Hutchinson delight at joining Crawley Town

Eddie Hutchinson has spoken of his delight at joining Crawley Town, a year after the transfer was first meant to happen.

The 29-year-old tough tackling midfielder joined from Oxford United on a free transfer last month, 12 months after agreeing in principle to join the Reds.

He said: "The deal almost happened last summer and again a few weeks in to the season. The deal was all set to happen on the Monday but someone got injured so I played a couple of days before and scored.

"The injury meant we were short in midfield so I ended up staying.

"But I wasn't happy at Oxford and I hoped that Steve [Evans] would get in contact again. When he did it all happened quite quickly."

Hutchinson admits he ignored advice from fellow professionals telling him he should not to join Crawley because of Evans, insisting he was the sort of person to make his own mind up about people.

"I knew of him as he has taken a team up to the league and had talked to other players about what he is like.

"Not all I heard was positive but I met with him and he seemed like a nice bloke. I'm not interested in reputations but didn't make my own mind up until I actually met with him myself.

"He said he wants players to play for him and be happy at the club. He made me feel wanted and that is important for a player."

Hutchinson, who has also played for Oxford and Sutton United in his career, joins Crawley having been inadvertently at the centre of the points deduction fiasco last season.

United were docked five points by the Conference for failing to correctly register the player, which cost them a play-off place.

However, Hutchinson said he wants to put the experience behind him describing his final months at Oxford as a "tough time".

"They wanted me out by then. I didn't know anything about it until it came out in the press, I had no idea it was me and felt a bit let down by the whole affair.

"It hasn't made me more determined to prove myself as I set pretty high standards anyway but I definitely want to be in and around the play-offs this season because of it."

Hutchinson has not previously played with any members of the Crawley squad but described himself as the "total opposite of Thomas Pinault."

"I wouldn't pretend to be the greatest passer in the world but I'm good in the air and a good battler.

"I think I'm the type of player who someone like Thomas would like to play with and I hope we can go onto forge a really good partnership.

"But I know I'm not guaranteed a place in the side as the club have already brought a few in. But I like competition as it brings out the best in me."

Hutchinson will be trying to fill the shirt left by Dannie Bulman who left the Reds, ironically, for Oxford on a free transfer.

"I want to have the kind of impact he had at this club," admitted Hutchinson.

"Last season they were right up there but lost their top scorer [Jon-Paul Pittman] and slipped away at the end.

"But I know the aim is to do a bit better this time although it will be difficult because we are not a club who just throw a lot of money at it."