Crawley Town have been taken over by KB Sports and Leisure, 11 days after the club's co-owner resigned in protest at their summer recruitment.

The club announced that the company, headed by Raphael Khalili, has completed a majority buyout of the League Two club from former owners WAGMI United LLC.

Khalili will be joined on the new board by Daniel Khalili, Ryan Gilbert and Maxwell Strongman which they say is "a group with extensive experience in commercial strategy, professional sports, financial services and governance".

KB Sports take over the running of the club from US cryptocurrency investors WAGMI, who bought the Red Devils in 2022
Preston Johnson, who resigned as co-owner and chief executive officer (CEO) earlier this month, has been replaced as CEO by Tom Allman, previously the club's general manager.

Crawley was promoted to League One in 2023-24 but relegated back to League Two last season, despite promotion-winning manager Scott Lindsey re-joining them.

WAGMI co-founder Johnson resigned as co-chairman in May 2024 and last month announced he was also quitting as chief executive and co-owner with a takeover looming.

He claimed the new owners have "a different vision of the future" and criticised their player recruitment strategy, veering away from the "data-driven approach that has powered our success".

Crawley responded with a statement, external thanking Johnson for his service but added that "data will continue to play a key role in our decision making, alongside other critical considerations".

The club has made eight signings already this summer, including former Chelsea midfielder Kyle Scott.

'New owners understand what Crawley can become'
KB Sports lists its interests as real estate, sport and leisure and have laid out their own vision for the club, saying there will be "a focus on sustainable growth, fan engagement, and competitive ambition".

In a statement , externalon the club website, Raphael Khalili said: "This club has an incredibly loyal fanbase and a rich identity, and we're committed to building something truly special, something sustainable, ambitious and rooted in the community.

"Our vision is to create a modern football club that balances on-pitch success with long-term stability.

"We will invest in infrastructure, prioritise data and innovation, and ensure Crawley Town is a club that reflects the values and energy of its supporters."

Khalili, who was an shareholder in the club under the previous ownership, said work has already begun on upgrading Broadfield Stadium, improving the training facilities and "development of a long-term operational strategy built around performance, sustainability, and innovation".

The new owner claimed to have a hand in the re-appointment of Lindsey in March 2025.

Lindsey said: "There's a real sense of excitement and direction around the club right now.

"Raphael and the new board clearly understand what Crawley Town represents, and more importantly, what it can become. Raphael has a strong grasp of both football and people, and in my 30-plus years in the game, I can confidently say the club couldn't be in better hands.

"Their backing, ambition, and clear vision will give us everything we need to keep progressing, on and off the pitch."

Crawley begin the new League Two season away to Grimsby Town on Saturday, 2 August.

Gamball:
Stoke - Derby

Others:
Charlton - Watford
Middlesbrough - Swansea
Southampton - Wrexham
Oxford - Portsmouth
QPR - Preston
WBA - Blackburn
Reading - Huddersfield
Bolton - Plymouth
Wycombe - Stockport

Reminder of the scoring:
Gamball optional : 8 points correct score; 4 points correct result; -1 point incorrect result.
Bonus compulsory. 6 points correct score; 3 points correct result; -3 points incorrect result.
Others 4 points correct score; 2 points correct result; 0 points incorrect result
Scoreball 1 point if both teams score; 0 points if only 1 team scores; -1 point if it's 0-0.

Good luck and have fun!

I watched all the Lionesses games of the Euros and in some ways I enjoy watching the England Women's team more than the Men's because of how they play. What people need to stop doing though is comparing the Women's game to the Men's game, it's the same game played at different levels. You can't compare non-league to Champions League so why do it with the Women's and the Men's game.

The younger generation of Girls and Women will follow Women's football at club level and support a team maybe the same team as the Men's or maybe where they live or because of their favourite player but the problem is how do you get Women who watch the Euros or World Cup every 2 years supporting the Lionesses who don't follow club football interested in club football and through the turnstiles? It's a bit like people who watch Wimbledon once a year because it's on TV but don't necessarily follow all the other grand slams.

If you have not noticed the season creeps in tonight witha League Cup tie between Barnet and Newport, one of the extra two cup games due to the league not wanting to upset the 75 Premier League sides who are in Europe. First league game on Friday when Luton entertain Wimbledon.

Just had our TV games confirmed 12.30 away at Millwall and Oxford, but pray for Norwich fans who have been given a 12.30 kick off at Deepdale on the Saturday before Christmas.

Will try as much as I can to keep this thread going but by the second week of the season may be struggling

Welcome to the Chesterfield Prediction League 2025/26


Past winners of the Chesterfield Prediction League include:

2024/2025 Maclad
2023/2024 SaltergateBorn
2022/2023 SaltergateBorn
2021/2022 Lord Snoots
2020/2021 Lord Snoots
2019/2020 Amelia
2018/2019 Devongone
2017/2018 St Charles
2016/2017 Lord Snoots
2015/2016 Spireitematt
2014/2015 Amelia

Rules:
1. Anybody can enter
2. I will update the table after each matchday

That's it those are the rules.

Scoring:

5pts = Correct score line
3pt = Correct outcome

Bonus Scoring

Joker:

The Joker is optional you can play it if you want but don't have to. If you play it and get it right then you'll double your score. You can only play it ONCE. So if you predict 2-0 but the outcome is 3-2 you'll double your outcome points. If you predict 2-0 and the outcome and correct scoreline is 2-0 then you'll double both your outcome points and correct scoreline points.

Example: Chesterfield 3-0 Real Madrid
Correct Outcome: Chesterfield 2-1 Real Madrid = 6pts

Example: Chesterfield 3-0 Real Madrid
Correct score/outcome Chesterfield 3-0 Real Madrid = 16pts

If you play the Joker and get it wrong you'll get -3 points.

With only a few days left before Chesterfield's first game of the season I thought it was time to say that our Prediction League seems to have met its maker.

There were only four of "us" on here. I haven't seen/heard anything from Matt who ran the League. He's still young and I imagine he has got a life! Salts, our other friend, well, I hope he is still alive and kicking or waddling, but he is even older than me and I would doubt he wants to take over the running.

I'm 73 and though Dancing and I helped out last year, I don't want to take it on, and I wouldn't bet on myself to see the end of the season to be frank. Dancing lives most of the time in Spain and he has got a life! So I'm afraid it is not much of an announcement, or even if it is an announcement ......

I'll keep failing with predictions in Snooty's Huddersfield version and I'm sure he (they) would welcome anyone who feels a pressing need to fail.

Whow!
What spirit, determination and togetherness.
What skill!
If only men played with the same level of all this, like they used to before money spoiled it all.

(BUT.... sad to see the Spanish ladies beginning to dive and feign injury in that final. And their sulking faces, without exception, at the presentation!?!
Stamp THAT out!!)

Started off with a 2-0 win over Port Vale
Then 1-1 with dynamo Kyiv
Then 2-1 defeat to Blackpool
Then 1-0 defeat to Fulham
Now four minutes in and we are 2-0 down to Lincoln.

Is it just me or does the season prep seem along way from being ready?

We're just a couple of weeks before the start of the new season so an early request to see who is up for doing this again this year? Post if you are in and it would be great to see some new blood (or returning old blood) to inject some competition!