Dean Saunders replaces John Gregory at Crawley Town

John Gregory has stepped down from his position at Crawley Town in order to undergo major open heart surgery in January, and has been replaced by Dean Saunders on an interim basis. Former Wolves boss Saunders will take charge of his first match on Sunday against relegation rivals Colchester, as he bids to propel the 22nd-placed Red Devils out of the bottom four.

Gregory replaced Richie Barker as Crawley manager back in December 2013, and went on to guide the club to 14th in League One. The West Sussex outfit have endured a difficult 2014/15 campaign to date, winning just five of their 22 fixtures, while their Boxing Day defeat to Leyton Orient extended their winless run to eight matches. However, Gregory, 60, has since been forced to leave the club with immediate effect in order to undergo heart surgery in the New Year, which requires a lengthy period of recuperation.

Gregory's replacement Saunders has previously managed Wrexham, Doncaster Rovers and most recently Wolves. The 50-year-old Welshman will be instantly tasked with ending Crawley's miserable winless run and in turn leading them out of, and then clear, of the relegation zone.

Next 5 Crawley Fixtures

Colchester (h)
MK Dons (h)
Rochdale (a)
Fleetwood (a)
Preston (h)