When John Duly agreed to drive the Crawley Town team coach to Hastings United in 1980 he had no idea it would end up costing him over £500,000.

That 90-minute journey to the Pilot Field and back was the beginning of his love affair with the club he saved from oblivion and helped turn into double-winners.

Twenty four years later, Duly was behind the wheel of the team coach again for the trip to Welling United when Crawley finally won promotion to the Conference.

It has been a rollercoaster ride for the 57-year-old businessman who has poured his hard-earned cash into reviving the club's fortunes but, despite the ups and downs, he insists it has been worthwhile.

He said: "I can still remember clearly driving the team to Hastings all those years ago. It was my very first job and my back was as stiff as a board when I got home that night.

"That was where it all started and two years later I was asked to join the board. After that we got more and more involved and were forever putting money in.

"To be honest, I didn't think it was going to cost me as much as it has. But it was a challenge and when you see the light at the end of the tunnel, you just keep going.

"I'm glad I did because winning that league was so special. Just seeing people's faces, the crowd and the noise, it was such a glorious atmosphere. It was like us winning the World Cup."

The delirium of winning the Dr Martens premier division and the League Cup is a world away from the dark days of 1999.

The club had debts of around £400,000 and were at risk of going under before Duly stepped in with a rescue package and five-year plan to take Crawley into the Conference.

That he has achieved it a year ahead of schedule is nothing short of amazing and has much do with the backing he has received from his family.

Wife Margaret works as the club secretary and son Steve has revolutionised the commercial side after becoming managing director.

Steve said: "There was a lot of criticism levelled at the Duly family when we came in because we weren't football people but what we brought was business sense.

"From the outset we said we would worry about bringing the money in and running the stadium and would pay the manager to run the team and that is what we have done.

"Because there is nobody on the board with a great knowledge of football, it means there is no need to interfere with the football side of things.

"The difference between now and 1999 is the way the club is run. Before that, it was viewed just as a football club but the game has come on so much and you have got to run it as a business."

It was hard work getting Crawley on a stable financial footing and into the Conference, but the next challenge is likely to be even tougher.

After investing more than £500,000 to take the Reds to the summit of the non-league game, the Dulys are calling for the whole town to get behind the club in a bid to win promotion to the Football League.

Even as they marched to an historic league and cup double this season, Crawley were losing thousands of pounds every week and unless that changes, the Dulys fear all the hard work could be undone.

John said: "When we took over, I not only had a five-year plan to get into the Conference but a ten-year plan to reach the Football League.

"I still believe it is possible but we can't afford to do it on our own. I don't think people realise how much money I have put into this club that has come from hard work. Every penny is hard-earned cash.

"I am not the sort of bloke who sits back in a leather chair relaxing with a cigar all day. I still work full time doing MOTs and driving coaches to fund the club so there has to be a limit.

"We need the whole town to help out. This season our average attendance is 1,300 but next year we need 3,700 to break even.

"We got involved because we wanted to do something for the town. We have delivered and now we need the town to do something for us."