Crawley Town manager Colin Kazim-Richards has acknowledged the financial and emotional strain on supporters after a tough start to the League Two season. The Reds sit 23rd in the table with just four points from six games ahead of a long trip to face Grimsby Town this weekend.
Kazim-Richards, the former Brighton striker, said he understands why some fans might choose not to make the journey to Blundell Park. He pointed to the cost of diesel, which he noted is around two pounds per litre, as a significant factor. "It's beyond tiring for the fans but we are moving forward to change that around," the manager said. He added that he would not criticise supporters for staying away, whether the travelling contingent numbers ten, fifty, or two hundred.
The club's position is precarious after consecutive defeats to Accrington Stanley and Cheltenham Town. The most recent loss, a 3-1 home defeat to Cheltenham on 12 September, was met with boos from sections of the Broadfield Stadium crowd at the final whistle. Kazim-Richards accepted that reaction. "I've always said fans are allowed to express their feelings," he stated.
Crawley's only league win so far came away at Rochdale in late August, with their form since reading LLDLW. They have scored six goals but conceded eleven, leaving them with a negative five goal difference. The gap to early leaders Barnet is already eight points. After the Grimsby fixture, the schedule is disrupted. A planned home game against Barnet on 26 September has been postponed, and the following match against Walsall on 3 October is also in doubt. This means Crawley will have no league fixture for a couple of weeks due to the international break.
The manager's immediate focus is on halting the slide against a Grimsby side sitting sixth in the table. Kazim-Richards and his players have a clear fortnight after Saturday to work on solutions before the next confirmed league match.
The original report is at SussexWorld
