Jones: Player manager role a tough one for Nolan

The Luton chief tried to combine playing and his assistant manager position at Yeovil Town when he was at Huish Park back in 2009, but admits it turned into much more than he had bargained for.

Jones said: “Hopefully he has a few more resources than we had at Yeovil as literally, when I was player assistant, we had a player manager as well, but he felt he couldn’t do both and he was right as I don’t think you can.

“It’s a very difficult one, obviously Kevin is very young and has good staff there that he can work with.

“But what I remember was was doing literally everything, sometimes I’d be doing the analysis, doing the scouting, then I’d be buying food for the bus, then I’d be doing the warm up, then be playing 90 minutes and then doing the warm down, it’s crazy.

“But it’s a good learning curve and if Kev feels he can do it then I’m sure he’s a better judge than me because he’s had a far more experienced career and high level career than I ever had, but I found it very interesting, it was quite intense.”

However, Jones expects Nolan, who has vast Premier League experience with the likes of Bolton, Newcastle and West Ham, will go on to have fine career as manager, although naturally hopes that won’t be the case this afternoon.

He added: “I know he was a fantastic player, a player we talked about at Brighton to try and get in this year.

“It’s when good people get opportunities that good things can happen, and hopefully after Saturday Kev does well.

“Im sure he’ll have an excellent managerial career, he’s worked under good people in his career.

“Sam Allardyce, who has a proven track record, is thorough in his preparation and I would imagine he would have taken quite a lot from that.

“Plus his own stamp on things, his own enthusiasm, his own desire to do well and how his rapport is with the players.

“I would imagine he is going to be a fantastic manager, but we have to make sure on Saturday we get a result for Luton.”