one. Not too far to travel, obviously, for that one, because there are some long, long distances they've got to go this season.
21:54 But even teams like Birmingham and Cumberland from the Championship and Bolton, as you say, obviously, I think it's just so exciting, really, to be part of that.
22:04 And I really hope they can get, obviously, yeah, being in League One will hopefully attract more players to the club and obviously more quality as well.
22:11 So I think just keep hold of as many players as possible and just add to it.
22:15 And as Mark just mentioned, getting other striker rooms, back up horsey, a little bit of depth as well.
22:21 That's going to be vital. Obviously, as four teams coming down from League One, it's going to make it even more of a challenge for Crawley to stay there for another season or even better and try and go for the playoffs again.
22:34 You never know.
22:36 Absolutely. And I know this is very premature, but I'm going to ask you both your early League One predictions.
22:42 And this is obviously without Crawley strengthening. But as of now, Mark, where do you see Crawley finishing?
22:49 I'm going to say playoffs just because I don't want to upset Scott Lindsay.
22:52 But I mean, it'll be a hell of an achievement if they got there.
22:56 But I think mid-table, just above mid-table, I think they'll win more games than they lose next year.
23:03 Do you agree with that, Sam?
23:05 Yeah, I agree. I think playoffs might be a little bit of a stretch depending on who they bring in.
23:09 But yeah, I'll say mid-table. I think there'll be a solid League One team.
23:14 And the football they've been playing this season, League Two and in the playoffs, I think they'll be more than OK in League One.
23:20 I think they really will make it their own and have a solid, positive season they can hopefully build on.
23:26 Absolutely. Well, Ian, in a way, it's been a fantastic achievement from Crawley Town.
23:29 We'd like to congratulate them again on their player final success.
23:32 You can catch up with all the latest sports news covering everything we've talked about today at celsiusworld.com/sport.
23:38 And you can watch more excellent videos on shotstv.com and Freeview channel 276.
23:43 Thank you very much for listening or watching and we will see you when we see you.
23:46 see you.