Meet the opposition | Crawley Town
As Swansea City prepare to face Crawley Town, we take a closer look at the Red Devils.
What’s their story?
Originally formed in 1896, Crawley Town first reached the Football League in 2011.
They briefly disbanded in 1935 but were quickly reformed. Crawley featured in the West Sussex League, Mid-Sussex League, Brighton Hove and District League, the Sussex County League, the Metropolitan League and the Southern League before reaching National League level in 2004.
Steve Evans led them to the EFL in 2011, and they were promoted to League One the season after.
They were relegated to League Two in 2015 and spent nine years in the fourth tier before returning to League One last term, only to suffer relegation.
How’s their form?
Crawley have suffered two defeats from their first two games in League Two this season.
They were beaten 3-0 by Grimsby on the opening weekend, and were beaten 2-1 Newport County at the weekend.
Who’s the gaffer?
Scott Lindsey. The 53-year-old is back in charge of Crawley for the second time, having been reappointed in March 2025.
A former midfielder, Lindsey enjoyed a long playing career, featuring for Goole Town, Stafford Rangers, Burton Albion, Sutton Coldfield, Tamworth, Bridlington Town, Gillingham, Dover Athletic, Sittingbourne, Canvey Island, Gravesend & Northfleet, Welling United, Folkstone Invicta and Maidstone United.
He moved into coaching with Gillingham and Lincoln City, having a stint in caretaker charge of the latter, before moving to work in Swindon Town’s academy.
Lindsey went on to work with Forest Green Rovers and Chatham Town, before returning to the Robins as assistant manager and then becoming manager when Ben Garner left for Charlton Athletic.
He left Swindon with the Robins performing strongly to take over at relegation-threatened Crawley and managed to keep them up before leading them to play-off success the following year in 2024.
Lindsey made the switch to MK Dons later that year, but was soon back at the Broadfield Stadium, although he was unable to keep Crawley in the third tier.
Who’s the captain?
Dion Conroy. The former Fulham and Chelsea academy defender is entering his fourth season with Crawley, having first joined the Red Devils in 2022.
Conroy spent eight years on the books at Chelsea, winning an FA Youth Cup and Premier League 2 winners’ medals during his time at Stamford Bridge.
He had a six-month loan spell at Aldershot Town before signing for Swindon Town in January 2017.
Conroy spent five years at the County Ground, and was handed his first start by former Swans boss Luke Williams.
He went on to make more than 100 league appearances, having also spent a significant period of time on the sidelines with a serious knee injury.
He was released at the end of the 2021-22 season after their play-off exit, and made the move to Crawley.
Conroy skippered Crawley to play-off final glory against Crewe in 2024, and will be hoping to help them bounce back following relegation last term.
Who are the key players?
Striker Kabongo Tshimanga joined Crawley during the summer from Peterborough United off the back of a productive loan spell at Swindon, there he scored 13 goals in all competitions.
Having been on the books at MK Dons as a youngster, he had loan spells with Aldershot, Chelmsford, Corby, Nuneaton and Yeovil, before full-time moves to Boston United, Oxford City, Boreham Wood and Chesterfield.
Tshimanga enjoyed outstanding goalscoring returns for the latter three of those clubs, and that earned him a move to Peterborough United in 2023.
Loans with Fleetwood and Swindon followed, prior to his switch to the Red Devils during the off-season.
Goalkeeper Harvey Davies is on loan from Liverpool at the Broadfield Stadium.
The 21-year-old has been on the books of the Anfield club since under-nine level, and enjoyed a positive loan spell with Crewe during the 2023-24 campaign, notably helping them defeat Sunderland via a penalty shootout in the League Cup.
The England age-grade international was part of the under-19 squad that won their European Championship in 2022.
He was also an unused substitute in Liverpool’s Champions League quarter-final ties against Real Madrid during the 2020-21 season.
Defender Charlie Barker was Crawley’s player of the season last term, and will be a key figure once again this year.
Barker, 22, came through the youth ranks at Charlton Athletic, and had loan stints with Wealdstone and Hemel Hempstead, before signing for the former on a full-time deal.
Barker – the son of former Rotherham player Richie - returned to the EFL ranks with Crawley a year later, and was a standout performer despite the disappointment of relegation.