Crawley Town owner 'more nervous' for League Two opener at Carlisle United than when he had hundreds of thousands of dollars at play during his betting days

The Reds travel up north tomorrow (Thursday), train at a facility in Sunderland on Friday before a hugely anticipated opening game in which the Reds could stamp their authority on this league.

Kevin Betsy – and new owners WAGMI United - have put together a squad which has got Reds fans excited.

And Johnson is as nervous as he excited about the opening game. "I am extremely excited,” he said. “In my previous profession in sports betting, I would have hundreds of thousands of dollars at play in action on a Saturday for college American football for example and I’m probably more nervous for this first game than I have ever been.”

And Johnson has been look at the betting markets for Crawley Town’s promotion hopes this season. And he thinks they are off the mark and he is optimistic of a successful season ahead.

"I think hopes are high. Personally, as a former better, I price things, it’s all probabilities.

"I think the betting markets themselves have us as 11th or 12th best team in the league, that’s too low for sure. Do I think we are a lock to get promoted? Or course not, you have to be realistic I think we will at the very least be fighting for a play-off spot in that four to seven ranges fairly often, if not achieving automatic promotion.

“We are definitely hopeful."

So what would Johnson’s message to Betsy, Dan Micciche and the players before the opening game?

"It wouldn’t be any different to what it has been this entire time which is our expectation and goals are to get promoted and win games and they have done that for almost the entirety of pre-season,” he said.

"In training, I know Kevin has been impressed with how hard hard they are working and how adaptable they have been to a new style of football that we are really excited about that will come with a few headaches here and there.

"I think there is a lot of opportunity and positivity surrounding the club and just tell them to keep it up the momentum.”