Crawley Town have sacked head coach Colin Kazim-Richards after a poor start to the season, with the club announcing his departure just after midnight following a home loss to Shrewsbury. The start is the club's worst since they won promotion to the English Football League in 2011.
Having won the League Two play-offs in 2024, Crawley were relegated back to the fourth tier a year later. Last season, the club finished just one point and one place above the League Two relegation zone, as Kazim-Richards guided them to survival with two wins and three draws in their final seven matches after his appointment in March. This season's struggles, however, led fans to call for a change.
Asked by BBC Radio Surrey if he could turn his side's fortunes around, Kazim-Richards said: "I feel I can. If I'm given the time is another question. It's not a question I can answer for you." He added that the squad needs more experience, particularly in game management.
Over the summer, 16 players arrived at Crawley either permanently or on loan, while another 16 departed. Crawley have conceded 20 goals in 10 league games. Kazim-Richards felt he could still get the best out of his players, but said certain areas need help and that players need others to pass on experience. He noted that he has given nine league debuts, adding that experience can only be gained by playing, though the players need help with it at certain times.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing