Baggies keeper Palmer wants to help the Hatters gain as many points as possible during emergency loan stint

Town keeper Alex Palmer is determined to help the Hatters pick up as many points as possible during his loan spell at Kenilworth Road, however long that may last.

The 25-year-old was signed late last week on an emergency loan deal after Aston Villa loanee Jed Steer suffered a serious Achilles injury in the 3-2 FA Cup defeat to Chelsea, while James Shea picked up a hamstring injury in training.

That left only Harry Isted available to boss Nathan Jones and although he starred when coming on against the Blues, making a string of fantastic saves, as he hasn’t played five first team games yet, he doesn’t qualify as senior keeper.

It meant that Palmer, who has been third choice at Championship rivals West Bromwich Albion this term was a late addition to the Town squad for the trip to Middlesbrough on Saturday, the Hatters beaten 2-1.

He then started last night's trip to Coventry City as well, with a fine display, crowned by an assist for Elijah Adebayo's match-winner, and an excellent late save to earn a richly deserved clean sheet.

Palmer will now have to wait to see if his services are still required for Sunday’s home game with QPR and Wednesday night’s clash against Preston, but when speaking about his stint at Town at the weekend: “I’ve been waiting for this chance all season, I’ve been ready for it.

“There’s things that I can improve on and do better on, but I’ve just got to take the positives and look forward now.

“Things can change massively in a week, there’s a lot of games left and a lot of points to go for.

“So for the time I’m going to be here, I’ll look to help them get as many points as possible.

“Once Tuesday is over we’ll address it and see what happens then.”

Palmer, who has had lengthy spells on loan at Lincoln and Plymouth in his career so far, had initially been linked with a switch to Kenilworth Road in the transfer window.

That never materialised, but after finally making the move last week, he has found settling in easy enough, saying: “I found out it was happening Thursday afternoon, they had travelled up early, so I went and met them in the hotel on Thursday night, trained Friday, so it came about pretty swiftly.

“The lads are a great bunch and I think you can tell they’re an honest bunch and it’s been great to get the opportunity to come here.

“I’m 25 now, I’ve got some experience behind me, have had some loans before, I know how they work.

“My job is to come here and try and do as well as I can for Luton.

"I’m disappointed today, but games come thick and fast in this league, so we go again.

“There was interest (in the window), but I’m 25 now, I want to be playing, so whenever an opportunity like this comes about, I’ll jump at the chance to try and progress my career, so really happy to get the chance."

After playing 58 games for Lincoln in the 2020-21 season, Palmer had then only featured once this term, a 6-0 Carabao Cup hammering against Arsenal at the Hawthorns back in August, as when asked how tough his spell without first team football has been, he said: "Massively, but it’s football sometimes and you’ve just got to suck it up and get on with it.

"I’ve tried to stay in a positive frame of mind, train as hard as I can and push the goalies back at West Brom, so just in case opportunities like this come about."