Crawley Town searching for new sponsor

Crawley Town are hunting a new main sponsor after Mansell Recruitment Group indicated its willingness to withdraw from the role with immediate effect.

The company, of which Reds director Steve Mansell is the managing director, is understood to have been affected by the shrinking job market brought on by the national recession.

At the Crawley fans' forum at the Broadfield Stadium last Friday evening, Mansell said the club were keen to hear from any company wishing to become the new main sponsor, which includes having its logo on the front of the team's shirts.

But he also added that if a sponsor could not be found, Mansell Recruitment was prepared to continue as main sponsor for a third successive season.

"We have a lot of sponsors re-signed for next season, but it's tough times at the moment," Mansell told the Reds fans.

"My business isn't doing well enough to continue to do the sponsorship at this stage, but if we don't find anyone in the next three or four months then I will do it again.

"If anyone wants to come and do the first team sponsorship we will welcome them on board."

Mansell was positive when reporting the state of Crawley Town's sponsorship deals as a whole, revealing the club had retained its sponsors and added two new ones.

He said the revenue brought in from sponsors put Crawley in the "top 25 per cent" (top six) Conference clubs.

The Reds have also been aided by local businessman Bruce Winfield who was in the audience at the fans' forum on Friday.

It is understood that Winfield has provided some financial assistance to Crawley Town as well as offering his help with organising the business aspect of the club.

Mansell fielded most of the questions from the fans, as chairman Vic Marley was absent having been taken ill again.

Manager Steve Evans was also unable to attend, having been called to Scotland at late notice for family reasons. It meant assistant boss Paul Raynor was providing the update on the football team, and he indicated that a reserve goalkeeper to challenge Simon Rayner was on the agenda.

"A second goalkeeper is something we're looking at very hard, but they don't come cheap. We may take on a loan signing," said Raynor.

"We need to give Simon Rayner competition and we think he will thrive on that. He probably took his eye off the ball a bit last season, so to speak. But when Simon is on his game he's a very good goalkeeper."

Mansell added: "It's important to consider we have cut the budget for what they can spend on the team by 20 per cent, so we have to be realistic in what will be a tough year ahead."

Anyone interested in becoming Crawley Town's new main sponsor can e-mail Steve Mansell at stephenmansell@crawleytownfc.com or chairman Vic Marley at victormarley@crawleytownfc.com