Town boss not focussing on 'strange' Baggies clash

Town boss Graeme Jone during this time as West Bromwich Albion assistant

Luton boss Graeme Jones isn’t putting any extra emphasis on facing his former club West Bromwich Albion during the opening month of the season.

After hosting Middlesbrough and travelling to Cardiff City, the Hatters then entertain the Baggies at Kenilworth Road on Saturday, August 17.

Jones spent seven months at the Hawthorns until he was sacked along with manager Darren Moore in March last year, despite the club sitting fourth in the table, paving the way for him to become Town chief.

On coming up against his one-time employers, Jones said: “Even in the first game there is a story with two new managers, and there is always football knows more than anybody doesn’t it?

“The West Brom game is a strange one really.

“It’s not that I’m looking forward to it more than any other fixture, I don’t really think like that.

“Obviously I know a lot of the boys there and have great respect for the players, but also I know them inside out.

“I know their strengths and their weaknesses, so it can only be an advantage.”

The Baggies are under ne management themselves as after Jimmy Shan took the job until the end of the season, former Croatia and West Ham boss Slaven Bilic was appointed recently.

Jones continued: “Slaven Bilic has gone in and I’m sure he’s going to change one or two things.

“I’ve got nothing but good memories of West Brom, apart from the last day that I left there with Darren Moore and Wayne Jacobs.

“I’m just looking forward to the game and hopefully we can give a good account of ourselves.”