On a happier note, we would also like to welcome our new Manager Sean O'Driscoll to the club and hope that he can take the club further up the league pryamid.
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After the League 1 playoff matches so far we know two of the sides will be visiting next season Stevenage and MK Dons and with Huddersfield against Sheffield United in the playoff final we will be playing another big club next season. By Sunday 27th May we will know the set up of League 1; then it’s 3 weeks before we know our opening fixture on the 18th August 2012.
We should see some activity at the ground in terms of the re-development of the East Stand corner sections, and any works to the pitch that need doing very soon if they want it to be ready for the start of the season.
With the list of players now leaving released we would like to thank Pablo Mills, Dean Howell, John Dempster, Glenn Wilson, Ben Smith who have been an integral part of the teams winning back to back promotions. They all move on with our best wishes and hope that they find other clubs to play for.
Like you all we are waiting for the all important announcement of who will be our next manager, names have been bounded about, with Sean O’Driscoll now being the bookies favourite for the job at the moment – we will see, whoever the club appoint, he should have the backing of all supporters and hopefully see us into the next phase of our meteoric rise up the leagues.
We should also learn in the next few weeks who we will be playing against in the pre-season matches; hopefully, the club will see sense and price these matches accordingly, especially if they want to get us away from the TV and the Olympic games (“yes” they are being held in London if you didn’t already know) – perhaps include some of these in the season tickets price. For any of the away matches it is unlikely that we will organise any supporter’s coaches, however, if there is a few who want to travel to a game, depending where it is we may hire a minibus.
I know its early, but I am already on the case for the overnight trips, I have made contact with a couple of hotels just outside Hartlepool for this game – its likely that we will have two night stops, both the Friday and Saturday for all of our overnight games to Carlisle (Morecambe), Preston (Blackpool) and Hartlepool. I have even started working on the stops for the new grounds to be visited, some we can visit old friends and others we need to find, however, found a country pub en-route for the MK Dons match, all we need are the dates of these matches so that arrangements can be made and confirmed. In the meantime if anyone wants to let me know if they are interested in the overnight stops please do so that I can start the room requirement.
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GH Caoches "Away player of the season" Dannie Bulman
Andy Hugget (United Roofing), Kevin Giles, Winner Dannie Bulman and Alain Harper after the game
Fans celebrating on the trip back from Blackpool on Sunday morning - despite most suffering from the night before.
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End of Season Report from GH Coaches
Well, we have come through our first season in the football league, not only have we competed with all the other more established sides, we have in fact followed in the footsteps of Stevenage by winning an automatic promotion spot to League 1 at our first attempt, although Stevenage went through via the playoffs. All reds supporters wherever you were, went through enough emotions during the game on Saturday – with the best elation at the end having secured the final automatic promotion place
The Management team of now departed Steve Evans and Paul Rayner must take the plaudits for this achievement, which was completed by Craig Brewster and Steve Coppell, seeing us over the line during the last 6 matches. Steve decided that the grass was greener in Rotherham and we all wish him well there, but we won’t come across Rotherham in a league match next season as they will be trying to emulate us in League 2. Although Steve can’t stop “bigging” himself up with his latest comments in the League Paper. Thanks to Craig and Steve, we managed it, with only Hereford beating us since they took over the reigns and can still boast having the least amounts of defeats in League 2 this season and third highest scorers.
All the players must be thanked for their efforts throughout the season, especially since the selling of Matty Tubbs and Tyronne Bennett and the departure of the management team that brought them to the club in the first place – heads could have gone down, but no, they have kept playing at a high level and now have got their reward by getting into League 1. Hopefully we will let them have a chance at winning League 1 next season with a couple of experienced additions to the squad. The Directors have a difficult decision to make over the next few weeks on who going to succeed as manager – Craig and Steve have given them something to think about.
Improvements have been made to the Broadfield Stadium since the start of the season, with the new floodlights and East Stand now erected, increasing the overall capacity to just under 6000. More improvements are being carried out over the summer so when we come back for the pre-season friendlies we shall see the next phase completed.
Now, getting on to the Away Travel, firstly, as was indicated at the Supporters Club AGM, I was going to give up organising supporters coaches at the end of last season, mainly as I felt it was time to let someone else have all the heartache of having to go to midweek matches to York, Wrexham etc, albeit in League 2. Having had telephone calls from some old supporter’s club members and further discussion with Kevin and Dave Brown, together with a bit of pressure from my family I did a bit of a turn round and agreed to organise supporter’s coaches this season provided we could cover all costs. We were starting from scratch, no money in the bank, no travel insurance, nothing apart from the will to succeed. Costs were agreed with Crawley Luxury for the seasons travel. Kevin and I went to see Alan Williams at the club to tell him what we were doing and why. We did ask if we could sell our coach tickets from Redz – this was obviously denied to us as we were competing against the CTSA – as was us advertising the coaches in the match programme or anywhere in the stadium. We therefore had to find a based, locally to the ground – hence the Half Moon was a prime location. We made contact with Ali and Rob who greeted us with open arms and offered us some great assistance from the start, opening up prior to our departures for Breakfast rolls and beverages.
Our first coach we planned was to Cheltenham at the end of August, hoping we could get enough supporters to book on – what a response – a full coach, we couldn’t have wished for a better start. We found a pub en-route, provided a buffet for supporters and the rest is history. The CTSA were unhappy about CLC providing us, as well as themselves with coaches that they decided to switch companies – leaving us as the only Crawley Luxury user. I can say for the twentieth year running that we have had no problems throughout the season, except from my navigation for Kevin.
Thanks to you, some very loyal supporters, we are still here, having provided coaches to all but 1 game – the re-arranged midweek game at Bradford. We have had 3 very popular overnight stops, visited a number of brilliant country pubs around the country rather than the motorway services, making some more good friends for the future – we can’t thank enough the White Lion (Barthomly), Cross Keys (Castle Donington) for their hospitality on numerous occasions we have visited.
About two months ago, we came across by chance the Crawley Happy Times (CHT) web site, an on line newspaper for Crawley and surrounding area which has been in existence for 3 years. So, having made contact with Shelley and Brian who now have become friends, we have a fantastic media to advertise our coaches, something that we really needed to be addressed if we want to increase numbers travelling, our previous advertising efforts on the Club Forum, Facebook, Twitter, the Real Mad Red Fanzine are limited. Since having had our details published on CHT and recorded interviews on their CHT TV channel, we have seen a marked increase in numbers travelling on the coaches, enabling us for the match at Dagenham & Redbridge to offer a reduce fare of £7.50p for supporters as a thank you for their support over the season. CHT were guests of ours for this trip, and have commented on the website how much they enjoyed the day.
Our financial state is good, considering how we started, thanks to the supporters who have made generous donations, everyone who has entered the “Crawley Last Goal” competition and with the small profit made on the coaches themselves we are free from any debt. All coaches have been paid for and we go into next season with money in the bank.
I would like to thank Andy Huggett (United Roofing) for sponsoring the GHCoaches “Away player” award – this has been a unanimous decision, with Dannie Bulman winning, he received 90% of the votes cast, and by the cheers from the fans at the game was a popular choice. We would like to thank the Accrington Stanley Football Club for allowing us to present the Trophy on the pitch before the game last Saturday.
Congratulations to Kyle MacFadzean for his inclusion in the League 2 Xl, with former Red Tyronne Barnett also making the team.
As always, Kevin gets the short straw (not being able to have an alcoholic drink), having to drive us around the country. I would personally like to thank him and the other drivers – Trevor, Toddy and Manny who have helped on the occasions we needed two due to the distances involved. Other supporters that need a thank you are Kelly for organising the refreshments on the longer journeys, Ann for keeping us and the coach free from litter and rubbish, who also acts with Patrick as our first aiders on the coach should there be a need.
We venture into another unknown season, another new set of grounds to visit and some big clubs – who’d would have thought 4 years ago we would be playing the likes of Portsmouth, Coventry, Preston at the Broadfield Stadium in a league match. Over the next couple of weeks, Kevin and I will sit down with Dave Brown at Crawley Luxury to agree details for next season. As soon as these are agreed we will amend all the details on our website, which in itself will be revamped over the summer. The new Division 1 fixtures are due out in Mid June, so we will know what we are looking at for the overnight stops – at the moment we are planning 3 – Carlisle, Hartlepool and Preston. With Carlisle and Preston stopping we will be stopping at previous hotels at Morecambe and Blackpool. We are on the case for Hartlepool.
Oh Dear, some of the fancy dress outfits worn on Friday on the way up to Blackpool - great effort - and some great comments from the locals at the White Lion.
Players celebrating after the final whistle - Promotion to League 1
