This is why I think Crawley Town fans need to give Preston Johnson and WAGMI United a chance - opinion

Whilst we didn’t win, we gained the point that was to relegate Hartlepool, despite them beating Barrow by three goals to one.

As I stood applauding the efforts of Scott Lindsey and his team, I looked around the stadium at our support and, with a bit of a tear in my eye, thought how good it was to see so many celebrating our survival in front of Preston Johnson.

If he was in any doubt as to what the club means to the fans, that must surely have been dispelled on Saturday.

Just imagine what the atmosphere was like at Hartlepool, as they awaited the end of our game.

What next? WAGMI out or WAGMI in?

What is needed is an admittance of mistakes made, lessons learnt and an apology for what has been a season of ups and, mostly, downs.

My point of view is that this is imperative if the relationship between the fans and the owners can be restored.

Counting Preston Johnson as a friend, I know that he has been affected by the season in ways he could not have foreseen before he thought of buying an English football club and that he wants to stay and put things right.

However, this is not a one-way street. We, the fans, must now weigh up whether we can give him the chance to put things right.

Once again, in my opinion, I think we should.

We should also keep up a meaningful dialogue with them regarding the general running of the club and be prepared to acknowledge mistakes made by all connected with the club, whether they be committed by owners, staff, players and, yes, even by us, the fans.

We should also be prepared to acknowledge the positive efforts made by all connected with the club and how they are linked with each other.

The increase in our attendances at home, up by over 35%, and the fantastic increase in those who are prepared to travel to way games, either by coach, car or train must be applauded, but the question must be asked, what has led to this happening?

Usually, when a team goes down the league, gates fall. We have bucked the trend. Why?

We now, weather permitting, train on grass, which fans were asking for under the previous regime. We have a fans zone to improve the match day experience, something which has long been needed.

But we have also had four managers in one season, numerous communication bloopers and inappropriate responses to all that has happened since the beginning of the season.

Anyway, we are still a Football League side, and I for one will be up for a party on May 8 in Swindon regardless of the result.

From watching the last two games I have noticed that there are players playing who probably shouldn’t and who are in desperate need of a rest and the end of the season.

The fact they have done so well in the last four games shows their commitment to the cause, which is Crawley Town FC.

2023/2024 our 13th Football League season beckons.