Crawley Town boss Mark Yates has offered an abrupt response to news he is being “assessed” by the club’s new owner.

Ziya Eren told fans via a statement yesterday that he would “assess the manager’s performance in the coming weeks” and said it was normal procedure.

He also thanked Yates for the job he has done so far this season.

Eren waved to supporters from the pitch before today’s 5-1 defeat by Oxford United, then went on to the terracing to shake hands with fans and pose for photos.

But the celebratory mood, which continued when Joe McNerney put the home side ahead, evaporated as they conceded four second-half goals.

Yates was asked by The Argus for a reaction to Eren’s statement and said: “Brilliant, yeah, that’s great. I’m being assessed. Brilliant!”

The Argus:

Crawley owner Ziya Eren

Yates has kept Reds well clear of any relegation concerns during what always looked a challenging season and he said: “The aim for the season has been achieved.”

In a statement outlining his plans for the club, Eren described their playing budget as being in the top ten to 12 in League Two.

Reds played some of their best football of the season in today’s first half but were pegged back to 1-1 by the break and were overpowered in defence in the second period.