Crawley are hopeful of signing defender Miles Addison on loan from Bournemouth to ease a crippling injury crisis.

Saunders expects to be without nine first team players for the trip to high-flying Swindon Town tomorrow with four of his six defenders unavailable.

Dean Leacock and Lanre Oyebanjo are both injured, Joe Walsh is suspended and Darren Ward is unable to play against his parent club.

Goalkeeper Brian Jensen, midfielders Conor Henderson and Josh Simpson and striker Matt Harrold are also injured with Saunders keeping the identity of the other likely absentee under wraps.

Former Derby centre-back Addison was signed for Bournemouth by Crawley assistant manager Paul Groves but has not made an appearance for the Cherries for more than two years.

Bournemouth are willing to pay the majority of Addison’s wages but Reds face competition for the 26-year-old, who has not played since a loan spell at Scunthorpe in August, from League Two outfit Cheltenham Town.

Saunders said: “We’ve go nine injured or not available which for a squad like ours is not great. We are short all over but we’ll just have to get on with it.

“Having three centre-backs missing is a blow and probably five of those who are out would be starters and the rest would be on the bench so it is going to be hard to cope with.

“I’m in the middle of trying to get somebody in. I’d say it is 50-50 but whatever happens we’ve got to patch the team up again, be organised and show a lot of character.”