New owner John Duly yesterday sprung a major surprise after taking control of Crawley Town by appointing Jo Gomm as the club's first female chairman.

Gomm, who had been on the old board for 18 months, is one of four new directors in the reconstituted board along with Dave Brown, who was also a director of the old company, Duly and his son Steven, who becomes the club's full-time managing director.

Gomm, 50, said: "I'm very excited about the future of the club, the first game has to be staying in the premier division.

"If we finish fifth from bottom at the end of the season we will have achieved that goal, but long-term Crawley has the potential to at least be a Conference club."

Duly, a Crawley director since 1982, has bought the club for £60,000 but only preferential creditors, such as the Inland Revenue, will get any money from the sale.

Second-bottom Crawley, without a win all season, are at Halesowen today

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