Allen wants to claim Hatters scalp

The Bees finished eighth in the Conference last season, some 31 points behind Hatters and Allen, who took over in March, knows that wasn’t good enough.

Speaking to the club’s official website, he said: “I think Luton will see a very different Barnet team to the one that they saw last year.

“The mentality and the culture had to change, there’s no doubt about it, and it had to be drastic change.

“Four part-time clubs finished above Barnet last season, and we finished 31 points behind Luton. 31 points, that’s 11 games.

“That can’t happen again. It’s a completely different work ethic and character with the group of players that we’ve now got.

“On Sunday it may be a pre-season friendly, but it won’t be a friendly on our part, it’s a game that we have got to try and win.

“They’re the champions and we’ll show them respect, but when it comes to the game I want to beat them. We’ve got to get that culture and that mentality into these players and now is the time to do it.”

Allen, who has already named his team for the clash, is looking forward to coming up against his old mentor John Still too.

He continued: “I’m very much looking forward to it. It’s going to be a real difficult test for us on but without a shadow of a doubt it will be a good game to play in and to watch.

“John Still is a good friend of mine and has always helped me with guidance and advice, so I’m very pleased for him that he’s managed to get them back into the Football League. They’ve brought in some good players and I think that they’ll do really well next season.

“Our players are now getting round to playing up to 90 minutes. We have to rest some players of course and respect that some of our players are a little bit older so we’ll be trying to introduce some of the younger players into the side to fit into our system without weakening our team.

“It’s time for those players that are going to play to continue the good form that we’ve shown in the first two games that we’ve had, and to go and attack them.

“These are the 11 players that are going to start the game on Sunday will be Stack, Gambin, Weston, Akinde, Stephens, Johnson, Saville, Vilhete, Luisma, Marsh-Brown and Yiadom.”

Allen also revealed that he was delighted for Hatters’ fans that they can approach the new campaign back in the Football League once more.

He added: “There’s something on YouTube where the Luton supporters are singing a song about me, and my teenage sons used to turn it on at full volume when I was getting on their nerves at home. The supporters at Luton hate me, but I love their passion and that has gone on record so many times.

“Last year was a remarkable season for the club and it’s got to be said that I was also chuffed to bits for all of the Luton supporters.

“Over the years they have stuck by their club, after the diabolical decisions to deduct them so many points, and it has been painful for all of the fans.”