Crawley Town are in talks with the council over leaving the Checkatrade.com Stadium to move to a state of the art community stadium.

Chief executive Michael Dunford revealed at a fans’ forum last night that feasibility studies were currently underway in relation to “two or three” potential sites.

Reds moved to their current home from Town Mead in 1997 but although the capacity is sufficient the facilities do not allow the club to generate enough income on non-matchdays.

Dunford insists the plans will only go ahead if the new stadium – which would probably have an artificial pitch – is fully self-sustainable and is unlikely to happen for another four years at least.

Dunford said: “If we stand still we will drift backwards. There is no question about that.

“We owe it to supporters and the town to explore the possibility of having a state of the art stadium.

“Our current stadium was the best in the Conference in 1997 but it is a little bit tired now. We have to have aspirations to improve.

“It might take three or four years yet. If somebody said we would have a new stadium in four years I would jump through hoops.

“We have had two feasibility studies and the council have outlined two or three sites to look at which we are currently investigating but we are probably six months away from saying anything further.

“We will continue to have discussions because if there is the prospect of delivering a debt free stadium for this club to go forward for the next generation then it is one we must take.

“It might have a capacity of 6,000 or 8,000 or 10,000. That is irrelevant at the moment but the important thing is the ability to create commercial income 365 days a year to support the club and not be a drain on it.”

Dunford also confirmed that the club was still up for sale but no suitable bidders had come forward over the last 18 months.

“There has been two or three approaches since the club was put up for sale but none of them came up to scratch,” added Dunford.

“They might have had the money but they seemed more interested in bricks and mortar rather than building a better team and a better football club for future generations.

“We want to build a legacy here so if it takes another two or three years to find a suitable buyer then so be it.

“Until we find the right group of people who come along and make a genuine offer that is in the best interests of the club then it will remain in the current ownership.”

Co-owner Sue Carter said: “It is important we hand the club over to the right people.

“It is like a baby that you nurture and we would rather give it away for free to the right people than sell it to the wrong people.”