'Stability is a big thing and it’s not what the club has had so far' - Striker Tom Nichols on the 'uncertainty' at Crawley Town

The 29-year-old striker will officially join the Gills on January 1 after a month of him not being able to play for the Reds and a lot of speculation. Nichols is leaving one club with new American owners to join another, with the Gills being taken over by Florida-based businessman Brad Galinson in the last week, and he will be hoping for better luck at the Priestfield Stadium.

It has not been the season Crawley Town fans, players and owners would have wanted. They are currently 20th in League Two having only won five of their first 22 games of the season. With Ashley Nadesan and Joel Lynch out injured and Nichols leaving, the Reds need a brilliant transfer window to help try and turn things round.

And speaking to the Crawley Observer, Nichols echoed George Francomb’s words from skipper’s post-Sutton interview about how the squad ‘need help’.

"There is a lot of uncertainty at the club,” said Nichols. “We have had a lot of changes, with new managers, coaches leaving, we have moved training basis and there has been a lot of changes in playing personnel as well and that is the big one.

"Crawley has got a huge squad and keeping all those players happy is not an easy thing and the recruitment is not as good as it probably should have been. I know George [Francomb] alluded to that in the press the other day after the Sutton defeat and he’s probably right. They need help in the window. There are around 38 players in and around the squad and that’s a lot of bodies and a lot of them are unhappy.

“Stability is a big thing and it’s not what the club has had so far. I feel for them.”

SEE ALSO ‘Absolute joke’ - Crawley Town fans left angry and frustrated as striker eaves club for League Two rivals Gillingham | 'Our DMs are horrific' - Lower League Look podcast calls on Crawley Town owners WAGMI United to start speaking to the fans after latest announcement

Nichols added: “I have loved my time here, it’s just shame how this season has gone. We really thought we would kick on. After two 12th place finishes with a small budget and that has increased a lot but we have gone backwards, which is not good.”