Bradley Flory: Hello everyone and welcome to episode 3 of the Devil's Own podcast. Coming thick and fast at the moment. As ever, joined by Asa, chief reporter for us this evening. Evening Asa, how are you?
Asa Finch: Good evening everyone, a good thank you, how are you?
Bradley Flory: Yes, good thanks. Jack's back. Hi Jack. Welcome back. Are you all right today?
Jack: Hi, I think, yeah, thank you for having me back. How are you all today?
Bradley Flory: We're good, looking forward to getting into it. And Josh returns. Hi Josh, welcome back. How are you?
Josh Tummon: Hi mate, I'm good. It's good to be back on. How are you?
Bradley Flory: Good, good stuff. Yeah, we're good. Thank you. Okay, so ⁓ as ever some housekeeping to take care of. The pod today is sponsored again by Mansfield Media. Some of you may know Grant taking pictures around the ground. He helps us out with imagery and some video. So we're ever grateful for that. So massive thanks to Mansfield Media. Next thing before we get too deep into everything else is to keep the pod going over the summer we're going to run a series of support stories podcasts. We want to hear from loads of different people about why they support Crawley, their highs, lows etc. So if you fancy it, if you want to get involved there is a sign up button on the website thedevilzone.uk And then we can hopefully record a series of these and keep them coming out over the summer along with discussing hopefully transfers and things as they happen along the way. ⁓ Right, let's get into it. Bristol Rovers away. Who wants to go with that one?
Asa Finch: Go on, I'll first comment on it. Look, think a lot of people said, you know, we turned up for the last maybe 20 minutes of the match. And I think, you know, I agree with that. I we did just turn up the last 20 minutes. I think first half performance, very similar. was a bit of a carbon copy to Grinsby, in my opinion. I thought first half, we were very poor. We seemed to come into it in the second half. But again,
Bradley Flory: cool.
Asa Finch: that too little too late. I think when we do look on top, I think we look really good, but it's just being able to find that consistency throughout the whole 90 minutes. I think you see Louis Watson come on and Dior Pereira came on in the first half because of Kellan's injury. And those two for me have to be starting. We had no movement in the first half. I thought it was up top, we had nothing to offer. But second half, there was a bit more movement and a bit more bit more energy.
Bradley Flory: Okay, Jack Forts.
Jack: For me, it kind of felt like a bit of what I said about the Grisby game. was like, first 10 minutes, we were on a better side. And then once again, it's kind of like we've hit a switch because then they score two goals in very quick succession. It was kind of then just a moment of when are we going to get back into this game? And yet again, for me, we score a goal in the 80th minute, which is then like we have a chance. Once again, it's that moment of unfortunate where they get a good counter attack on the ball and just finish the game off for us.
Bradley Flory: Yeah, we'll get into the goals a bit in a second. But Josh, mean, I would have to agree with obviously what Acer and Jack are saying. It feels like deja vu. Do you feel much the same about it?
Josh Tummon: Hello. Yeah, I'd agree. thought it was very similar to the Grinsby game, but I just thought that there was something there too. We could have got something, but it was just two moments in the first half that just decided the game really. Like that first 10 minutes we had chances, but we just weren't really creating. And then it was two so poor goals to concede.
Asa Finch: .
Josh Tummon: But one went straight through Chapman's legs and the second one was just a pull over the top, wasn't it? Yeah.
Bradley Flory: Yeah, I mean from from my perspective Yeah, I mean, first off, I need to I need to start with an apology because I was quite critical of Jay in the last podcast saying that I felt it was a silly thing to do to get sent off and kind of leave us in the lurch. Obviously, I watched it back afterwards. I said on the pod that I hadn't. I watched it back. I felt it was a very harsh read. So I was pleased that that it got overturned. And then. I felt.
Josh Tummon: Hmm.
Bradley Flory: there was two individual errors for the first two goals. Just from my perspective, thought Jay let the guy go for the first and then the second, I'm not quite sure what Lewis Richards was trying to do to sort of defend that. But ⁓ I wasn't there. So obviously I was watching it on the TV. But it felt uncharacteristic for Jay to let someone run off him like that and ⁓ allow him the space.
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Bradley Flory: and then like I say the ball across, Lewis Richards sort of jumped and missed it and it was all a bit messy and then, you know, as Jack said, in the space of a couple of minutes it all starts to become really hard work, doesn't it? And then obviously they go down to 10. Louis Watson's goal, hopefully that gives him a bit of confidence to kind of really pick up his game and hopefully get back to where he was last year. I know AC, you're a big fan. I was last year. I don't think he's necessarily hit those heights this year, which is strange given he certainly, think Jack, you and I spoke about him before and said that he looked a good player in League One. So we were sort of expecting him to do more in League Two than he has.
Jack: Okay.
Bradley Flory: But it was, you know, it was a good goal. Um, and then, yeah, I guess, you know, we were pushing for the equalizer. They break away and you'd have to say great finish, right? Um, for their, their third goal. But I suppose why, why want to dig into a little bit more around it? I don't, you know, I don't want to sit here and kind of pick part too much. the performance because I think it is for the most part it's a lot of the same of what we've seen this season and that is we turn up for parts of games and I think even Scott had said that on occasion it was it was the application over 90 minutes that was costing us and it's definitely felt a bit like that. What I suppose that the question I wanted to put to you guys tonight was Obviously Colin got off to a great start, a good six points. They were not by any stretch, phenomenal performances. They were, they were very good wins and a good six points against teams. Arguably we should pick up six points against, but it, you know, the performance was not markedly improved from what we'd watched under Scott. So are we seeing... the same thing starting to play out. know, I suppose, impossible question, could Scott have got those six points that Colin picked up in his first two games? Because it doesn't feel like a massive amount has changed. So, Asa, to you first, do you still think... Colin's the right man. Do you feel like maybe those two wins maybe masked a little bit the start? of how do you feel about it? Because I'm starting to feel a bit nervy again.
Asa Finch: Look, I think, you know, you get that cliche of the new manager bounce. And I think we had that. I think, in terms of across the four matches he's been in charge of, none of the performances have been great. I think we got in the two matches, we got what we needed. And obviously, we're not too fussed about performances right now. We're fussed about the results.
Bradley Flory: Done.
Asa Finch: But in the way of the performance is no, don't think much has changed. I think I hoped that the two wins would have given the side a bit more belief to go and play a certain way and give them a bit more confidence. But it doesn't look like we're playing with any more confidence than we were in that those first two matches. I know we still hasn't had lots of time to play, to train and instill tact. topics and whatnot. ⁓ But to answer your question, I don't think a lot has changed.
Bradley Flory: Okay, so do you think he's still the right man? Do you believe?
Asa Finch: Do I think he's still the right man? ⁓ Yes. I think based on if we're just seeing out to the end of season, I think he is. But whether that continues into next season, know, those are loads of questions we have to ask ourselves in the summer. But right now to see us through, think yes.
Bradley Flory: Okay. Jack, suppose same to you. I do you feel it's, you know, I take your point, Asa, and I completely agree. It's less about the performance and more about the result. I do get that. But at the same time, sometimes those two things go hand in hand, right? You have to perform better. I guess. Jack, how do you feel we are at the moment? You know, I struggle to identify what we are sometimes. Are we direct? Are we a pressing team? Are we a counter-attacking team? How do you sort of feel about, you know, and I don't want to be too harsh on Colin because he's got a 50 % win rate at the moment. I preferred it when he had a 100 % win rate, that's for sure. Do you still feel that the tactics are pretty similar or are you noticing any subtle changes along the way?
Asa Finch: Now.
Jack: When he first came in, obviously this being his first major job, I'm guessing a lot of the fans were shocked to think we didn't hire someone who's actually had like experience with EFL football, but he comes in, he gets us our first home win in 11 matches and our first away win in 14 matches. So take away, he's a win in so many draws and losses. I feel like this is something that was different under Scott, cause it was just maybe just we couldn't get that over the line of a draw. He's coming at us 100 % win rate. He's dipped in the last home game and on Saturday, but take nothing from him. He still somehow finds a way to get this team to somehow have an inspiration because they know that they want this club to stay up. They want everything on this fight. The tactics sometimes when I look at it and you see them doing like try to keep the ball and like go for a counter attack. It's like, it's an adaptive system where it's like, if chucking the ball to the striker won't work, do passing left, right, center, try and get an attack going forward.
Bradley Flory: Okay, fair enough. Josh, mean, are you seeing signs that give you encouragement? Because I said in the intro to this section, I'm definitely starting to feel a bit nervy again.
Josh Tummon: Yeah, I'm like, from my point of view, we've played two crap sides and two good sides and we're beating the crap sides. And if that makes sense really. And ⁓
Bradley Flory: ever.
Josh Tummon: I'm like, in a tactic point of view, I do feel like it has changed because he has changed the formation. The football might not be better, but it looks a bit more attackingly than it did. You know what mean? And I see where your point about being nervous because time is running out, but I feel like he still has brought more belief than Scott did. Because with Scott, we were just dripping. It felt like we were never going to win.
Bradley Flory: Okay.
Josh Tummon: And he's had four games and he's won two of them, but he hasn't got all, like all the time in the world, you know what mean? But yeah, it's a tough one to call. It is a tough one to call.
Bradley Flory: So to that point, right, and I know Asa, you and I have had some conversations around the team and we'll touch on some of the players in a second. So going back to what Josh has just said about tactics, he's made some subtle changes. So obviously, one of those has been Adiemo right back, McCurdy sitting just behind Adiemo. Is that? by design or is he being forced into those decisions because of the injuries and the players that are available for selection?
Asa Finch: ⁓ I think he came in intending to play a back four. I think the way it's been set up was the way he wanted to set it up. In terms of the personnel in those areas, maybe not necessarily the ones that he expected, as he alluded to with with Adi, you know, before Adi at right back is not his maybe conventional position. but he thought he could do a job there for us whilst Kellen was out injured. We see Kellen come back on Saturday, Kellen slots into that right back and he pushes up higher. So I think it is the intended formation to go with, but personnel-wise, yeah, maybe he's been forcing to put in players where they're not maybe even played this season.
Bradley Flory: Okay, so then to that end, I suppose the football manager, championship manager, 30 years experience in that area, I start dissecting things a little bit, right? And there's a big challenge for me is how do you... how do you sort of make it better, right? And I quantify that by saying, we all love the players that we've got. And I think, you know, as a football club, Crawley Town attracts a certain type of player and the fans. Maybe because we're so close to the pitch, we can sort of interact with these guys. You know, we sort of really do have quite a good relationship with the players. So sometimes that can mask kind of some of the performance and those sort of things. mean, I don't know, you know, given what's available to us at the moment, I look at the players that played on Saturday. I don't know how you make that better from a personnel perspective. Yes, he can go and he can do some training and he can do all of those things. But I also look at it and I go, right, okay, which of those 11 players would I be happy to leave the football club? And honestly, I would struggle to say goodbye to any of them because I have a love for all of them. But at the same time, they're not playing well enough or good enough to warrant.
Asa Finch: Mm.
Bradley Flory: been starting in the league two side at the moment. So. Do you feel like there's a massive overhaul of the squad needed in the summer given that we've effectively just massively overhauled the squad in January? I mean, obviously, you would look at it on paper and you would assume come the end of the season, Chapman's not coming back next year, Copley won't be back next year, Toby Adeyemo won't be back next year, right? So... Then we're looking at that's three pretty big holes you've got to fill over the summer. Do you feel there's anyone on our kind of injury list at the moment that can fill the void of those players?
Josh Tummon: Okay, I'm going to make one to the drum.
Bradley Flory: See, you've all gone quiet. So we're definitely gonna need a new number one, right?
Asa Finch: Yeah, I think going back to your point, do we need a big overall in the summer? think obviously we have, we do have quite a few loan signings. I think in my opinion, the squad, I think we've got one of the biggest squads in League 2. I think we've, we've got a squad that's all over the place. There's players that have disappeared and we don't know where they're gone. I think, you know, bearing in we've got a new manager. come in as well, he's going to want to have players that are suited to what he wants. Obviously, there's a lot of players in there that are Scott Lindsay players, a few Robelia players. I think he is probably, we are going to see a big overhaul. But I think there is players, there's a lot of players in there who, their contracts running out at the end of the season as well. So there's a lot to think about.
Bradley Flory: Absolutely. mean, look. ⁓ To that end, life's always gonna be difficult given the areas that we operate in. I to go back to what you were just saying, I I saw something, how accurate it is, I don't know. Apparently, we've got the fifth biggest wage bill in League Two. Which... on another side of the coin, I've seen that we've got the second lowest budget in League 2. So that's slightly concerning. Jack, where do I mean, obviously, you know, Ryan Loft is one example of a lone player that we've brought in and has disappeared off the face of the earth. What do you think it is in particular about Darcy and Lollos that Colin doesn't see a player in? they've not even been in the squad well Darcy certainly hasn't been in the squad the last two games
Jack: No, but if you look at this point, you bring the point up that he's a new manager. He's probably wants to see anyone in our squad that we currently have available who haven't played in like so many months. So for example, someone like Libby Watson, he was, I thought, starts really well, then gets benched out of nowhere, then gets out of the squad for no reason. And it was kind of the same with Faris, I mean, he came in and then he got dropped off. I've not seen him since then. like and then you had Darcy and Dolos who played week in week out for Scott and then Colin Kazee Richard comes in and it's then like hang on we could try rotate this squad of people haven't had much of the opportunities at the same time you don't know what happens in trainings there could be like injuries where you don't want to risk the players but like it gives you it gives you time to like if you don't want to risk people getting injured you try and rotate the squad with players you know haven't played in a very long time
Bradley Flory: Yeah, I mean, what about, I mean, the one that I find very strange is Dion Pereira. I think if you dig into the stats, he is...
Asa Finch: Hmm.
Bradley Flory: One of the top chance creators in League 2, I would guess by minute, right? So, you know, obviously he's not playing 90 minutes every week. He was out of the team for a while, but certainly I think chances created per minute on the pitch, he's right up there. And we're not seeing him necessarily utilised every week and... At the same time, whether it be under Scott, whether it was under Colin, you know, we've seen him tried in the number 10 role. I don't particularly think that's his position. I think he's better off coming off the right. And I think we saw it in the second half, didn't we? With or certainly when Adiemo dropped back into to right back in the game and Dion's in front of him. Those two seem to be building an understanding. Don't they?
Josh Tummon: that we bring.
Bradley Flory: But yeah, like I say, don't know what the answer is. think, you know, I mean, I suppose if I put you all on the spot, one word answer, Josh, do you think the signings in the January transfer window have worked out, you know, as a whole, right? If you just look at the 13 players that have come in, would you say it was a good window or not at this stage?
Josh Tummon: what would you say on an owner basis or on a managerial basis?
Bradley Flory: on a fan basis, right? So these, overall, so these 13 players were brought in to get us out of trouble.
Josh Tummon: ⁓ Ivarow. That's alright. ⁓ I'd say no, not at all. I'd say Bar Chapman, no, not at all. I don't think anyone's Bar Chapman has really done enough. But on that perspective, I'd say no. ⁓ yeah, Kellan Gordon as well. But I don't think you can blame...
Bradley Flory: I I would, would counter that with Kellan Gordon. Okay, I'd counter that with Kellan. Okay, Jack. Okay. No, no, no.
Jack: ⁓ I mean, have to say no. because we brought Jacob Chapman on the line who is praised very highly. We did that and then we bring back Kevin Gordon on the permanent and it feels like them two have kind of been the cement of our journey transfer players that show it on a pitch.
Asa Finch: Hmm.
Bradley Flory: Yep, Acer.
Asa Finch: Look, maybe the factor swaying it, well, one of the factors is how many players we brought in. And if you look at the amount of we brought in, the amount of players that have out of that 13 that have gone on and sort of been used regularly in the side and have made a big impact for us, there's very few players like ones we've mentioned, Chapman, Kellan Gordon, et cetera. but there's also a lot of players that have come in and haven't hit the heights so then that counterbalances it but if a straight answer I'd say no
Bradley Flory: Okay, so look, I mean, this is saying we will revisit each week, right? It could change between now and the end of season. I mean, from my perspective, I completely agree. look, know, Chapman's been outstanding. I said before, I worked it out. I said I would. I reckon Chapman's won us 10 points since he came in. I think Kellan. brings a kind of J. Williams-ness, like a desire, a passion to really sort of moving forwards. In flashes, know, Toby Adiemo's look really, really good. ⁓ And then he can also be completely non-existent in games at times. I think Louis Copley looks... good and I think had he not got injured and maybe played a bit more and I'm with you Jack, I know I thought Ferris actually looked really good when he came in and then he's sort of gone off as well so look everything's variable right we these things will always change based on performance based on result etc. I mean I'm just looking at FOTMOB and The only two players that scored over seven in their ratings on Saturday was Addy Ady Amo who got 7.1 and Louis Copley got 8.2 and was awarded man of the match from them, even over the Bristol Rovers players. I mean, like I say, I really like Copley. So I guess we move on. Shrewsbury 3 o'clock on Saturday, so they are currently 18th in the league. They're three places above us, but 10 points above us. Their last five lost 3-1-2, including a win in their last game. Let's let me pull up the team sheet because this is always a fun game with Crawley this season to see who played for us in the reverse fixture because chances are not many of them will still be around and those that are may or may not.
Jack: Sure as pre have Matthew cop
Bradley Flory: the goalie.
Asa Finch: ⁓ yeah, they do actually.
Jack: Yeah, Matthew Cox is at Shrewsbury.
Bradley Flory: Thank you. So they beat us one near. He looked good before he got injured to be fair. So yeah he did and then we brought in the guy whose name I can never remember from Portsmouth and he looked pretty good too last back in the last year. That's him. Yeah. Yes. Yes. That's her. Yeah.
Asa Finch: Thank you, but think he's made two games. ⁓
Jack: Ugh.
Asa Finch: Well, injured, I think.
Josh Tummon: Toby Collier. He's now at St Johnstone. Yeah, he's now at St Johnstone in Scotland.
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Bradley Flory: Right, so we played Shrewsbury away on the 18th of October. We lost 1-0. They scored in the 84th minute after Harry McCurdy got himself sent off. ⁓ So I'm guessing Matthew Cox must have moved there in January because he wasn't in the team that day. So Wow, I mean, I will read out our team sheet and this just maybe shows where we've come from, I guess. So, Walacott was in goal. We had a back three of Barker, Conroy and Flint. Wing backs were Pereira and Forster and we started Holohan and Anderson in the middle. And then we had McCurdy in a 10 behind Kaby Shimanga and Ryan Loft. probably one of the very few games CABBY actually started for us to be fair. And then we made some changes throughout the game. ⁓ We brought on Badrami, Louis Watson, ⁓ and Danny Cashman actually appeared in that game. And Jack Rowles, we left Kyle Scott and Reece Brown on the bench. obviously you would say of that team that day,
Josh Tummon: you
Asa Finch: Thank
Bradley Flory: Forster, McCurdy, Barker and Pereira are maybe in with a shot of starting, maybe Anderson, but given Copley played pretty well. what do you want to see on Saturday, Jack? I know you want to see a win. Let's get that one over the line.
Jack: Obviously every Crowley fan prize for a win.
Bradley Flory: But what do you wanna, right, so before we go into that game and we win, what is it you really wanna see? Do you wanna see desire? Do you wanna see us control the game? Do you just wanna see us create 100 chances? what, what, I suppose what signs of encouragement are you looking for as a fan? You pay your money.
Josh Tummon: you
Jack: Look, when we, yeah, when we were in the playoffs, all those many moons ago, we showed conviction that all these players wanted something. They wanted it. That's what I want to see on Saturday. That's what you kind of want. You want to see the conviction. You want to see these players push their hardest for this win.
Bradley Flory: Okay, so Josh, I guess same to you. We're at a point now, what have we got? We've got two home games, two away games left, right? What do you wanna see from these guys between now and the end of the season? Regardless of result, regardless of whether we stay up or we go down or we win or we lose, what is it you wanna see from them?
Josh Tummon: I just want to see fights, you know what mean? I think there's been too many players, especially this season, that don't look like they give a crap really. yeah, even if we do go up, go down even, or stay up, at least I want to see everything left out there, you know what mean? That can result in three points or it could have not. You just want to see 100%. Yeah.
Bradley Flory: Okay, Acer, sort of same to you, I guess. Is it the same as what Josh and Jack are saying? Is it just that fight, that desire, that want that you want to see? Or, you know, do you want to see us go out there and try and control games and really sort of start to build something for next season at this stage? Or is it literally just get done what needs to be done this season?
Asa Finch: What do ⁓ I want to see? You know, I to see the fight from the players, because I think we you know, I think we have seen that in in patches when since Collins come in, I think we see the last 20 minutes, I want to see that replicated, I want to see that last 20 minutes be implemented from from minute one. I want to see us go at it. I think on a more detailed level, I want to see more direction and more plan once we enter the final third. think a lot of the first half against Bristol, there's a lot of balls being being lumped up there or we get into that in into Bristol's half and then we sort of didn't know what to do with it and I ran through to the goalkeeper, ran out of play. I want to see a bit more direction, being able to retain the ball higher up the pitch and sort of create a few more chances. Yeah.
Bradley Flory: Okay and then look I think the other the other thing I would say is that on occasion this season it's happened a few times with a few different players I don't want to single anyone out um the fans will turn on that player and that player maybe bites back and and I sort of think that's
Josh Tummon: you
Bradley Flory: That's not a great place for us to be. You know, whole... Tarrant team together thing at the moment feels a long time ago. You know, I think the players have to accept that, you know, for the most part, a lot of them have not performed as well as they could have. Some of them have performed well in patches throughout the season, or even just patches in games, right? And the frustration that some fans show, not all fans, is justified to a degree. But it has to be voiced in the right way. And I think, you know, I don't want to see the fans and the players arguing. I don't think that helps anyone. But at the same time, if people have taken the time out of their day or given up their Saturday to travel to Bristol and back to be... served up a load of dross really. You know it's one thing to get played off the park by a team that are above us in the leagues or you know I remember earlier this season Jack and I made the trip to Boreham Woodruff right and it was you know we were we were played off the park that day by a team in the division below us and there was a lot of animosity
Jack: near
Bradley Flory: in the ground that day aimed at the coaching staff and justifiably right justifiably it felt justifiable at the time and I think at this stage now it's you know it is getting a little hairy so 12 points to play for how many do you think we need out of that 12 Jack?
Jack: Well, obviously the obvious answer is enough to keep us in league two. But looking at our remaining fixtures where we could possibly pick up points, realistically, I would hope at least to get the three points maybe against Shrewsbury, which I'm preying on, and maybe against Akron, turn Stanley away. It is going to be a very tough away game, but it's possible we could. draw the three points and then our last game of the season is at home at Salford but I would probably hope for a draw for that one.
Bradley Flory: Okay, so you're saying seven points potentially you think we need.
Jack: So I 7 points, I hope.
Bradley Flory: Okay, Josh.
Josh Tummon: In prospects of what we need, I think we need four to confirm. Obviously I'd love 12, but I just feel like I can't see Harrogate and Barrow hitting the 40 mark.
Bradley Flory: Oh, seem to have lost Josh for a minute there. So how many points do you think we need between now and the end of the season?
Asa Finch: I think you look, so we got, I mean the two teams in the bottom two, they're now four points adrift. You have us, Newport and...
Bradley Flory: Barrow, Barrow have a game in hand.
Asa Finch: Yeah, so Barrow have a game in hand, so we'll be watching that one tomorrow against Oldham. And then you look at the teams, we've got Oldham fans for a couple of hours. And then you have Tranmere, Newport and us all on 37. And I think Tranmere have one game in hand as well. I think they're playing tomorrow. When I look at the last three games we have, I think we need three, maybe four.
Bradley Flory: Yep, we're all out on fans tomorrow. Yes they do.
Asa Finch: Out of nine points, so I think we got nine points to play for, haven't we? It's three games we've got left, haven't we? So... We got four. ⁓ right, yeah.
Bradley Flory: 12. Yeah, sorry, No three. Sorry. Yes, you're right. I'm still including the fact that Bristol happened Yeah Okay
Asa Finch: So nine. Yeah, so I think we need three, maybe four.
Jack: You
Bradley Flory: Okay. Well, I, you know, I, I look at it, ⁓ I would like six. I think six just gets us wet. I mean, Saturday was really not this Saturday, the previous Saturday was really bizarre with the Harrogate were out the bottom three and then at the bottom two, they were off the bottom, you know, like there's so many permutations. ⁓ and I think Crawley town fans this season,
Asa Finch: Hmm.
Bradley Flory: our mantra should be everyone below us is losing right that I get that in so many whatsapp groups I see that in facebook groups that that has been the sort of tale of our season a little bit really ⁓ which has been a strange one but you know ⁓ we march on we are we've got two games back at home I suppose that is the beauty of starting the season away from home ⁓ like you say I think you know I would like to be in a position where certainly the Salford game last game season is a bit of a free hit and there's nothing riding on it for us. Obviously they are chasing promotion, playoffs at the moment, so we don't necessarily want to be sort of too... too reliant on getting something out of the last game of the season. We, you know, we lived that one last year and that was horrible. So done that one, don't want to do that again. I'd like to be safe by the last game of the season. So Josh has left the recording, but my fun... Question of the day, which I know everyone has been looking forward to takes a little bit of inspiration from Aces fan interviews this week, but not a complete rehash of the question so Jack if you had to replace grass as a playing surface for a football match, what would you replace it with? anything you want.
Asa Finch: So replace the grass with anything I want. ⁓
Bradley Flory: So instead of grass, what... anything you want.
Asa Finch: pebble beach. Like a pebbles, like a rocky beach. Like you've got a bit of sand and a bit of Yeah, I know.
Bradley Flory: a pebble base yeah imagine the bounce on the ball when Imagine the bounce. Chapman's going to hoik it forward. It's going towards the striker, but it's hit a pebble. It's bounced off to the right. Horrendous. Jack, same question to you. What you thinking?
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Jack: you know, I don't really know if you want to replace grass with any kind of obviously I wouldn't go for the obvious ones like just the good old rock pitch that's never going to work in any worlds. ⁓ If I was to get rid of regular old grass I'd probably go for maybe just dirt.
Bradley Flory: It's just dirt, I like it, yeah. Jay Williams getting, Jay Williams getting his bandages dirty and muddy.
Jack: Just call that girl off the top. Exactly. Anything to help Jay Williams with tackles does us a lot of good.
Bradley Flory: Yeah. See, I have thought about this. I thought about this a lot and I think I would go for a field of stinging nails. That, for one reason, it would cure diving.
Asa Finch: Or they'd definitely be wearing light.
Bradley Flory: No one's going to dive.
Jack: Yeah
Bradley Flory: I just think that would be quite amusing every time like they they dive on the floor they're going to get covered in in stinging nails. ⁓ well Lovely thanks gents for joining me we will reconvene after the shrewsbury game as we so often do come win lose or draw to chew it over Hopefully three points on Saturday For those that are interested I'm sure Acer will be walking around with his very little microphones before the game So feel free to come and see us and have a chat and answer some of our stupid questions. For the moment, thank you very much gentlemen. Have a lovely rest of the week and I will see you on Saturday.
Asa Finch: See you on Saturday.
Jack: Thank you. See you on Saturday.
Asa Finch: Good evening everyone, a good thank you, how are you?
Bradley Flory: Yes, good thanks. Jack's back. Hi Jack. Welcome back. Are you all right today?
Jack: Hi, I think, yeah, thank you for having me back. How are you all today?
Bradley Flory: We're good, looking forward to getting into it. And Josh returns. Hi Josh, welcome back. How are you?
Josh Tummon: Hi mate, I'm good. It's good to be back on. How are you?
Bradley Flory: Good, good stuff. Yeah, we're good. Thank you. Okay, so ⁓ as ever some housekeeping to take care of. The pod today is sponsored again by Mansfield Media. Some of you may know Grant taking pictures around the ground. He helps us out with imagery and some video. So we're ever grateful for that. So massive thanks to Mansfield Media. Next thing before we get too deep into everything else is to keep the pod going over the summer we're going to run a series of support stories podcasts. We want to hear from loads of different people about why they support Crawley, their highs, lows etc. So if you fancy it, if you want to get involved there is a sign up button on the website thedevilzone.uk And then we can hopefully record a series of these and keep them coming out over the summer along with discussing hopefully transfers and things as they happen along the way. ⁓ Right, let's get into it. Bristol Rovers away. Who wants to go with that one?
Asa Finch: Go on, I'll first comment on it. Look, think a lot of people said, you know, we turned up for the last maybe 20 minutes of the match. And I think, you know, I agree with that. I we did just turn up the last 20 minutes. I think first half performance, very similar. was a bit of a carbon copy to Grinsby, in my opinion. I thought first half, we were very poor. We seemed to come into it in the second half. But again,
Bradley Flory: cool.
Asa Finch: that too little too late. I think when we do look on top, I think we look really good, but it's just being able to find that consistency throughout the whole 90 minutes. I think you see Louis Watson come on and Dior Pereira came on in the first half because of Kellan's injury. And those two for me have to be starting. We had no movement in the first half. I thought it was up top, we had nothing to offer. But second half, there was a bit more movement and a bit more bit more energy.
Bradley Flory: Okay, Jack Forts.
Jack: For me, it kind of felt like a bit of what I said about the Grisby game. was like, first 10 minutes, we were on a better side. And then once again, it's kind of like we've hit a switch because then they score two goals in very quick succession. It was kind of then just a moment of when are we going to get back into this game? And yet again, for me, we score a goal in the 80th minute, which is then like we have a chance. Once again, it's that moment of unfortunate where they get a good counter attack on the ball and just finish the game off for us.
Bradley Flory: Yeah, we'll get into the goals a bit in a second. But Josh, mean, I would have to agree with obviously what Acer and Jack are saying. It feels like deja vu. Do you feel much the same about it?
Josh Tummon: Hello. Yeah, I'd agree. thought it was very similar to the Grinsby game, but I just thought that there was something there too. We could have got something, but it was just two moments in the first half that just decided the game really. Like that first 10 minutes we had chances, but we just weren't really creating. And then it was two so poor goals to concede.
Asa Finch: .
Josh Tummon: But one went straight through Chapman's legs and the second one was just a pull over the top, wasn't it? Yeah.
Bradley Flory: Yeah, I mean from from my perspective Yeah, I mean, first off, I need to I need to start with an apology because I was quite critical of Jay in the last podcast saying that I felt it was a silly thing to do to get sent off and kind of leave us in the lurch. Obviously, I watched it back afterwards. I said on the pod that I hadn't. I watched it back. I felt it was a very harsh read. So I was pleased that that it got overturned. And then. I felt.
Josh Tummon: Hmm.
Bradley Flory: there was two individual errors for the first two goals. Just from my perspective, thought Jay let the guy go for the first and then the second, I'm not quite sure what Lewis Richards was trying to do to sort of defend that. But ⁓ I wasn't there. So obviously I was watching it on the TV. But it felt uncharacteristic for Jay to let someone run off him like that and ⁓ allow him the space.
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Bradley Flory: and then like I say the ball across, Lewis Richards sort of jumped and missed it and it was all a bit messy and then, you know, as Jack said, in the space of a couple of minutes it all starts to become really hard work, doesn't it? And then obviously they go down to 10. Louis Watson's goal, hopefully that gives him a bit of confidence to kind of really pick up his game and hopefully get back to where he was last year. I know AC, you're a big fan. I was last year. I don't think he's necessarily hit those heights this year, which is strange given he certainly, think Jack, you and I spoke about him before and said that he looked a good player in League One. So we were sort of expecting him to do more in League Two than he has.
Jack: Okay.
Bradley Flory: But it was, you know, it was a good goal. Um, and then, yeah, I guess, you know, we were pushing for the equalizer. They break away and you'd have to say great finish, right? Um, for their, their third goal. But I suppose why, why want to dig into a little bit more around it? I don't, you know, I don't want to sit here and kind of pick part too much. the performance because I think it is for the most part it's a lot of the same of what we've seen this season and that is we turn up for parts of games and I think even Scott had said that on occasion it was it was the application over 90 minutes that was costing us and it's definitely felt a bit like that. What I suppose that the question I wanted to put to you guys tonight was Obviously Colin got off to a great start, a good six points. They were not by any stretch, phenomenal performances. They were, they were very good wins and a good six points against teams. Arguably we should pick up six points against, but it, you know, the performance was not markedly improved from what we'd watched under Scott. So are we seeing... the same thing starting to play out. know, I suppose, impossible question, could Scott have got those six points that Colin picked up in his first two games? Because it doesn't feel like a massive amount has changed. So, Asa, to you first, do you still think... Colin's the right man. Do you feel like maybe those two wins maybe masked a little bit the start? of how do you feel about it? Because I'm starting to feel a bit nervy again.
Asa Finch: Look, I think, you know, you get that cliche of the new manager bounce. And I think we had that. I think, in terms of across the four matches he's been in charge of, none of the performances have been great. I think we got in the two matches, we got what we needed. And obviously, we're not too fussed about performances right now. We're fussed about the results.
Bradley Flory: Done.
Asa Finch: But in the way of the performance is no, don't think much has changed. I think I hoped that the two wins would have given the side a bit more belief to go and play a certain way and give them a bit more confidence. But it doesn't look like we're playing with any more confidence than we were in that those first two matches. I know we still hasn't had lots of time to play, to train and instill tact. topics and whatnot. ⁓ But to answer your question, I don't think a lot has changed.
Bradley Flory: Okay, so do you think he's still the right man? Do you believe?
Asa Finch: Do I think he's still the right man? ⁓ Yes. I think based on if we're just seeing out to the end of season, I think he is. But whether that continues into next season, know, those are loads of questions we have to ask ourselves in the summer. But right now to see us through, think yes.
Bradley Flory: Okay. Jack, suppose same to you. I do you feel it's, you know, I take your point, Asa, and I completely agree. It's less about the performance and more about the result. I do get that. But at the same time, sometimes those two things go hand in hand, right? You have to perform better. I guess. Jack, how do you feel we are at the moment? You know, I struggle to identify what we are sometimes. Are we direct? Are we a pressing team? Are we a counter-attacking team? How do you sort of feel about, you know, and I don't want to be too harsh on Colin because he's got a 50 % win rate at the moment. I preferred it when he had a 100 % win rate, that's for sure. Do you still feel that the tactics are pretty similar or are you noticing any subtle changes along the way?
Asa Finch: Now.
Jack: When he first came in, obviously this being his first major job, I'm guessing a lot of the fans were shocked to think we didn't hire someone who's actually had like experience with EFL football, but he comes in, he gets us our first home win in 11 matches and our first away win in 14 matches. So take away, he's a win in so many draws and losses. I feel like this is something that was different under Scott, cause it was just maybe just we couldn't get that over the line of a draw. He's coming at us 100 % win rate. He's dipped in the last home game and on Saturday, but take nothing from him. He still somehow finds a way to get this team to somehow have an inspiration because they know that they want this club to stay up. They want everything on this fight. The tactics sometimes when I look at it and you see them doing like try to keep the ball and like go for a counter attack. It's like, it's an adaptive system where it's like, if chucking the ball to the striker won't work, do passing left, right, center, try and get an attack going forward.
Bradley Flory: Okay, fair enough. Josh, mean, are you seeing signs that give you encouragement? Because I said in the intro to this section, I'm definitely starting to feel a bit nervy again.
Josh Tummon: Yeah, I'm like, from my point of view, we've played two crap sides and two good sides and we're beating the crap sides. And if that makes sense really. And ⁓
Bradley Flory: ever.
Josh Tummon: I'm like, in a tactic point of view, I do feel like it has changed because he has changed the formation. The football might not be better, but it looks a bit more attackingly than it did. You know what mean? And I see where your point about being nervous because time is running out, but I feel like he still has brought more belief than Scott did. Because with Scott, we were just dripping. It felt like we were never going to win.
Bradley Flory: Okay.
Josh Tummon: And he's had four games and he's won two of them, but he hasn't got all, like all the time in the world, you know what mean? But yeah, it's a tough one to call. It is a tough one to call.
Bradley Flory: So to that point, right, and I know Asa, you and I have had some conversations around the team and we'll touch on some of the players in a second. So going back to what Josh has just said about tactics, he's made some subtle changes. So obviously, one of those has been Adiemo right back, McCurdy sitting just behind Adiemo. Is that? by design or is he being forced into those decisions because of the injuries and the players that are available for selection?
Asa Finch: ⁓ I think he came in intending to play a back four. I think the way it's been set up was the way he wanted to set it up. In terms of the personnel in those areas, maybe not necessarily the ones that he expected, as he alluded to with with Adi, you know, before Adi at right back is not his maybe conventional position. but he thought he could do a job there for us whilst Kellen was out injured. We see Kellen come back on Saturday, Kellen slots into that right back and he pushes up higher. So I think it is the intended formation to go with, but personnel-wise, yeah, maybe he's been forcing to put in players where they're not maybe even played this season.
Bradley Flory: Okay, so then to that end, I suppose the football manager, championship manager, 30 years experience in that area, I start dissecting things a little bit, right? And there's a big challenge for me is how do you... how do you sort of make it better, right? And I quantify that by saying, we all love the players that we've got. And I think, you know, as a football club, Crawley Town attracts a certain type of player and the fans. Maybe because we're so close to the pitch, we can sort of interact with these guys. You know, we sort of really do have quite a good relationship with the players. So sometimes that can mask kind of some of the performance and those sort of things. mean, I don't know, you know, given what's available to us at the moment, I look at the players that played on Saturday. I don't know how you make that better from a personnel perspective. Yes, he can go and he can do some training and he can do all of those things. But I also look at it and I go, right, okay, which of those 11 players would I be happy to leave the football club? And honestly, I would struggle to say goodbye to any of them because I have a love for all of them. But at the same time, they're not playing well enough or good enough to warrant.
Asa Finch: Mm.
Bradley Flory: been starting in the league two side at the moment. So. Do you feel like there's a massive overhaul of the squad needed in the summer given that we've effectively just massively overhauled the squad in January? I mean, obviously, you would look at it on paper and you would assume come the end of the season, Chapman's not coming back next year, Copley won't be back next year, Toby Adeyemo won't be back next year, right? So... Then we're looking at that's three pretty big holes you've got to fill over the summer. Do you feel there's anyone on our kind of injury list at the moment that can fill the void of those players?
Josh Tummon: Okay, I'm going to make one to the drum.
Bradley Flory: See, you've all gone quiet. So we're definitely gonna need a new number one, right?
Asa Finch: Yeah, I think going back to your point, do we need a big overall in the summer? think obviously we have, we do have quite a few loan signings. I think in my opinion, the squad, I think we've got one of the biggest squads in League 2. I think we've, we've got a squad that's all over the place. There's players that have disappeared and we don't know where they're gone. I think, you know, bearing in we've got a new manager. come in as well, he's going to want to have players that are suited to what he wants. Obviously, there's a lot of players in there that are Scott Lindsay players, a few Robelia players. I think he is probably, we are going to see a big overhaul. But I think there is players, there's a lot of players in there who, their contracts running out at the end of the season as well. So there's a lot to think about.
Bradley Flory: Absolutely. mean, look. ⁓ To that end, life's always gonna be difficult given the areas that we operate in. I to go back to what you were just saying, I I saw something, how accurate it is, I don't know. Apparently, we've got the fifth biggest wage bill in League Two. Which... on another side of the coin, I've seen that we've got the second lowest budget in League 2. So that's slightly concerning. Jack, where do I mean, obviously, you know, Ryan Loft is one example of a lone player that we've brought in and has disappeared off the face of the earth. What do you think it is in particular about Darcy and Lollos that Colin doesn't see a player in? they've not even been in the squad well Darcy certainly hasn't been in the squad the last two games
Jack: No, but if you look at this point, you bring the point up that he's a new manager. He's probably wants to see anyone in our squad that we currently have available who haven't played in like so many months. So for example, someone like Libby Watson, he was, I thought, starts really well, then gets benched out of nowhere, then gets out of the squad for no reason. And it was kind of the same with Faris, I mean, he came in and then he got dropped off. I've not seen him since then. like and then you had Darcy and Dolos who played week in week out for Scott and then Colin Kazee Richard comes in and it's then like hang on we could try rotate this squad of people haven't had much of the opportunities at the same time you don't know what happens in trainings there could be like injuries where you don't want to risk the players but like it gives you it gives you time to like if you don't want to risk people getting injured you try and rotate the squad with players you know haven't played in a very long time
Bradley Flory: Yeah, I mean, what about, I mean, the one that I find very strange is Dion Pereira. I think if you dig into the stats, he is...
Asa Finch: Hmm.
Bradley Flory: One of the top chance creators in League 2, I would guess by minute, right? So, you know, obviously he's not playing 90 minutes every week. He was out of the team for a while, but certainly I think chances created per minute on the pitch, he's right up there. And we're not seeing him necessarily utilised every week and... At the same time, whether it be under Scott, whether it was under Colin, you know, we've seen him tried in the number 10 role. I don't particularly think that's his position. I think he's better off coming off the right. And I think we saw it in the second half, didn't we? With or certainly when Adiemo dropped back into to right back in the game and Dion's in front of him. Those two seem to be building an understanding. Don't they?
Josh Tummon: that we bring.
Bradley Flory: But yeah, like I say, don't know what the answer is. think, you know, I mean, I suppose if I put you all on the spot, one word answer, Josh, do you think the signings in the January transfer window have worked out, you know, as a whole, right? If you just look at the 13 players that have come in, would you say it was a good window or not at this stage?
Josh Tummon: what would you say on an owner basis or on a managerial basis?
Bradley Flory: on a fan basis, right? So these, overall, so these 13 players were brought in to get us out of trouble.
Josh Tummon: ⁓ Ivarow. That's alright. ⁓ I'd say no, not at all. I'd say Bar Chapman, no, not at all. I don't think anyone's Bar Chapman has really done enough. But on that perspective, I'd say no. ⁓ yeah, Kellan Gordon as well. But I don't think you can blame...
Bradley Flory: I I would, would counter that with Kellan Gordon. Okay, I'd counter that with Kellan. Okay, Jack. Okay. No, no, no.
Jack: ⁓ I mean, have to say no. because we brought Jacob Chapman on the line who is praised very highly. We did that and then we bring back Kevin Gordon on the permanent and it feels like them two have kind of been the cement of our journey transfer players that show it on a pitch.
Asa Finch: Hmm.
Bradley Flory: Yep, Acer.
Asa Finch: Look, maybe the factor swaying it, well, one of the factors is how many players we brought in. And if you look at the amount of we brought in, the amount of players that have out of that 13 that have gone on and sort of been used regularly in the side and have made a big impact for us, there's very few players like ones we've mentioned, Chapman, Kellan Gordon, et cetera. but there's also a lot of players that have come in and haven't hit the heights so then that counterbalances it but if a straight answer I'd say no
Bradley Flory: Okay, so look, I mean, this is saying we will revisit each week, right? It could change between now and the end of season. I mean, from my perspective, I completely agree. look, know, Chapman's been outstanding. I said before, I worked it out. I said I would. I reckon Chapman's won us 10 points since he came in. I think Kellan. brings a kind of J. Williams-ness, like a desire, a passion to really sort of moving forwards. In flashes, know, Toby Adiemo's look really, really good. ⁓ And then he can also be completely non-existent in games at times. I think Louis Copley looks... good and I think had he not got injured and maybe played a bit more and I'm with you Jack, I know I thought Ferris actually looked really good when he came in and then he's sort of gone off as well so look everything's variable right we these things will always change based on performance based on result etc. I mean I'm just looking at FOTMOB and The only two players that scored over seven in their ratings on Saturday was Addy Ady Amo who got 7.1 and Louis Copley got 8.2 and was awarded man of the match from them, even over the Bristol Rovers players. I mean, like I say, I really like Copley. So I guess we move on. Shrewsbury 3 o'clock on Saturday, so they are currently 18th in the league. They're three places above us, but 10 points above us. Their last five lost 3-1-2, including a win in their last game. Let's let me pull up the team sheet because this is always a fun game with Crawley this season to see who played for us in the reverse fixture because chances are not many of them will still be around and those that are may or may not.
Jack: Sure as pre have Matthew cop
Bradley Flory: the goalie.
Asa Finch: ⁓ yeah, they do actually.
Jack: Yeah, Matthew Cox is at Shrewsbury.
Bradley Flory: Thank you. So they beat us one near. He looked good before he got injured to be fair. So yeah he did and then we brought in the guy whose name I can never remember from Portsmouth and he looked pretty good too last back in the last year. That's him. Yeah. Yes. Yes. That's her. Yeah.
Asa Finch: Thank you, but think he's made two games. ⁓
Jack: Ugh.
Asa Finch: Well, injured, I think.
Josh Tummon: Toby Collier. He's now at St Johnstone. Yeah, he's now at St Johnstone in Scotland.
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Bradley Flory: Right, so we played Shrewsbury away on the 18th of October. We lost 1-0. They scored in the 84th minute after Harry McCurdy got himself sent off. ⁓ So I'm guessing Matthew Cox must have moved there in January because he wasn't in the team that day. So Wow, I mean, I will read out our team sheet and this just maybe shows where we've come from, I guess. So, Walacott was in goal. We had a back three of Barker, Conroy and Flint. Wing backs were Pereira and Forster and we started Holohan and Anderson in the middle. And then we had McCurdy in a 10 behind Kaby Shimanga and Ryan Loft. probably one of the very few games CABBY actually started for us to be fair. And then we made some changes throughout the game. ⁓ We brought on Badrami, Louis Watson, ⁓ and Danny Cashman actually appeared in that game. And Jack Rowles, we left Kyle Scott and Reece Brown on the bench. obviously you would say of that team that day,
Josh Tummon: you
Asa Finch: Thank
Bradley Flory: Forster, McCurdy, Barker and Pereira are maybe in with a shot of starting, maybe Anderson, but given Copley played pretty well. what do you want to see on Saturday, Jack? I know you want to see a win. Let's get that one over the line.
Jack: Obviously every Crowley fan prize for a win.
Bradley Flory: But what do you wanna, right, so before we go into that game and we win, what is it you really wanna see? Do you wanna see desire? Do you wanna see us control the game? Do you just wanna see us create 100 chances? what, what, I suppose what signs of encouragement are you looking for as a fan? You pay your money.
Josh Tummon: you
Jack: Look, when we, yeah, when we were in the playoffs, all those many moons ago, we showed conviction that all these players wanted something. They wanted it. That's what I want to see on Saturday. That's what you kind of want. You want to see the conviction. You want to see these players push their hardest for this win.
Bradley Flory: Okay, so Josh, I guess same to you. We're at a point now, what have we got? We've got two home games, two away games left, right? What do you wanna see from these guys between now and the end of the season? Regardless of result, regardless of whether we stay up or we go down or we win or we lose, what is it you wanna see from them?
Josh Tummon: I just want to see fights, you know what mean? I think there's been too many players, especially this season, that don't look like they give a crap really. yeah, even if we do go up, go down even, or stay up, at least I want to see everything left out there, you know what mean? That can result in three points or it could have not. You just want to see 100%. Yeah.
Bradley Flory: Okay, Acer, sort of same to you, I guess. Is it the same as what Josh and Jack are saying? Is it just that fight, that desire, that want that you want to see? Or, you know, do you want to see us go out there and try and control games and really sort of start to build something for next season at this stage? Or is it literally just get done what needs to be done this season?
Asa Finch: What do ⁓ I want to see? You know, I to see the fight from the players, because I think we you know, I think we have seen that in in patches when since Collins come in, I think we see the last 20 minutes, I want to see that replicated, I want to see that last 20 minutes be implemented from from minute one. I want to see us go at it. I think on a more detailed level, I want to see more direction and more plan once we enter the final third. think a lot of the first half against Bristol, there's a lot of balls being being lumped up there or we get into that in into Bristol's half and then we sort of didn't know what to do with it and I ran through to the goalkeeper, ran out of play. I want to see a bit more direction, being able to retain the ball higher up the pitch and sort of create a few more chances. Yeah.
Bradley Flory: Okay and then look I think the other the other thing I would say is that on occasion this season it's happened a few times with a few different players I don't want to single anyone out um the fans will turn on that player and that player maybe bites back and and I sort of think that's
Josh Tummon: you
Bradley Flory: That's not a great place for us to be. You know, whole... Tarrant team together thing at the moment feels a long time ago. You know, I think the players have to accept that, you know, for the most part, a lot of them have not performed as well as they could have. Some of them have performed well in patches throughout the season, or even just patches in games, right? And the frustration that some fans show, not all fans, is justified to a degree. But it has to be voiced in the right way. And I think, you know, I don't want to see the fans and the players arguing. I don't think that helps anyone. But at the same time, if people have taken the time out of their day or given up their Saturday to travel to Bristol and back to be... served up a load of dross really. You know it's one thing to get played off the park by a team that are above us in the leagues or you know I remember earlier this season Jack and I made the trip to Boreham Woodruff right and it was you know we were we were played off the park that day by a team in the division below us and there was a lot of animosity
Jack: near
Bradley Flory: in the ground that day aimed at the coaching staff and justifiably right justifiably it felt justifiable at the time and I think at this stage now it's you know it is getting a little hairy so 12 points to play for how many do you think we need out of that 12 Jack?
Jack: Well, obviously the obvious answer is enough to keep us in league two. But looking at our remaining fixtures where we could possibly pick up points, realistically, I would hope at least to get the three points maybe against Shrewsbury, which I'm preying on, and maybe against Akron, turn Stanley away. It is going to be a very tough away game, but it's possible we could. draw the three points and then our last game of the season is at home at Salford but I would probably hope for a draw for that one.
Bradley Flory: Okay, so you're saying seven points potentially you think we need.
Jack: So I 7 points, I hope.
Bradley Flory: Okay, Josh.
Josh Tummon: In prospects of what we need, I think we need four to confirm. Obviously I'd love 12, but I just feel like I can't see Harrogate and Barrow hitting the 40 mark.
Bradley Flory: Oh, seem to have lost Josh for a minute there. So how many points do you think we need between now and the end of the season?
Asa Finch: I think you look, so we got, I mean the two teams in the bottom two, they're now four points adrift. You have us, Newport and...
Bradley Flory: Barrow, Barrow have a game in hand.
Asa Finch: Yeah, so Barrow have a game in hand, so we'll be watching that one tomorrow against Oldham. And then you look at the teams, we've got Oldham fans for a couple of hours. And then you have Tranmere, Newport and us all on 37. And I think Tranmere have one game in hand as well. I think they're playing tomorrow. When I look at the last three games we have, I think we need three, maybe four.
Bradley Flory: Yep, we're all out on fans tomorrow. Yes they do.
Asa Finch: Out of nine points, so I think we got nine points to play for, haven't we? It's three games we've got left, haven't we? So... We got four. ⁓ right, yeah.
Bradley Flory: 12. Yeah, sorry, No three. Sorry. Yes, you're right. I'm still including the fact that Bristol happened Yeah Okay
Asa Finch: So nine. Yeah, so I think we need three, maybe four.
Jack: You
Bradley Flory: Okay. Well, I, you know, I, I look at it, ⁓ I would like six. I think six just gets us wet. I mean, Saturday was really not this Saturday, the previous Saturday was really bizarre with the Harrogate were out the bottom three and then at the bottom two, they were off the bottom, you know, like there's so many permutations. ⁓ and I think Crawley town fans this season,
Asa Finch: Hmm.
Bradley Flory: our mantra should be everyone below us is losing right that I get that in so many whatsapp groups I see that in facebook groups that that has been the sort of tale of our season a little bit really ⁓ which has been a strange one but you know ⁓ we march on we are we've got two games back at home I suppose that is the beauty of starting the season away from home ⁓ like you say I think you know I would like to be in a position where certainly the Salford game last game season is a bit of a free hit and there's nothing riding on it for us. Obviously they are chasing promotion, playoffs at the moment, so we don't necessarily want to be sort of too... too reliant on getting something out of the last game of the season. We, you know, we lived that one last year and that was horrible. So done that one, don't want to do that again. I'd like to be safe by the last game of the season. So Josh has left the recording, but my fun... Question of the day, which I know everyone has been looking forward to takes a little bit of inspiration from Aces fan interviews this week, but not a complete rehash of the question so Jack if you had to replace grass as a playing surface for a football match, what would you replace it with? anything you want.
Asa Finch: So replace the grass with anything I want. ⁓
Bradley Flory: So instead of grass, what... anything you want.
Asa Finch: pebble beach. Like a pebbles, like a rocky beach. Like you've got a bit of sand and a bit of Yeah, I know.
Bradley Flory: a pebble base yeah imagine the bounce on the ball when Imagine the bounce. Chapman's going to hoik it forward. It's going towards the striker, but it's hit a pebble. It's bounced off to the right. Horrendous. Jack, same question to you. What you thinking?
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Jack: you know, I don't really know if you want to replace grass with any kind of obviously I wouldn't go for the obvious ones like just the good old rock pitch that's never going to work in any worlds. ⁓ If I was to get rid of regular old grass I'd probably go for maybe just dirt.
Bradley Flory: It's just dirt, I like it, yeah. Jay Williams getting, Jay Williams getting his bandages dirty and muddy.
Jack: Just call that girl off the top. Exactly. Anything to help Jay Williams with tackles does us a lot of good.
Bradley Flory: Yeah. See, I have thought about this. I thought about this a lot and I think I would go for a field of stinging nails. That, for one reason, it would cure diving.
Asa Finch: Or they'd definitely be wearing light.
Bradley Flory: No one's going to dive.
Jack: Yeah
Bradley Flory: I just think that would be quite amusing every time like they they dive on the floor they're going to get covered in in stinging nails. ⁓ well Lovely thanks gents for joining me we will reconvene after the shrewsbury game as we so often do come win lose or draw to chew it over Hopefully three points on Saturday For those that are interested I'm sure Acer will be walking around with his very little microphones before the game So feel free to come and see us and have a chat and answer some of our stupid questions. For the moment, thank you very much gentlemen. Have a lovely rest of the week and I will see you on Saturday.
Asa Finch: See you on Saturday.
Jack: Thank you. See you on Saturday.
