Crawley Town’s Lee Fowler relishes the big-match experience

Reds and the Sky Blues fans have combined to buy 6,000 tickets for the game which will decide the fortunes of both clubs.

Fourth from bottom Crawley must win to stay in League One while Coventry only need a draw to avoid the drop.

Fowler spent four seasons at Coventry as a teenager, making his debut in the Championship.

He said: “These are the games you want to play in. When you grow up as a kid you don’t dream of playing in front of 100 people.

“I like pressure games because they’re the ones where you see the real character in people.”

Fowler likened this game to Reds’ last home game against Notts County which was also billed as a must-win game from which they emerged 2-0 winners.

“We knew we had to win against Notts County because it was a so-called six-pointer.

“If you take the prize out of the game away it is all about who sticks to their game-plan the most.

“There might be a time when we go a goal down and a spell of pressure where we need to pull together to win. We need to be collectively resilient as group.

Fowler reckons the team can draw upon a great team spirit fostered by interim manager Dean Saunders to help them get out of a tight spot.

He said: “The spirit in the group is as good as its always been. Its a good bunch of lads. Dean Saunders’ enthusiasm is infectious and this rubs off in the group.

“There’s a lot of London boys travelling in together so there’s a lot of camaraderie. There’s sprinkles of experience which if you bring them together make us a team rather than a bunch of individuals.”

Fowler does not expect Crawley’s heads to drop if the visitors score first.

“We just can’t panic - Izale (McLeod), (Mathias) Pogba and Marvin (Elliott) can all score. We have goals in us as well which will worry Coventry.

“Coventry just have to come out and play their normal game. If they sit back and defend they are asking for trouble.

“I don’t think they are as well organised as us. We have a game-plan which was shown against Swindon away.”

Fowler praised his parent club for arranging for him to finish the season at Crawley becaese the terms of his deal meant he would miss this final game.

He said: “I am over the moon I am able to play in this game. I have had to sign for Nuneaton again and extend the loan so I can play in this game.

“To be fair to Nuneaton it was them who rang the FA and asked them for permission so I could play in this game because I was due to go back. So fair play to Nuneaton!”