The 2010–11 season was the 61st season in which Crawley Town played senior football, and their seventh in the Football Conference. On 1 July 2010, following a number of signings, the club held a press conference to declare their intentions for the coming season. They confirmed that the club had cleared £1,000,000 of debt and was now debt-free, and that Bruce Winfield has bought the shareholding formerly held by the Prospect Estates group. On 9 April, Crawley won the Conference National, beating Tamworth 3–0, and by doing this they will be a Football League club for the first time in their history.
Season summary Prior to the beginning of the season, the club spent around £600,000 on players, signing the likes of Matt Tubbs from Salisbury City, Sergio Torres from Peterborough United and Richard Brodie from York City for a non-league record fee, financed in part by anonymous Far Eastern investors. The club saw success in the league losing just thrice all season before being promoted to the Football League for the first time in their history on 9 April 2011 following a 3–0 victory away to Tamworth. They finished top of the league on 105 points, a division record. The club also saw success in the FA Cup, reaching the fifth round of the competition before being eliminated by eventual Premier League champions and FA Cup semi-finalists Manchester United.
In 2017, football magazine FourFourTwo rated the Crawley Town team of the 2010–11 season the 21st most hated team of all time in British football, as a result of the club's significant financial backing and their unpopular manager Steve Evans, who was found guilty of tax evasion at his previous club Boston United. Due to the club's significant financial backing from anonymous foreign investors, they were referred to as the 'Manchester City' of non-league football. The anonymous owner was later revealed to be Hong-Kong-based Paul Hayward.
Match results
Crawley Town results given first
Legend WinDrawLoss
Friendlies +DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersNotes10 July 2010MillwallHome1–11030Quinn13 July 2010Crystal PalaceHome1–01447Tubbs16 July 2010Dorchester TownAway6–0 Quinn, Enver-Marum (3), Coward (own goal), Napper17 July 2010WeymouthAway2–0455McAllister (2 (1 penalty))20 July 2010Arsenal XIHome2–21150Wilson, Tubbs24 July 2010Chelsea XIHome3–0813Hall, Tubbs, Malcolm28 July 2010Queens Park RangersHome2–01110Tubbs (2)31 July 2010St. Albans CityAway0–0122—7 August 2010BromleyAway0–1 —7 September 2010Three BridgesAway7–0
Conference National
+DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersNotes14 August 2010Grimsby TownHome0–1242817 August 2010Cambridge UnitedAway2–22558Tubbs (2)21 August 2010AltrinchamAway1–0776Masterton24 August 2010Bath CityHome2–11,252Tubbs, McAllister(pen)28 August 2010Hayes & Yeading UnitedAway3–0320McAllister (2) Torres30 August 2010Forest Green RoversHome1–01,458Tubbs4 September 2010Fleetwood TownHome1–11,637McAllister11 September 2010HistonAway2–0497McFadzean, Brodie18 September 2010GatesheadHome2–11,412Tubbs (2)21 September 2010AFC WimbledonAway1–24,018Tubbs25 September 2010Rushden & DiamondsAway1–01,162Tubbs28 September 2010TamworthHome3–11,355Tubbs (2) Smith2 October 2010Kidderminster HarriersHome2–01,483McAllister, Neilson5 October 2010Luton TownAway2–16,895Brodie, McAllister9 October 2010BarrowAway1–11,155Tubbs16 October 2010Newport CountyHome2–32,566Brodie, Neilson30 October 2010Mansfield TownAway4–12,615Bulman McAllister (2) Tubbs13 November 2010DarlingtonAway1–12,012Neilson20 November 2010AltrinchamHome7–01,331Tubbs (3) Brodie (2) Torres, Neilson1 January 2011Eastbourne BoroughHome3–11,894Smith, Tubbs (2)3 January 2011Forest Green RoversAway3–01,027McAllister Tubbs (2)15 January 2011Kettering TownHome 2–11,812Tubbs, Brodie18 January 2011Bath CityAway2–0836Tubbs (2)22 January 2011Grimsby TownAway0–03,38225 January 2011Cambridge UnitedHome3–03,241McAllister (2) Cook3 February 2011Kettering TownAway0–01,21612 February 2011WrexhamHome3–23,331Tubbs (3)15 February 2011WrexhamAway0–04,63022 February 2011SouthportHome1–03,721Mills26 February 2011BarrowHome3–23,941Brodie, McAllister, Mills5 March 2011HistonHome5–03,031Tubbs, Smith, Simpson, Hunt, Gibson8 March 2011Kidderminster HarriersAway0–01,81612 March 2011Fleetwood TownAway2–12,027Brodie, Tubbs15 March 2011Hayes & Yeading UnitedHome5–22,236Dempster, Simpson, Tubbs (2), Mills18 March 2011AFC WimbledonHome3–14,054Tubbs, McFadzean, Dance22 March 2011Eastbourne BoroughAway2–12,054Wassmer, Torres26 March 2011GatesheadAway0–075129 March 2011Mansfield TownHome2–03,162McFadzean, Tubbs2 April 2011DarlingtonHome1–03,554Smith5 April 2011York CityAway1–13,060Torres9 April 2011TamworthAway3–01,569Tubbs (2) Wassmer C12 April 2011Luton TownHome1–13,326Brodie16 April 2011SouthportAway4–01,011Brodie (2), Neilson, Simpson22 April 2011Rushden & DiamondsHome4–03,083Cook, Tubbs (3) 25 April 2011Newport CountyAway1–02,026Howell30 April 2011York CityHome1–12,945 Tubbs
FA Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersNotes4Q23 October 2010Newport CountyAway1–02,274Craig McAllister1R6 November 2010Guiseley AFCAway5–0Matt Tubbs, Scott Neilson, Danny Hall, Richard Brodie, Sergio Torres2R26 November 2010Swindon TownHome1–13,895Matt Tubbs2RR7 December 2010Swindon TownAway3–2 AET2,995Ben Smith, Michael Rose (OG), Ben Smith3R10 January 2011Derby CountyHome2–14,145Craig McAllister, Sergio Torres4R29 January 2011Torquay UnitedAway1–05,065Matt Tubbs5R19 February 2011Manchester UnitedAway0–174,778
FA Trophy
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersNotes111 December 2010DartfordHome3–31,031Brodie, Mcallister, Howell 1R14 December 2010DartfordAway0–1605
Sussex Senior Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorersNotes216 November 2010 Horsham Away0–2180 –
Player statistics Correct as of 23 April 2011. Players with a zero in every column only appeared as unused substitutes.
No.Pos.NameLeagueFA CupFA TrophyTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GKMichel Kuipers2606010330122MFSimon Rusk9 (7)00 (1)0009 (8)0203DFSam Rents4 (1)02 (1)0208 (2)0004MFEddie Hutchinson1 (1)000001 (1)0004MFDavid Hunt22 (3)11 (2)00023 (5)1505DFAdam Quinn11 (1)0000011 (1)0105DFJohn Dempster8 (2)100008 (2)1306DFDanny Hall9 (5)01 (1)12012 (5)1307MFBen Smith22 (7)46 (1)20028 (8)6208MFSergio Torres34 (5)46 (1)21 (1)040 (7)6709FWMatt Tubbs38 (3)37631045 (3)405010FWLiam Enver-Marum1 (2)000001 (2)00010MFJosh Simpson21 (6)3000021 (6)31011MFSteve Masterton12 (1)1202016 (1)13012GKNick Jordan5 (2)000106 (2)00014FWCraig McAllister28 (13)126 (1)21 (1)135 (15)150015DFDarragh Ryan000000000015MFDannie Bulman31170103911116DFGlenn Wilson32 (7)0602040 (7)04017MFBarry Cogan2 (1)000002 (1)00017MFWillie Gibson11 (3)1100012 (3)13018FWJamie Cook6 (15)21 (5)0108 (20)20019MFMichael Malcolm0 (3)000000 (3)00019MFJames Dance2 (5)100002 (5)11020MFChris Flood0 (3)000101 (3)00020DFCharlie Wassmer10 (2)2000010 (2)25121MFByron Napper000000000022MFPablo Mills32370104038023DFDean Howell351701 (1)142 (2)13124MFJai Reason0 (4)000000 (4)01026MFScott Neilson24 (3)5510 (1)029 (4)66027DFKyle McFadzean34 (3)370104239129FWRichard Brodie25 (13)111 (5)11127 (18)139030GKScott Shearer15 (1)0000015 (1)000
Annual awards
Crawley News Player of the Year Matt Tubbs
Crawley Observer Player of the Year Pablo Mills
Crawley Observer Young Player of the Year Kyle McFadzean
CTFC.net Player of the Year Kyle McFadzean
Transfers
In DatePositionNamePrevious clubFee 19 May 2010 GKMichel Kuipers (Brighton & Hove Albion) Free 26 May 2010 DFDanny Hall (Chesterfield) Free 3 June 2010 MFSteven Masterton (Greenock Morton) Free 23 June 2010FW Liam Enver Marum (Eastbourne Borough) Free 23 June 2010 MFDarragh Ryan (Stevenage Borough) Free 28 June 2010 FWCraig McAllister (Exeter City) Free 29 June 2010FW Jamie Cook (Oxford United) Free 1 July 2010FW Matt Tubbs Salisbury City £70,000 2 July 2010FW Michael Malcolm (Weymouth) Free 6 July 2010DF Pablo Mills (Rotherham United) Free Crawley Town sign ex-Rotherham midfielder Pablo Mills Retrieved 8 July 2010 8 July 2010MF Sergio Torres Peterborough United £100,000+ 22 July 2010MF Chris Flood Salisbury City £10,000 22 July 2010DF Dean Howell (Aldershot Town) Free 16 August 2010MF Scott Neilson Bradford City Undisclosed 17 July 2010MF Jai Reason (Cambridge United) Free 14 August 2010DF Kyle McFadzean Alfreton Town Undisclosed 30 August 2010FW Richard Brodie York City £150,000 30 December 2010MF Dannie Bulman Oxford United Free 31 December 2010MF Josh Simpson Peterborough United Undisclosed 1 January 2011GK Scott Shearer Wrexham Free 5 January 2011DF John Dempster Kettering Town Undisclosed 14 January 2011MF James Dance Kettering Town Undisclosed 31 January 2011DF Willie Gibson Dunfermline Athletic Undisclosed
Out DatePositionNameSubsequent clubFee 10 May 2010FW Jefferson Louis (Gainsborough Trinity) Mutual consent 14 May 2010FW Danny Forrest (Barrow) Declined terms 14 May 2010FW Lewis Killeen (Droylsden) Declined terms 14 May 2010FW Michael Malcolm (Farnborough) Declined terms 2 July 2010FW Charles Ademeno Grimsby Town £10,000 6 September 2010MF Darragh Ryan (Southern Stars) Mutual consent 22 September 2010MF Jai Reason (Braintree Town) Mutual consent 8 November 2010MF Eddie Hutchinson (Eastbourne Borough) Mutual consent 16 November 2010FW Liam Enver-Marum (Ebbsfleet United) Mutual consent 16 November 2010FW Barry Cogan (Dover Athletic) Mutual consent 7 January 2011DF Adam Quinn Darlington Undisclosed 11 February 2011MF Chris Flood Dorchester Town Undisclosed
See also 2010–11 Football Conference 2010–11 in English football
Notes
References General Crawley Town F.C. Official Website CTFC.net BBC Sport Crawley Town site Specific
External links