Hatters chief ready for a 'carnival atmosphere' at Kenilworth Road

The Hatters go into their home clash with Oxford knowing that a win should be enough to be crowned champions.

Second placed Barnsley, who head to Bristol Rovers, are level on points, but with an inferior goal difference of four, meaning Luton are odds-on to lift the trophy in front of a baying home crowd.

Harford told BBC Three Counties Radio: "“Every game, I’ve asked the players to go and express themselves, go and enjoy the game, make an impression on the game.

"It will be no different, it will be a carnival atmosphere down at Kenilworth Road.

“It will be rocking and I’m going to ask the players to go and enjoy themselves, go and express themselves.

“If you do that, you’re in a better frame of mind, you play better, you’re more relaxed.

“So hopefully we can put on performance and try and win the Championship.”

Like the majority of Hatters’ fans Harford was watching on with great interest as Tuesday night unfolded, with Portsmouth losing to Peterborough 3-2 and Sunderland going down 2-1 at Fleetwood Town.

That was enough for Town to go up, as the Luton boss continued: “Gary Sweet (chief executive) got me log in on the Portsmouth iFollow, so I sat with my son and his friends and we watched it.

“It was very nervous, very tense, especially when Peterborough went 2-0 up.

“I had a feeling that Portsmouth, who are a good team, would claw their way back in.

“When it went 3-2, they had to score two goals in the last 20, 25 minutes, and overall it was pretty comfortable for Peterborough in the last 25 minutes.

“It was lovely evening and we had a couple of glasses of champagne.”

On just what it means to finally achieve the goal of promotion, Harford added: “I’m absolutely thrilled, especially for the fans firstly and the players and everyone connected with the football club.

“We’ve amassed 91 points, it's a massive total and fortunately the other teams just couldn’t reach it.

“We’re absolutely thrilled and delighted, it’s great news.

“All credit to the players, 28 games unbeaten was a great record and they performed at levels which have been excellent all season.

“One or two little dips here and there but you expect that through.

“Any challenges that came they overcame, they got back off the ground again.

“They’re a fantastic bunch and they deserve all the accolades they’re going to get.”