Crawley have reacted to their recent slump by placing club captain Josh Simpson and four other players on the transfer list.

Simpson has been stripped of the captaincy with immediate effect and made available for loan along with Conor Henderson, Matt Harrold, Lewis Young and Brian Jensen.

Joe Walsh has been installed as the new club captain with the board of directors giving manager John Gregory the green light to bring in two or three loan signings before the window closes on November 27.

Simpson is Crawley’s longest serving player having joined the club in December 2010 but has made just six appearances this season due to injury.

Henderson, Young, Harrold and Jensen all arrived in the summer but have struggled to hold down a regular place in the starting line-up.

Reds have crashed out of two cup competitions in the last week and head to Oldham on Saturday in 15th position in League One having won just once in their last six matches.

Gregory said: “We need to freshen things up and I feel the players whom we have transfer-listed will benefit from the stimulus of a new challenge and more regular first-team football elsewhere.

“It’s never easy making these decisions but I feel if Crawley Town are to progress they need to be made. I am looking at adding a couple of players to the squad in time for the game at Oldham on Saturday.”

Meanwhile, chief executive Michael Dunford has confirmed that the club’s owners have agreed to a further injection of funds to help Gregory strengthen his squad despite having put in more than £800,000 already this season.

Dunford said: “The board/owners will continue to support the manager in his efforts to strengthen the squad and whilst players have been transfer-listed the board/owners are happy to fund loan deals so that the squad can be strengthened through to the opening of the transfer window on January 1.

“Already the board/owners have committed over £800,000 this season. Like all our supporters their wish is to see a successful team so even set against our reduced attendances this season they have agreed to provide additional funds to the manager.”