BBC pundit Crooks claims Luton have shown 'no serious intentions' of trying to stay in the Premier League

BBC Sports pundit Garth Crooks has taken another swipe at Luton claiming the Hatters have shown ‘no serious intentions’ of trying to stay in the Premier League this season, only investing the ‘bare minimum’ in their attempts to survive.

Following the 2-1 defeat to West Ham United before the international break, Crooks had written in his online column that he couldn’t take Luton ‘seriously’ this season, also bizarrely claiming they would be ‘down by Christmas.’

Responding to what he felt were ‘disrespectful’ comments, Town manager Rob Edwards revealed the club had reached out to the former Spurs winger to see if he wanted to visit the Brache to learn more about the club’s plan to remain a top flight club.

That invite appears to have fallen on deaf ears though and in his Crooks of the Matter column, the ex-England U21 international chose to further criticise, without appearing to have done any research at all, the club’s ambition in what is their first season back at this level in over 30 years.

Dismissing the spending from owners 2020, despite Town breaking their transfer record on numerous occasions in the summer window, and clearly unaware about the £12-13m spent on revamping Kenilworth Road for the Premier League, or even plans to build a new ground at Power Court, he said: “I felt compelled to respond to Luton Town manager Rob Edwards, who said my comments last week, about not being in a position to take the Hatters seriously and the team being down by Christmas, were ‘disrespectful.’

“They are worthy of some context.

"I must admit, my comments certainly weren't meant as a compliment but more as an early warning signal of what awaits the newly promoted club.

“However, my problem with the current regime is that I see a club in the Premier League but with no serious intentions of staying there.

“To survive in the toughest and most successful league in the world requires significant investment in player recruitment and infrastructure.

"I look at Kenilworth Road and Luton's summer signings and it's clear there has been only the bare minimum.”

Crooks did try to sweeten his barbs with some praise about the rich history of the club, adding: “Luton Town Football Club have a proud history of producing some of the country's top players and putting much bigger clubs to the sword.

"The first time I played at Kenilworth Road, Ricky Hill was a young, prodigious talent who went on to play for England.

“He was followed by Brian and Mark Stein and a young John Hartson; strikers who could score against any opposition.

"So many goal threats, and that's before I even mention Malcolm Macdonald.

“Paul Walsh left Luton for Liverpool having produced some of his best football for the Bedfordshire club, supported by outstanding defenders such as Paul Price, Mal Donaghy, Paul Elliott and Steve Foster.

"And David Pleat and Mick Harford deserve lifetime achievement awards for their contributions to the club.”

Following Luton’s 1-0 defeat to Fulham on Saturday, when asked if he had heard anything back from Crooks after the invite to the club’s training ground, and on not being taken seriously as a top flight club, Edwards said: “I’ve not heard anything, I don’t want to make a big thing of it.

"I've got bigger things to try and deal with to be honest with.

“You’ll have to ask Marco Silva if he took us seriously, I think they would have done.

"They're celebrating at the end as three points is massive in the Premier League.

"I’m sure he would have gone into the same amount of preparation as if he was playing Manchester City a couple of weeks ago as he takes his job very seriously and the opposition as well.

"I think we’ve given them a test today, different to Manchester City clearly but you can see it was a competitive game.”