Banton urged to make more of an impact at Luton

Hatters attacker Zane Banton has been urged to make more of an impact during training by boss Nathan Jones if he wants to prolong his Luton career.
Luton attacker Zane BantonLuton attacker Zane Banton
Luton attacker Zane Banton

The 20-year-old was sent on loan to National League South side St Albans City last week, after another frustrating season at Kenilworth Road, making just four appearances, with none of them coming in the league.

Banton, who featured four times under Jones at the end of last campaign, had been expected by many to finally push on this term, but it hasn’t happened, as on why that was, the Luton chief said: "Zane has big competition in front of him and he hasn’t quite been as productive second half of the season as he has first half.

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"I think he just needs to impact more in terms of his training, in terms of how he goes about certain stuff.

“He’s got undoubted talent, he can be a little bit lethargic at times with certain things about him, but he’s a young player and he needs educating.

“So that’s why he’s here at a good club that will educate him, in terms of being a human as well as being an athlete as well as being a footballer.

“So it’s something he needs to grasp and he’s in an important time, as all young players are."

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Banton, who made his debut for the Hatters as a 17-year-old back in September 2003, is out of contract in the summer, after penning a one year extension during the close season.

When asked if he still had a future with the club, Jones added: “Of course, and he’s a talented young player.

“What he has to do is grasp the mettle and force his way into our plans.

“It’s no good just being sporadic and showing moments of genius and then a lot of, not mediocrity, that would be the wrong word, but to show a lot of normal play.

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“We want to see that real quality on a regular basis, if we get that you get more opportunities as he has real qualities at times.

“We needed him around as we had a lot of games in terms of the Checkatrade and Saturday, Tuesday’s league-wise. But now was the right time to let him go, to get a few games to maybe finish the season off on a little positive note and then to evaluate where we are in May.”

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