Steve Evans and Paul Raynor agree new Crawley contracts

Evans and Raynor (l) have been at Crawley since May 2007

Crawley Town manager Steve Evans and his assistant Paul Raynor have verbally accepted new three-year contracts.

The duo have guided the Reds to second in Blue Square Bet Premier and the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Evans told BBC Sussex: "[Co-owners] Susan Carter and Bruce Winfield wanted to make sure they tied us up and gave us more security on and off the pitch.

"It didn't take us very long to agree the terms and conditions. We'll tie the loose ends up in the summer."

He added: "We don't want it to cut across anything before the work is done this season. I've started something here and I want to fulfil it.

"This club has given us a great opportunity to progress our careers into the Football League."

Evans joined the Sussex club in May 2007, and finished 15th in his first full season with the club.

He followed that with a ninth-placed finish in 2009, and seventh place last year, which was the club's highest ever finish.

The Reds have mounted a promotion push this season after clearing their debts and embarking on a transfer spree following heavy investment last summer.

Earlier this season the club rejected an approach for Evans to join the coaching staff at Notts County, and this offer comes after an approach for the duo by an unnamed side last week.

It didn't take us very long to agree the terms and conditions. We'll tie the loose ends up in the summer

Crawley manager Steve Evans

Co-owner Susan Carter said: "Having already turned down a few approaches from Football League clubs who wanted to take our management team away from us, we are not going to allow that to happen.

"As a business we must protect our assets; as a football club our management team certainly comes into that category and we intend to keep ours.

"The board of directors is delighted with how this season has developed and a large part of that is down to Steve Evans and Paul Raynor.

"We have made them new improved contractual offers, which will also give this football club further stability and we want them with us for a very long time."