Manager Francis Vines says Alan Mullery's arrival is good for Crawley, although he is unsure what the former Albion manager's role will be.

Mullery this week started a new part-time position as a football consultant and will give advice on all aspects of the club.

Vines was not consulted about the appointment and says he is reluctant to have interference with first team affairs.

But he says the experience and contacts of the one-time England captain will be an asset.

Vines said: "To me it is just another person coming into the club to help out.

"I don't know exactly what he will be doing but from my point of view, hopefully, I will carry on working like I have been.

"I think the owners have realised that running a football club is not like running any other business, so they have brought in some experience to help out.

"I have not got a problem with that. I shall pick his brains and he has a lot of contacts which will come in useful."

Mullery has told Vines he will not meddle in team selection but will have the final say on all signings.

He said: "If I can help Francis and his coaching staff in any way, I will be only too happy to but I won't pick the team. I have nothing to do with the team.

"I will have a say over which players come to the club. Every player recommended will be assessed by my scouts and myself and we will only bring players in who are better than what we have already got."

Mullery believes Reds need to strengthen their squad to turn around a disappointing start to the season.

Crawley travel to Accrington Stanley tomorrow second from bottom having won once in their first seven games.

Mullery says the five loan deals, allowed during the transfer embargo, should be used as soon as possible.

Vines admits new additions are needed but is reluctant to make wholesale changes to his relatively new squad.

Ten new faces have been added since the summer and Vines believes they are just beginning to gel.

He said: "We need to get a couple of players in and I will be giving him (Mullery) a long list of players I want but I think five or six is too many and would unsettle the squad.

"The current players have taken time to bed in but now they are beginning to get used to each other and to full-time training.

"There is a bit of a buzz around the training pitch at the moment. We don't want to totally disrupt it by bringing too many people in."

Reds could be without five players for the trip to Lancashire.

Winger Lee Elam suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury in the reserves' 4-3 defeat against Gillingham on Wednesday.

Midfielder Simon Wormull is also a doubt with a stiff back and Danny Brown is almost certain to miss out with a foot problem.

Rob Kember and fellow midfielder Neil Jenkins remain sidelined with an ankle and groin injuries respectively.

Accrington have no selection problems and are unbeaten in their last three games.