Crawley Town Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Crawley, West Sussex. Founded in 1896 as Crawley F.C., the team played in junior leagues until 1951 when they were admitted to the Sussex County League as part of its attempted expansion.[1][2] In their second season, they finished bottom of that league's First Division with only 4 points from 26 matches,[3] but regulations prevented any team being relegated until the division reached its full complement of 16 teams.[4] After another last-place finish two seasons later, they were relegated, but a runners-up spot in the Second Division in 1955–56 preceded a move into the Metropolitan & District League.[3]

In 1958, under its new name of Crawley Town,[3] the club entered the FA Cup for the first time; its team lost in the preliminary round at home to Horsham.[5] It adopted professional status four years later,[1] and entered the Southern League in 1963–64. Crawley gained promotion to that league's Premier Division for the 1969–70 season, but dropped straight back to Division One. When the league expanded to create two regional second-tier divisions, Crawley were placed in the southern division. They remained in the southern half when the creation of the Alliance Premier League as the top non-league division forced another restructure of the Southern League, this time with parallel Midland and Southern Divisions. Crawley's lowly finish in 1981–82 meant they failed to benefit from yet another reorganisation, whereby the top ten teams in each regional division formed a new Premier Division, but two years later they were promoted as runners-up.[3][6]

They remained at that level for the next twenty years, until they won their first Southern League title in 2003–04 and consequent promotion to the new Conference National.[3][6] Despite a variety of points deductions, including ten points in 2006–07 for entering administration and six the following season for financial irregularities, and a transfer embargo,[7] they held on to their Conference status. In 2010–11, they not only progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup, coming "within inches" of drawing with Manchester United at Old Trafford via Richard Brodie's header against the crossbar,[8] they were not distracted from the league campaign; a 30-match unbeaten run and a Conference record 105 points earned them the 2010–11 title and promotion to the Football League.[1] As well as reaching the FA Cup fifth round again, they came third in their first season in League Two, so went up to League One, where they remained for three seasons before returning to the fourth tier.[3]

The table details the team's achievements in senior first-team competitions and the top league goalscorer(s) from Crawley's first season in the Sussex County League in 1951–52 to the end of the most recently completed season.

Key

Seasons

List of seasons, including league division and statistics, cup results and top league scorer(s)
Season League[3][9] FA Cup[5] League Cup[3][10] Other[3][10] Top league scorer(s)[11]
Division[lower-alpha 1] Pld W D L GF GA Pts Pos Competition Result Player(s) Goals
1951–52 Sussex28771457892113th ———— Not known—
1952–53 Sussex 126122330112414th ———— Not known—
1953–54 Sussex 1281121555702411th ———— Not known—
1954–55 Sussex 1 ↓321041847702417th ———— Not known—
1955–56 Sussex 22620249628412nd ———— Not known—
1956–57 Met & D34971861752514th ———— Not known—
1957–58 Met & D341271570753111th ———— Not known—
1958–59 Met & D361271765863114th Prelim——— Not known—
1959–60 Met389227521162020th QR3——— Not known—
1960–61 Met345425391231417th QR1——— Not known—
1961–62 Met32192119055405th QR4——— Not known—
1962–63 Met3219498249426th QR3——— Not known—
1963–64 South 1422022081714212th QR4——— Not known—
1964–65 South 142225158352497th QR4——— Not known—
1965–66 South 14617101972714412th QR4——— Not known—
1966–67 South 146268128148606th QR3——— Not known—
1967–68 South 1421082454852818th QR3——— Not known—
1968–69 South 1 ↑42211386532554th QR1——— Not known—
1969–70 South P ↓4261521531012721st QR4—FA TrophyQR2 Not known—
1970–71 South 13815111284684110th R1—FA TrophyQR1 Not known—
1971–72 South 1S30155106755354th R1—FA TrophyQR2 Not known—
1972–73 South 1S4214111759763914th QR4—FA TrophyQR2 Not known—
1973–74 South 1S38692335792120th QR2—FA TrophyQR2 Not known—
1974–75 South 1S383530311021120th QR2—FA TrophyPrelim Not known—
1975–76 South 1S389101946662818th QR4—FA TrophyQR1 Not known—
1976–77 South 1S34149115342379th QR1—FA TrophyPrelim Not known—
1977–78 South 1S381491561603712th QR3—FA TrophyQR2 Not known—
1978–79 South 1S40992244752720th QR2—FA TrophyQR1 Not known—
1979–80 South S4613112255723720th QR1—FA TrophyPrelim Not known—
1980–81 South S461842464784015th QR2—FA TrophyQR2 Not known—
1981–82 South S469122546813021st QR1—FA TrophyQR1 Not known—
1982–83 South S3414911514351[lower-alpha 2]7th QR1—FA TrophyQR3 Not known—
1983–84 South S ↑3822976828752nd Prelim—FA TrophyQR3 Not known—
1984–85 South P3822887652743rd QR2—FA TrophyQR1 Not known—
1985–86 South P38185157659596th QR3—FA TrophyR2 Not known—
1986–87 South P4214111759605313th QR3—FA TrophyR1 Not known—
1987–88 South P421714117363656th QR1—FA TrophyR2 Not known—
1988–89 South P4214161261565812th QR4—FA TrophyQR3 Not known—
1989–90 South P4213121753575115th QR1—FA TrophyQR3 Not known—
1990–91 South P4212121845674819th QR2—FA TrophyQR2 Not known—
1991–92 South P4212121862674817th R3—FA TrophyQR1 Not known—
1992–93 South P401612126859606th QR4—FA TrophyQR2 Not known—
1993–94 South P422110115642735th R2—FA TrophyQR3 Not known—
1994–95 South P4215101764715511th R1—FA TrophyQR3 Not known—
1995–96 South P421513145756589th QR4—FA TrophyQR2 Not known—
1996–97 South P42138214967477th QR2—FA TrophyQR3 Not known—
1997–98 South P421781763605910th QR1—FA TrophyQR2 Not known—
1998–99 South P4217101557586111th QR4—FA TrophyR3 Not known—
1999–2000 South P421581968825312th QR2—FA TrophyR2 Not known—
2000–01 South P4217101561546111th QR2—FA TrophyR3 Not known—
2001–02 South P422110116748734th QR3—FA TrophyR1 Not known—
2002–03 South P421713126451647th R2—FA TrophyR3 Not known—
2003–04 South P ↑4225987743841st R1—FA TrophyR3 Charlie MacDonald[13]17
2004–05 Conf421691750505712th QR4—FA TrophyR4 Allan Tait10
2005–06 Conf42121119485544[lower-alpha 3]17th QR4— Daryl Clare11
2006–07 Conf46171217525253[lower-alpha 4]18th QR4—FA TrophyR1 Scott Rendell11
2007–08 Conf4619918736760[lower-alpha 5]15th QR4—FA TrophyQF Jamie Cook16
2008–09 Conf46191413775570[lower-alpha 6]9th QR4—FA TrophyR3 Jamie Cook13
2009–10 Conf44199165057667th QR4—FA TrophyR2 Charles Ademeno11
2010–11 Conf ↑463112393301051st R5—FA TrophyR1 Matt Tubbs[16]37 ♦
2011–12 League Two ↑46231587654843rd R5R1 Football League TrophyR1(S) Tyrone Barnett14
2012–13 League One4618141459586810th R3R3 Football League TrophyR2(S) Billy Clarke10
2013–14 League One4614151748545714th R2R1 Football League TrophyR2(S) Matt Tubbs8
2014–15 League One ↓4613112253795022nd R1R2 Football League TrophyQF(S) Izale McLeod19
2015–16 League Two461382545784720th R1R1 Football League TrophyR2(S) Rhys Murphy9
2016–17 League Two4613122153715119th R1R1EFL TrophyR2(S) James Collins20
2017–18 League Two4616111958666914th R1R1EFL TrophyGroup (S) 10
2018–19 League Two461582351685319th R1R1EFL TrophyGroup (S) Ollie Palmer14
2019–20 League Two3711151151474813th[lower-alpha 7] R2R4EFL TrophyGroup (S) Ollie Palmer13
2020–21 League Two4616131756626112th R4R1EFL TrophyGroup (S) Max Watters13
2021–22 League Two4617101956666112th R1R1EFL TrophyGroup (S) Kwesi Appiah11
2022–23 League Two4611132248714622nd R1R3EFL TrophyGroup (S) Dom Telford12

Notes

  1. ↑ Divisions are sorted according to their level within the English football league system at the time.
  2. ↑ The 1982–83 season saw the introduction of three points for a win instead of two in the Southern League.[12]
  3. ↑ Three-point deduction for exceeding their annual playing budget as agreed with the Football Conference.[1][14]
  4. ↑ Ten-point deduction for entering administration.[7]
  5. ↑ Six-point deduction for financial irregularities.[7]
  6. ↑ One-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player.[15]
  7. ↑ Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was suspended in March 2020, and Leagues One and Two were concluded prematurely in June, with league positions and promotions decided on a points-per-game basis.[17] Crawley lay 12th on points but finished 13th on points per game.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Crawley Town FC history". Crawley Town F.C. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  2. ↑ County Rover (24 August 1951). "Biggest County League ever starts tomorrow". Sussex Express & County Herald. Lewes. p. 8.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Crawley" and "Crawley Town". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  4. ↑ County Rover (13 March 1953). "Farncombe: what will be the next move?". Sussex Express & County Herald. Lewes. p. 12. Funny, but in all probability the club who finish at the bottom of the Sussex County League (Division I) this season will not welcome the safeguard against relegation which the rule amendments, approved by the County F.A. Council on Wednesday, will give. It is more than likely that the bottom team will be Crawley, and under the new rule which says there will be no relegation until Division I has 16 teams, Crawley will be doomed to struggle on in Division I. They would, I should think, be far happier in Division II, and their small gate would probably increase if there were a few wins to stimulate interest.
  5. 1 2 "Past Results". The Football Association (The FA). Retrieved 15 May 2023. Individual seasons accessed via dropdown menu.
  6. 1 2 "Southern League". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 Gurney, Tom (7 August 2007). "Crawley docked six points". The Argus. Brighton. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  8. ↑ "United edge past brave Crawley". Sky Sports. 20 February 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  9. ↑ "Crawley Town league performance history". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  10. 1 2 "Crawley Town football club complete match record". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  11. ↑ For seasons from 2004–05 onwards: "Crawley: player appearances". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 May 2023. Access season required via dropdown menu.
  12. ↑ Abbink, Dinant (24 July 2005). "England – Southern League Final Tables". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF). Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  13. ↑ "1st team fixtures – Season 2003–04". Crawley Town F.C. Archived from the original on 23 November 2004.
  14. ↑ "Nationwide Conference 2005/06". Footballsite.co.uk. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
    "Crawley penalised by Conference". BBC Sport. 18 May 2006. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  15. ↑ Talbot, Bruce (28 February 2009). "Evans: Justice was done". The Argus. Brighton. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  16. ↑ "Blue Sq Premier Table – April 30 2011". Bluesq Premier. Archived from the original on 13 May 2011.
  17. ↑ de Menezes, Jack (9 June 2020). "League Two season ended to confirm promotion and relegation plans". The Independent. London. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  18. ↑ Owen, Brian (9 June 2020). "Crawley drop a place but it's still their best finishing position for five years". The Argus. Brighton. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
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