Crawley Town Appoint Vito Mannone as Player-Coach Ahead of 2026/27 Season

June 11, 2026

Crawley Town Football Club has announced the appointment of experienced goalkeeper Vito Mannone as a player-coach, bolstering their squad and coaching staff as they prepare for the upcoming 2026/27 League Two campaign.

The 38-year-old Italian, who enjoyed a notable career including spells at Arsenal, Sunderland, and Reading, joins the Reds in a dual role. Mannone will contribute both on the pitch when required and support goalkeeping development alongside his coaching duties. This move comes shortly after the club confirmed the departures of Assistant Manager Jamie Day and Goalkeeper Coach Kris Dixon.

Head Coach Colin Kazim-Richards welcomed the signing, emphasising Mannone's vast experience and leadership qualities. "Vito brings incredible knowledge from the highest levels of the game," Kazim-Richards stated. "His time at Arsenal and across Europe will be invaluable for our young goalkeepers and the entire squad. We're thrilled to have him on board as we build for the new season."

Mannone's arrival strengthens connections to Arsenal, with former Gunners player Julian Gray already part of the coaching setup. The veteran shot-stopper has made over 300 senior appearances in his career and is expected to provide mentorship and competition in the goalkeeping department.

The announcement marks another positive step for Crawley following a dramatic end to the 2025/26 season. The Reds secured their Football League status on the final day with a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Salford City at the Broadfield Stadium. That result ensured survival in League Two, capping a challenging campaign that saw managerial changes, with Kazim-Richards taking over from Scott Lindsey in March 2026.

Off the pitch, the club has shown stability by freezing 2026/27 season ticket prices, a move welcomed by supporters amid ongoing financial pressures in the lower leagues. Fans have also been invited to enjoy England's upcoming World Cup matches at the Redz Bar at the stadium, fostering community spirit during the international break.

In cup competitions, Crawley have been drawn away to York City in the preliminary round of the 2026/27 Carabao Cup. The fixture is scheduled for Monday, August 3, at 19:30, with the winner advancing to the first round. This has led to the postponement of a pre-season friendly against Woking.

As preparations for the new season intensify, Crawley Town are focused on squad rebuilding. Several players are expected to depart or return from loans, while the club aims to strengthen key areas to improve on last season's narrow escape from relegation. Kazim-Richards has stressed the need for consistency and squad depth to compete effectively in League Two.

Supporters have expressed optimism online, particularly regarding Mannone's signing, viewing it as a statement of intent to build a more experienced and competitive side. The Broadfield Stadium faithful will be hoping for a stronger start to the 2026/27 season compared to recent years.

With pre-season friendlies on the horizon and the Carabao Cup tie approaching, Crawley Town enters this summer with renewed purpose. The integration of new coaching expertise and potential incoming players could prove crucial as they aim for a mid-table finish or better in the coming months.

Live data by Scoreaxis

Home of Crawley Town FC

Opened 1997

Capacity 6,134

History (from Wikipedia)

Crawley Town FC spent 48 years at their Town Mead home until the land was sold to developers in 1997. The club then moved to the Broadfield Stadium, about two miles across town.

In January 2012 the application for the new 2,000-seater East Stand (and facilities including new turnstiles and Premier League standard flood lights) was accepted by Crawley Borough Council.[4] The upgrade is required to meet the league rules which require a minimum 5,000 capacity stadium. After just one week of construction, the new East Stand was completed on 2 April 2012, bringing the total capacity of the Broadfield Stadium to 5,500. Upon completion, Crawley's first game with the new stand was against League Two side Crewe Alexandra on 6 April. The match ended in a 1–1 draw, with a new record crowd of 4,723, the previous best being 4,522.[5][6]

The record attendance reached 5,880 on Saturday 5 January 2013 when Crawley Town hosted Reading in the FA Cup.[7]

Between 2013 and 2018, the stadium was called The Checkatrade.com Stadium as part of a sponsorship deal with the online trades comparison company Checkatrade.[8]

Stands[edit]

West Stand[edit]

The West Stand is the main stand, running two thirds of the length of the pitch. It contains club offices, merchandise shop, changing rooms and hospitality. It is raised above pitch level meaning that fans have to climb a small flight of stairs at the front to enter the seated area. Prior to the building of the East Stand, it was the only stand in the stadium to contain seats and a small section at the north end of the stand was available to away supporters. It is now entirely for home support.

North and South Stands[edit]

The North Stand and South Stand are two identical small roofed terraces. The South Stand contains the most vocal home support and the North Stand is allocated to away fans. Both stands curve around the corners of the pitch to meet up with the West Stand. The South Stand has been known as the Structured Communications Stand since December 2015.[9]

East Stand[edit]

The East Stand is an all seated roofed stand with a capacity of 2,154.[10] It is mainly for home fans although some seats at the north end of the stand are available to away supporters. The stand opened for the first time on Good Friday 2012 for the League Two home game against Crewe Alexandra.

The stand was planned following promotion to the football league in May 2011, to comply with Football League regulations. Work on the East Stand of the stadium started in early February 2012. It replaced the uncovered East terrace which was a standing area. Between 2013 and 2015 it was known as the Checkatrade.com Stand[3] but was renamed The People's Pension East Stand in December 2015 due to a sponsorship deal with B&CE.[11]

Things to do in Crawley.