Crawley Town sacked head coach Colin Kazim-Richards on Tuesday night after a 3-2 defeat to Shrewsbury Town left the club bottom of League Two. Assistant Julian Gray and director of football Erdem Konyar were also dismissed following a poor opening run.
Crawley Town dismissed head coach Colin Kazim-Richards on Tuesday night following a 3-2 home loss to Shrewsbury Town.
Shrewsbury Victory Triggers Sacking
The decision came just after midnight at the Broadfield Stadium. Crawley led in the fourth minute. Stephen Duke-McKenna delivered a pinpoint cross for Ade Adeyemo to head home from close range.
Shrewsbury fought back through Josh Davison. Davison scored twice. George Lloyd added a third to overturn the lead.
Dylan Morgan briefly leveled the game with a 25-yard strike. Davison then sealed the visitors’ victory in the closing moments.
Fans chanted for managerial changes as the final whistle blew. The side had slipped to a seventh defeat in 10 league outings.
The club announced the departures of Kazim-Richards, assistant Julian Gray, and director of football Erdem Konyar in a concise statement.
The club would like to place on record its sincere thanks to Colin and Julian, who joined during a challenging period and played an important role in securing the club’s EFL status at the end of last season.
Crawley Town Football Club, official statement
Club Hits Record Low in League Two
This is the worst start for Crawley since they won promotion to the English Football League in 2011. The team won the League Two play-offs in 2024 but suffered relegation back to the fourth tier a year later.
Kazim-Richards secured survival in the final weeks of last season. He managed two wins and three draws from seven games after taking over in March.
Summer squad turnover was extensive. 16 players arrived permanently or on loan, while another 16 departed.
The squad has conceded 20 goals across 10 league fixtures. The manager blamed a lack of seasoned campaigners in a youthful side.
I think I’ve given nine league debuts. That’s not an excuse and it’s not me getting at them – you can only get experience by doing it – but at certain times they need help with that, for sure.
Colin Kazim-Richards, former head coach
Kazim-Richards Rejects Exit Before Sacking
The 40-year-old former forward insisted he had no intention of walking away when speaking to the media after the Shrewsbury fixture. He maintained he could reverse the team’s fortunes if given adequate time.
Supporters called for his dismissal from the stands. Kazim-Richards offered a blunt assessment of the hostile reception.
He noted that fans had endured difficult times previously. He described supporters as impulsive and fickle.
Board Seeks New Manager
The Red Devils are now looking for a successor to lead them out of the relegation zone. Analysts have highlighted several available candidates.
Stuart Maynard is unattached after leaving York City over the summer. He previously led the Minstermen back to the EFL as National League champions.
Michael Flynn has a League Two track record with Newport County, Walsall, Swindon Town, and Cheltenham Town. Lee Bowyer is another option; he managed Charlton Athletic and the Montserrat national team.
Crawley sits six points from safety with 10 matches played.
The club has not yet named who will replace Kazim-Richards.