Jones: U's win shows we've come a long way

Luton Town boss Nathan Jones believes that Saturday's 7-0 demolition job of Cambridge United shows just how far the club has come during his tenure.
Hatters boss Nathan Jones hails the fans after beating CarlisleHatters boss Nathan Jones hails the fans after beating Carlisle
Hatters boss Nathan Jones hails the fans after beating Carlisle

For it was the U’s who Jones began his managerial career against back in February 2016 after being appointed Town chief.

That day, with a side containing the likes of Magnus Okuonghae and Ryan Hall, Town were held to a 0-0 draw, with a performance that is a million miles away from what Luton are producing these days.

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Jones said: “I said to my players before the game, 18 months ago, my first game in charge here was Cambridge.

“I’ve got to be honest with you and it’s not because they weren’t my group of players, so I won’t be disrespectful to any of them, but I did not know what I was going get.

“We came out, got a respectable 0-0 draw, no-one will remember that game and today (Saturday) I knew what I was going to get.

“I didn’t know we were going to get seven, but I knew I’d get a performance and knew I could rely on this structure, how they press, how they work, how they graft, how they go about their work.

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“I knew what I was going to get and we’ve come along way in that 18 months, we really have.

“The level of performance, how they went about their work, I’m very proud as I try to coach that.

“I try to bring that across every day to our club, our culture and they just demonstrated that, so that’s a proud moment for me.”

Town followed that result up with a 3-0 victory over Carlisle on Tuesday night, a result that moved Luton back to the top of the table again.

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Jones knows that will make his team a target for others in this division, but doesn’t believe that has changed a jot since he first took over.

He added: “We’re there to be shot at anyway, our club is there to be shot at regardless.

“No-one in this world will put more pressure on this team than I do, or more pressure on me than I do, so they handle it.

“I pressure them every day to perform, to train at the levels, to dedicate their lives to this football club and that’s what we do.

“So we’re there to be shot at, but we’re there to be shot at every game, people know we’re a good side.”