Saunders out to defy odds in survival bid

DEAN Saunders inherited such a testing scenario at Crawley that it would arguably be one of the achievements of the season within Sky Bet League One if the interim manager keeps them up.

The 51 year old, whose previous job lasted only four months as Wolves were relegated to the third tier, took over from John Gregory late last year.

Since then he has tried to steer a course clear of the bottom four while battling a slash and burn policy of financial cost-cutting.

Out has gone the lavish spending which propelled the relatively minor West Sussex club to their highest-ever perch in the game. The club has been up for sale for two years and with no suitable offer coming in, there is no longer a willingness to plug gaps in the budget by throwing in cash.

“We have to become more self-sufficient and rely less on outside funding,” said chief executive Michael Dunford.

Crawley’s home crowds have dipped by 28 per cent this season, with the average currently standing at 2,573 - fourth lowest in the whole Football League.

twitter: @Matt_Chambers_