Colin Kazim-Richards set to land surprise EFL job in first managerial role

Crawley are set to appoint former Turkey forward Colin Kazim-Richards as their new manager, following Scott Lindsey’s sacking.

The League Two strugglers parted company with Lindsey on Sunday, just 24 hours after a damaging defeat to Fleetwood Town.

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Rolling the dice

It brought to an end the 53-yer-old’s second stint at the Red Devils, who leaves the club in a serious relegation battle.

The loss to Fleetwood on Saturday left Crawley 21st in the fourth tier with 31 points, a point above the relegation zone.

And the club now look set to take a huge gamble in their bid to keep their place in the Football League.

According to Sky Sports, former EFL frontman Kazim-Richards will soon be named as the new man in charge at the Broadfield Stadium.

This would be the 39-year-old’s first job in senior management, having only called time on his playing career in 2023.

Since hanging up his boots, Kazim-Richards has been working as a youth team coach at Arsenal, having spent three years in the Gunners’ academy himself as a youngster.

The well-travelled former player has spent two years cutting his teeth at the north London club.

Sky Sports also reported that ex-Crystal Palace and Birmingham winger Julian Gray would be named as Kazim-Richards’ assistant. Gray began his coaching career in Arsenal’s academy in 2021 before switching to the Blues’ youth set-up in 2024.

Colourful playing career

In a nomadic career, Kazim-Richards represented 18 different clubs across six different countries.

After starting out with stints at EFL sides Bury, Brighton and Sheffield United, he made the move to Turkey to join Fenerbahce.

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Stints at Toulouse, Galatasaray and Olympiacos followed before he returned to England with a loan move to Blackburn in 2012.

Kazim-Richards later played for Dutch outfit Feyenoord, and then joined Celtic in 2016, where he lifted the Scottish Premiership trophy.

Months later, he moved to Brazil as he represented Coritiba and Corinthians, before lining up for three different teams during a two-year stay in Mexico.

He finally hung up his boots at Fatih Karagumruk S.K, having returned to Turkey who he represented internationally.

Though born in London, Kazim-Richards made 37 international appearances for Turkey, and was part of their squad that reached the semi-finals of Euro 2008.

Why was Scott Lindsey sacked?

Lindsey’s second stint as Crawley boss was brought to an end just a day after he celebrated his one-year anniversary of returning to the club.

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However, results this time around weren’t enough to keep him in a job, with owner Raphael Khalili revealing in a statement that he felt he had little choice but to make a managerial change.

In the League Two table, the Red Devils only lead third-bottom Newport – who occupy the final relegation spot – on goal difference.

Relegation would see Crawley tumble out of the English Football League, a scenario that could have drastic financial consequences.

Lindsey struggled to steer the club clear of this risk in his second spell in charge, as he departed with a record of 12 wins, 14 draws and 27 defeats.

This was far less successful than when he was first appointed as Crawley boss in January 2023, which saw him guide the club to the League Two play-offs in the 2023/24 campaign.

Victory over Crewe Alexandra at Wembley sent the Sussex outfit into League One, although they were then immediately relegated back to the fourth tier last season with a 21st-place finish.