THE GROUND
Broadfield Stadium Winfield Way Crawley West Sussex RH11 9RX
The Broadfield Stadium was opened in 1997 and has a capacity of 5,966.
Crawley had been playing at their old Town Mead ground since 1949 before they moved to the purpose-built venue.
The East Stand, opposite the main stand at the Broadfield Stadium, was rebuilt when Crawley reached the Football League.
Away supporters are generally housed in the KR-L Stand and there was room for around 1,600 on the terrace when Brentford visited in February.
Seats for visiting supporters are available in the GFS Stand, the new East Stand.
THE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
It is approximately 52 miles from Griffin Park to the Broadfield Stadium by road. The Broadfield Stadium is adjacent to the A23 and from London supporters will usually take the M25 and M23 to meet the A23. Parking is available at the stadium with an overflow in the offices at Broadfield Park. The nearest railway station is Crawley, which is either a 25 minute walk or a cab ride to the ground. Crawley Station is served by Southern Trains services.
Train travellers can use South West Trains to alight at Clapham Junction and change to trains run by Southern Railways to Crawley. Alternatively, direct trains are available from London Victoria. The Supporters’ Association will be running coaches to every game this season – details of times and prices will be announced in due course.
THE FIXTURES
Brentford will travel to Crawley on Saturday November 2.
The Bees will then welcome the Sussex side to Griffin Park on Saturday February 8.
Crawley Town are about to begin only their third season in the Football League, which will also be their second in League One.
The last decade has seen a dramatic rise for the Sussex club since their promotion to the Conference in 2004 after spending twenty years in the Southern League.
They won the Blue Square Bet Premier in 2011, a year where they reached the FA Cup Fifth Round and played Manchester United.
Steve Evans, who had overseen promotion in to the league, guided Crawley in to the League Two promotion race in 2012 but left towards the end of the season to take charge at Rotherham United. Caretaker Craig Brewster guided The Red Devils to promotion this year on a caretaker basis with the guidance of former Brentford manager Steve Coppell as Director of Football.
Coppell remained as Director of Football and former Bury boss Richie Barker took control of team affairs.
Crawley were always in and around the top half last season but they fell away in the middle of the season.
The Red Devils were second at the end of October but did not win again until December 15 and never made up the lost ground.
Crawley only lost two of their last 14 games and finished tenth in League One, six points outside the top six.
Richie Barker took over as Crawley manager last summer, leaving his position at Bury.
He took over from Craig Brewster, who had been caretaker since Steve Evans left to take over at Rotherham United.
Barker was made permanent Bury Manager in June 2011, after leading The Shakers to promotion in 2010/11.
The former Youth Team Manager took over when Alan Knill, who had been in charge for just over three years, left to join Scunthorpe United towards the end of the 2010/11 season and got The Shakers up.
The 38-year-old was rewarded with the permanent position and kept Bury in League One in 2011/12 before leaving for Crawley.
The former striker started his playing career at Sheffield Wednesday and also played for clubs including Rotherham United, Mansfield Town and Hartlepool United.
Billy Clarke scored 14 goals in all competitions for Crawley last season.
The 25-year-old, who had a spell on loan a Brentford in 2009, scored ten in League One for The Red Devils.
Clarke started out at Ipswich Town and turned professional in 2005.
After spells on loan at Darlington, Colchester United and Brentford among others, Clarke joined Blackpool in the summer of 2009.
He was hit by a serious knee injury that prevented him playing in the Premier League for Blackpool and he left in early 2012 to join Crawley.
Crawley look set to keep a similar squad for the 2013/14 season as they had for last year.
Club captain Josh Simpson, who has been with Crawley for almost three years, has signed an extension to his contract and many other key figures will remain in Sussex.
Goalkeeper Paul Jones played all 46 league games last year for The Red Devils while defender Matt Sadler was also ever-present and attacking midfield man Nicky Adams featured in all 46 games, scoring eight goals.
Midfield player Matt Sparrow has left the club while David Hunt, also formerly of Brentford, has joined Oxford United.
Crawley have signed midfield player Andy Drury, who was released by Ipswich Town, and he is likely to feature alongside Mike Jones, who played 40 league games last season, in the centre of the park.
The Sussex side will be looking to add goals to their side.
Apart from Clarke and Adams, Jamie Proctor was next in line with seven in 18 games.
October 6 2012, npower League One – Brentford 2 Crawley Town 1
Brentford line-up: Moore; Logan, Dean, Craig, Bidwell; Forshaw (sub O’Connor), Diagouraga (sub Adeyemi), Douglas, Forrester; Hayes (sub El Alagui), Donaldson
Subs (not used): Lee, Legge, Fredericks, Dallas
Brentford goal scorers: Donaldson (2)
Clayton Donaldson scored a brace as Brentford downed high-flying Crawley Town at Griffin Park.
Click here for a full report.
February 26 2013, npower League One – Crawley Town 1 Brentford 2
Brentford line-up: S. Moore; Hodson, Dean, L. Moore, Craig; Forshaw, Douglas, Adeyemi (sub Logan), Saunders (sub Barron); Wright-Phillips (sub Diagouraga), Donaldson
Subs (not used): Lee, Dallas, Trotta, Hayes
Brentford goal scorers: Saunders, Donaldson
Clayton Donaldson scored the winning goal as Brentford recorded their third win of the season against Crawley Town.
Click here for a full report.