'Perfect' Horsham facilities praised by Crawley Town boss

Crawley Town manager Gabriele Cioffi has praised the ‘perfect’ new Horsham training facilities after his side had their first proper training session at the Hop Oast ground on July 1.
Crawley Town manager Gabriele Cioffi at the new facilities. Picture courtesy of Crawley Town Football Club.Crawley Town manager Gabriele Cioffi at the new facilities. Picture courtesy of Crawley Town Football Club.
Crawley Town manager Gabriele Cioffi at the new facilities. Picture courtesy of Crawley Town Football Club.

Cioffi is overseeing his first full pre-season as Crawley boss after taking over last September, and the Italian is delighted to finally have a place they ‘can call home’ in the build up to a huge League Two campaign.With ‘everything’ they could possibly need available to them at the new Hop Oast ground, Cioffi admitted that the training base is enviable for what some people may call a ‘small club’, benefitting the club ‘massively’ for pre-season and for the future.Crawley have formed a partnership with Horsham FC which allows them to permanently call the Hop Oast ground their training home, and a pre-season friendly will take place between the two teams on July 20 at the ‘amazing facilities’ as part of the agreement that benefits both teams significantly.Discussing his side’s new home, Cioffi said: “The facilities are amazing. Everything is perfect. Whatever my team needs is here, so it is really good.”The manager also recognises the benefits that training at Hop Oast will have on Crawley as a team and as a club, as they finally settle down at a base instead of being ‘randomly’ scattered around Crawley.He continued: “It’s massive, especially for a small club like Crawley is. When I say small club I mean it in terms of numbers, facilities and everything like that, not in terms of heart and commitment of the people working.”The Reds boss expressed gratitude to everybody at the club for the ‘support’ they show him, and knows that having a permanent training base can only be a good thing, especially with a pre-season camp around the corner.He added: “It’s massive because now finally, thanks to the support of all the Crawley staff and of the club, we are able to have a training place we can call home and not be random around Crawley.“The first pre-season session was a long time ago now, on June 23, but we have another important thing this season with the pre-season camp, so having the training ground is amazing. The club in general support me so I am very happy.”Cioffi is also pleased with how the new signings are fitting into the squad, with ‘good blood’ throughout the squad making it easy for the new arrivals.He said: “The new signings are fitting in very well. We have good blood within the dressing room so it’s not difficult. I am very happy.”Crawley begin their season with a trip to face Carlisle United, and will be utilising the excellence of the new base in their preparations for the eagerly awaited season.

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