York City manager Scott Lindsey said he will not be swayed by hostile chants from some supporters after his side were beaten 2-0 at home by Crawley in the preliminary round of the Carabao Cup.
Fans vocal over previous managerial change
The defeat, which saw goals from Gianmarco Di Biase and Danilo Orsi, prompted sections of the home crowd to air their displeasure, with supporters singing for the return of last season’s title-winning boss, Stuart Maynard. For part of the second half, the terraces rang with calls referencing "Stuart Maynard’s Barmy Army" and chants of "We want Maynard back".
Lindsey, who was previously in charge at Crawley and left that post in March, was also met with boos at the final whistle when he did not go over to acknowledge the supporters. He defended his decision not to approach the crowd and said he would not allow criticism to affect him.
"I actually don't care. I am so thick-skinned that I will never let that get through to me,"
He added that his priority remains securing results: "Rule number one as a football manager or coach is you have to win games. I've lost one tonight, so I have to try and win the next one."
Immediate consequences and next steps
The defeat ends York’s participation in this season’s early rounds of the cup, while Crawley progress to the competition's first round and are due to travel to Championship side Watford. Crawley manager Colin Kazim-Richards said the tie at Watford would be taken seriously by his squad and that they would be aiming to win.
- Competition: Carabao Cup, preliminary round
- Result: York 0–2 Crawley
- Goal scorers: Gianmarco Di Biase, Danilo Orsi
- Next for Crawley: First-round trip to Watford
| Team | Score | Scorers |
|---|---|---|
| York | 0 | — |
| Crawley | 2 | G. Di Biase, D. Orsi |
For York supporters, the result and the visible unrest underline a period of transition at the club following the departure of last season's manager. For Lindsey, the task is straightforward: convert words into points on the pitch and regain the confidence of the fanbase.
Coverage will continue as the league season progresses and both clubs' cup journeys unfold.
