CRAWLEY have provided the most vivid picture yet of how Turkish owner Ziya Eren is keeping them afloat.

In accounts filed two months late, Reds reveal they lost £272,333 in the year ending June 30, 2017.

That took their overall debt to £1.4 million although they owed nothing to the bank.

Eren gave the club £770,000 to add to a donation of £285,000 the previous year.

Crawley also owe Eren £722,000 via an interest-free loan which he is in no rush to get back.

Those numbers are likely to include at least the first instalment of money received from Luton after they signed Reds top scorer James Collins last June.

Current boss Harry Kewell has yet to adequately replace Collins in his squad.

The financial picture painted, while not pretty, is not an unusual one within the Football League.

As with Tony Bloom and Albion before they reached the Premier League, the owner is dipping into his funds to bankroll his club.

The independent auditors’ report accompanying the accounts says there “may be significant doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a growing concern.”

However, the report also states: “With the income of the past 12 months and the continued financial support of the owner of the football club, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue to operate for the foreseeable future.”

Reds improved their league position to 14th in League Two last season without major signings.

Kewell makes no secret that he expects backing to bring in experienced players this summer.

He said: “I have players in my mind who I need to bring in. The club know my list.

“Let’s hope we have a good summer and we bring in the players I want.

“If we do that I’m going to be a very happy coach.”