Crawley turn down bid for Ademeno

Evans has revealed the club turned down a bid from an un-named Football League club for Charles Ademeno, who only joined Reds in the summer from Southend.

And Evans says that top scorer Jamie Cook will not be leaving during the transfer window even though his manager believes he is good enough to play in the Championship.

Evans, whose side entertain promoted Gateshead tomorrow, said: “Last Friday we turned down an offer from a Football League club for Charlie Ademeno when it looked at one stage as if he might have gone. That was courageous of the board.

“Even after selling three players we still have a financial fight on our hands because we don’t get the 4,000 crowds that clubs like Cambridge get.

“I think they are a real handful together. Jamie Cook could and should play in the Championship. If we’re ever involved with a club at that level Jamie would be bought for money.

“We’re not going to knock other players – some of them big names – who play at that level but we watch Championship games and none of them have got a Jamie Cook.”

Cook still finished top scorer last season with 15 goals despite spending three months on the sidelines because of a groin injury. His value was emphasised with the classy finishes which secured back-to-back wins over Wrexham and Cambridge and he has scored in the last three matches.

Evans is well aware that even to compete in the top half of the table he needs to keep hold of prized assets such as Cook.

He added: “You could never say who is the best striker in this league because there are so many of them.

“Some clubs are getting forwards on loan and paying them more than we can afford in wages.

“So we never underestimate how hard it is for Crawley Town to compete at this level and how important it is we keep players like Jamie who can get you goals and keep you in the top half of the Conference.”

It is not just up front where Reds have got their act together since the opening-day 4-0 mauling at Mansfield.

In the absence of injured skipper Adam Quinn his predecessor Chris Giles and new signing Karl Broadhurst have formed an impressive partnership at the heart of a defence which has only conceded once in their last three games.

Evans said: “Karl Broadhurst has been absolutely magnificent since he came into the side. People said we would never replace Jake Wright but I think Karl has performed in our last three games as equally well as Jake did. That’s great credit to Karl because when I sold Jake I told (Albion boss) Russell Slade that he was the best left-sided defender in the league and I still believe that.

“I’m also pleased for Chris Giles. If Adam Quinn had been fit at the start of the season Chris would have been on the bench but he produced another marvellous performance on Tuesday.

“On Tuesday they were up against a side with seven goals in their previous two games, both away, and they restricted them to one header in the 95th minute.”

Despite three successive wins, the last two over sides predicted to challenge for the play-offs, Evans refuses to change his mind about what Crawley’s realistic ambitions are.

He said: “We have beaten Wrexham and Cambridge, two huge ex-Football League clubs, in the space of four days and no one should underestimate how big it is for a club of our stature to beat teams like that.

“But over a season we don’t think we can compete with the likes of Cambridge, Wrexham, Luton, Stevenage and York City. We are going to be short some weeks because of injuries and suspension.”

Playmaker Thomas Pinault is expected to be available after missing Tuesday’s win because of back trouble while Quinn (calf) could be on the bench.

Crawley (from): Rayner, Rusk, Broadhurst, Giles, Rents, Killeen, Hutchinson, Smith, Pinault, Cook, Ademeno, Louis, Cogan, Malcolm, Forrest, Jordan, Powell.

Gateshead: Provett, Baxter, Harwood, Robinson, Curtis, Swailes, Brittai, Forsyth, Gate, Turnbull, Phillips, Francis, Mackay, Richardson, Farman, Jones.