Premier Member - Crawley Town Football Club

Crawley Town FC was formed in 1896 and played its formative years in the West Sussex and Mid Sussex Leagues at a variety of grounds in and around the town.

Crawley Town Football Club began as a junior team and joined the Sussex County League in 1951. They moved to the Metropolitan League in 1956, winning the Metropolitan League Cup in 1959. The club turned professional in 1962 and joined the Southern League the following year. For two decades, Crawley played in the Southern League's First Division, with a brief spell in the Premier Division in 1969-70. Under manager John Maggs, they returned to the Premier Division in 1983-84 and remained there until 2004, with notable cup successes including the Sussex Senior Cup wins in 1990 and 1991.

In the 1991-92 FA Cup, Crawley reached the third round, where they were defeated 5-0 by Brighton & Hove Albion after eliminating Northampton Town. They moved from Town Mead to the Checkatrade Stadium in 1997. Success continued under new ownership in 1999, with manager Francis Vines leading the team to league and cup victories. However, financial troubles in 2005 led to administration and relegation.

Steve Evans took over in 2007, leading Crawley to promotion to the Football League in 2011, setting a record points total in the Conference. The club then saw strong performances including an FA Cup run to the fifth round. After Evans’ departure, various managers including Steve Coppell, Richie Barker, and John Gregory led the team, with John Yems and Scott Lindsey later guiding the club.

In April 2022, WAGMI United acquired Crawley, with Preston Johnson and Eben Smith as co-chairmen. Kevin Betsy was initially appointed manager but was succeeded by Matthew Etherington, Darren Byfield, and eventually Scott Lindsey. Under Lindsey, Crawley achieved promotion from Sky Bet League Two in the 2023/24 season with a Play-Off final win over Crewe Alexandra.