Former Swindon Town player Ben Gladwin will take charge of his first game as a head coach this weekend after being named interim boss at Crawley Town.

Following the departure of one of Gladwin’s coaches at Town Scott Lindsey to Milton Keynes Dons earlier this week along with assistant Jamie Day, the 32-year-old will take the reigns until a permanent successor is confirmed.

Gladwin retired from his playing career at the end of last season and was added to Lindsey’s Crawley backroom staff having followed him to The Broadfield Stadium in January 2023 and has quickly been thrust into centre stage after his move to Stadium MK.

 

 

The mercurial midfielder had four separate stints at Swindon as a player after making his first step into professional football at The County Ground, notably being a core part of the 2014/15 side that reached the League One playoff final as well as helping the team to the League Two playoffs in 2021/22.

Gladwin will take charge of his first game this weekend against Bolton Wanderers in League One and is currently the second favourite to get the job full-time behind Gateshead’s Rob Elliot.

Crawley have made a solid start to life in League One following promotion, winning twice and face a Bolton side with the same record after six games.

Speaking to club media, he said: "I am feeling good, it has been lots of new experiences for me and the last 48 hours have been insane and very eye-opening at the same time.

“Taking charge on the grass is also a bit different because you are usually supporting the manager and now I am trying to support the players through a transition period and also prepare them for a big game.

“I am very excited as it will be a new experience and it makes sense to keep some continuity and helping to support the players with a face they know and I shared the dressing room with quite a few of them.

“I have been exposed to a lot of his [Lindsey’s] ideas and the way he did things but I have also spent time studying my own coaching stuff as I have known for a long time it is what I wanted to go into.

“There is a lot behind the scenes that you don’t normally get to see even as a coach, so a baptism of fire is probably a good way of putting it.”