Scott Lindsey

Playing career

Lindsey started his career with Goole Town before signing for Football Conference side Stafford Rangers and then having spells with Burton Albion and Sutton Coldfield Town. He later joined Tamworth, debuting in the 2–1 Southern Football League Midland division victory at Evesham United on 30 August 1993 and went on to make a total of 22 appearances for the club, (14 of which came in the Southern Football League before departing after a final appearance as a substitute in the 2–1 home league victory over Leicester United on 4 December 1993).

He moved on to join Bridlington Town before signing for Gillingham in July 1994 and made his debut for the club in the 1–0 home defeat to Carlisle United on 31 December 1994. Lindsey made 12 appearances in the league that season but failed to make the Gills team at the start of the following season and moved on to join Dover Athletic in October 1995 spending the next two seasons with the club before moving on to Sittingbourne and Ashford Town (Kent).

Lindsey played for Canvey Island, scoring his first goal for the club in a 3–0 Isthmian League First Division home victory over Wembley on 23 January 1999, before being released in September 1999 and joining Gravesend & Northfleet where he remained until spending the 2001–02 season with Welling United. In July 2002 he joined Folkestone Invicta, making his 100th start for the club in the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round Replay at home to Harrow Borough on 5 October 2004.

In January 2006, he joined Maidstone United debuting in the 2–0 Kentish Observer Football League Cup Group C victory at VCD Athletic on 24 January 2006. He joined Sittingbourne in March 2008, debuting as a second-half substitute in the 2–1 Isthmian League Division One South home defeat to Croydon Athletic on 8 March 2008.

Coaching career

Lindsey rejoined Folkestone Invicta as a player/coach but left the club in January 2009 to become Technical Development Coach at Gillingham where his role was to set up Development Centres in and around Kent for young children while also working at the club's Centre of Excellence in Canterbury with the Under 9s right through to the Under 16s.

Following the appointment of Chris Sutton as manager of Lincoln City at the end of September 2009, Lindsey was appointed first-team coach at the club and would later serve as caretaker manager. On 18 May 2011 he departed Sincil Bank with his contract being cancelled by mutual consent following the club's relegation from The Football League.

He was appointed as the under 18s manager at Swindon Town in the summer of 2014. In June 2016 though he left Swindon to take on the role of assistant manager at Forest Green Rovers.

On 22 July 2021, Lindsey left Chatham Town and rejoined Swindon Town as assistant manager and was announced as the club's new head coach in June 2022 following the departure of Ben Garner for Charlton Athletic.

On 11 January 2023, when Swindon were eighth in League Two, Lindsey was appointed manager of another League Two side, Crawley Town, on an initial two-and-a-half-year contract. In his first season he kept the club up after a strong run of form towards the end of the season with survival confirmed after a 0–0 draw against Walsall. The club finished 22nd, their lowest finish since relegation from League One in 2015.

Lindsey was nominated for the EFL's September Manager of the Month for League Two following a successful month for Crawley with five wins and a draw with the team ending the month in second. In October 2023, Lindsey was linked with a move to manage former club Gillingham. Crawley reached the play-offs at the end of the season and defeated Milton Keynes Dons 8–1 on aggregate in the play-off semi-finals; delivering the club's first ever visit to Wembley Stadium and recording the largest play-off victory in Football League history. Lindsey led Crawley Town to promotion to League One after they won the League Two play-off final with a 2–0 win against Crewe Alexandra.

On 25 September 2024, Lindsey left Crawley Town to become manager of League Two club Milton Keynes Dons. He left Crawley with the club in 18th position in League One. He was sacked on 2 March 2025 following a poor run of results that left the club in 17th position, 3 points closer to the relegation zone than the playoff places.

Lindsey was re-appointed as Crawley manager on 21 March 2025, with Lindsey signing a contract until June 2028.

Personal life

Scott Lindsey is the son of the former Gillingham right-back Keith Lindsey and was described as "a chip off the old block in the same position and for the same club".

He was married to Hayley for 16 years until her death from cancer at the age of 44 in November 2019. The couple had three daughters. His brother Matthew died in a motorcycle accident in 1995 on his way back from watching Lindsey play in a match.

Managerial statistics

Honours

As a manager

Crawley Town

• EFL League Two play-offs: 2024

References

References

1. {{Hugman. 11753
2. "Game Info for Tamworth vs Evesham United on 30/08/1993". Tamworth F.C. Heritage Website.
3. "Player Info- Scott Lindsey". Tamworth F.C. Heritage Website.
4. "Game Info for Tamworth vs Leicester United on 04/12/1993". Tamworth F.C. Heritage Website.
5. Jack Rollin (Editor), ''Rothmans Football Yearbook 1995–96'', pp. 168–169, Headline 1995.
6. (November 2010). "Soccer: Canvey win and Billericay fight hard for points". [[Evening Echo (Essex).
7. (November 2010). "Soccer: Big Wembley date is booked by Jones". [[Evening Echo (Essex).
8. (11 October 2004). "Landmark for Invicta duo". Non-League Daily.
9. (24 January 2006). "VCD Athletic 0–2 Maidstone United". Maidstone United F.C..
10. (8 March 2008). "Full-time report: Sittingbourne 1 Croydon Athletic 2". Sittingbourne F.C..
11. (3 June 2008). "Lindsey in, Kola out at Invicta". Your Shepway News.
12. (11 January 2009). "Lindso on a great opportunity". Folkestone Invicta F.C..
13. (1 October 2009). "Lincoln City appoint Scott Lindsey as coach". Lincolnshire Echo.
14. (18 May 2011). "Scott Lindsey departs". Lincoln City F.C..
15. (20 August 2014). "Lindsey is loving adventure with League One Swindon Town". Tamworth Herald.
16. (2 June 2016). "Scott Lindsey, Steve Hale and Tom Huelin depart Swindon Town to join up with Mark Cooper at Forest Green Rovers as chief scout Sam Jewell heads to Brighton". Swindon Advertiser.
17. "New Director of Football and Head Coach Appointed". [[Swindon Town F.C.]].
18. "Scott Lindsey appointed as Town's new Head Coach/". [[Swindon Town F.C.]].
19. (11 January 2023). "SCOTT LINDSEY APPOINTED AS MANAGER".
20. Whelan, Ryan. (26 October 2023). "Exclusive: Crawley Town Manager In Talks With League Two Club".
21. McIntyre, David. (11 May 2024). "League Two play-off semi-final: MK Dons v Crawley Town".
22. (19 May 2024). "Crawley Town beat Crewe Alexandra to win promotion to League One".
23. (25 September 2024). "MK Dons appoint Crawley boss Lindsey as head coach".
24. (2 March 2025). "Club Statement: Scott Lindsey".
25. (2025-03-21). "Scott Lindsey returns to the Reds for a second spell". Crawley Town F.C..
26. Barry J Hugman (Editor), ''The 1995–96 Official P.F.A. Footballers Factfile'', pp.126, Stanley Paul 1995.
27. Johnston, Neil. (30 September 2020). "FA Cup qualifying: How Chatham Town boss turned to football after losing wife to cancer". [[BBC Sport]].
28. "Managers:Scott Lindsey". Centurycomm.