Crawley Town chief says 'it would be great to have exclusivity' on loan players from Brighton and Hove Albion

Director of football Selim Gaygusuz has said he would love a better link up with Sussex neighbours Brighton and Hove Albion.
Brighton star Aaron Connolly joined Luton Town on loan (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)Brighton star Aaron Connolly joined Luton Town on loan (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)
Brighton star Aaron Connolly joined Luton Town on loan (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)

The club have never really had a proper link up with the Premier League outfit and one fan asked at the fans’ forum on Monday night, is there a relationship with them?

Gaygusuz said: “I respect Brighton, it’s a Premier League Club right next to us.

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“I had a phone call from a Championship club inviting us to meet because they wanted to loan their players to us.

Brighton star Aaron Connolly joined Luton Town on loan (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)Brighton star Aaron Connolly joined Luton Town on loan (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)
Brighton star Aaron Connolly joined Luton Town on loan (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)

“It’s a great thing for us to have a club like that, who I believe will be in the Premier League next season, to have that interest in sending us players.

“But I would rather have a local Premier League club who are just next door loaning us youth players. Aaron Connolly would have been a great player for the club.

“It would be great to have exclusivity to take their players on loan instead of other league clubs.”

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Another fan pointed out that there are other Premier League clubs close by like Crystal Palace and Chelsea.

But Konyar responded: “Chelsea boys didn’t work out too well when they did come, did they? Alex Davey and Mitch Beeney.”

The Reds did link up with Charlton Athletic last season when Karlan Ahearne-Grant joined on loan, and was a great success and Gayguisuz took credit for that.

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He said: “I have a good relationship with Steve Gallen, head of recruitment at Charlton.

“We were lucky to get Karlan. We used Harry’s (Kewell’s) relationship with Lee Bowyer and the head of recruitment said it was easier (for him to come to Crawley)because he did have League One options.

“Harry wasn’t sure as he had only scored one goal before that but I said he was quality.”

Gaygusuz also talked about transfer targets at the end of the season. He said: “There’s one Mr Cioffi really wants and we tried in January but it’s not easy. I can promise there are some interesting players I would love to bring in at the end of the season.”