Crawley Town boss John Yems says comments after Charlton Athletic defeat 'were misinterpreted' and has his say on Reds' Transfer Deadline Day action

Some fans had questioned - and read between the lines - when he said: "Let's hope I get the reins to do what I want to do."The interview came after the defeat and on Transfer Deadline Day. You can see the full interview below.

But in today's press conference, Yems said he was only talking about getting his strongest side out. He said: "I think it was misinterpreted.

"What I was saying is that we have injured players out and we haven’t had the chance to play the team I want to play all together.

"You just hope when the injured boys are back we can put a side out that we go ‘this is us now’, the so-called best XI or the Leeds XI. It was not meant in any other way. The people behind the scenes can’t do enough, none of us can, we are all working hard.

"Erdem [Konyar, the club's CEO] has put a lot of work in over the years."

The Reds' injury list was extended on Tuesday when Tom Dallison became the third defender to get a shoulder injury - in addition to other players who are already out.

Yems said: "It’s the worst injury situation we have ever had.

"We have three shoulder injuries which I have have never come across in my life. Sam Matthews has just had an operation, he came out the worse of them and then you have had Ludwig [Francilette], Tom [Dallison]. These are injuries rugby players should be getting.

"We have also had niggly injuries, we had four people get Covid but they are playing catch-up all the time and we had players against Charlton you had to keep on the pitch who in a perfect world you would have taken off. You can't do that at the minute."

The only player Crawley brought in on Deadline Day was Amrit Bansal-McNulty from Queens Park Rangers on a four-month loan. In last week's press conference Yems was hoping to bring in some more experienced heads to help cover the injuries.

But he said he was not frustrated by not getting anymore in.

He said: "Every club could say the same. We have the 20-22 we have got and I am happy. Of course you are looking to improve. Unfortunately since day one we haven't had that 20 por22 to pick from because of illnesses and injuries You either moan or you get one with it.

"I am glad we got it [injury crisis] early because I would not have fancied it later in the season."