Boyce believes Jones' experience of surviving relegation with Wigan could prove vital for Luton

Ex-Luton defender worked with Town boss at the Latics
Emmerson Boyce in action during his Wigan daysEmmerson Boyce in action during his Wigan days
Emmerson Boyce in action during his Wigan days

Former Hatters full back Emmerson Boyce insists that manager Graeme Jones’ experience of successful relegation battles with Wigan can play a major role in Town’s bid to stay in the Championship this term.

The pair were together at the DW Stadium during 2009-13 when Jones was number two to Roberto Martinez, as they kept the Latics in Premier League for three seasons, only losing their status in the same year they won the FA Cup.

With 10 games to go, Luton are now in a perilous situation, five points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table, but speaking to the Luton News ahead of their trip to Wigan tomorrow, Boyce believes the part Jones played in those top flight campaigns can only benefit the Hatters.

He said: “It’s all about the players mentality. We used to think this is our time of the season to start going, that used to motivate us.

“Whether it’s a good ploy or not, I'm not too sure, but the last 10 games of the season, that was when we started to perform at our best, as we liked that pressure.

“Graeme Jones was a massive part of that and he made sure everyone knew their jobs, how to go about it and giving us confidence.

“We won seven games (2011-12 season), and you’re looking at Man United, Liverpool.

“People looked at the fixtures list and wrote us straight off.

"He (Jones) was a major part of that to keep us motivated, keep us believing and I’m more than sure he’ll do exactly the same for the Luton team and it’s up to the players to respond to it.”

After being assistant to Martinez with Swansea before the Latics, Jones then followed the Spaniard to Everton and the Belgium national team.

He was also number two to Darren Moore at West Bromwich Albion before taking his first venture into management himself with Luton at the start of this season, a leap that Boyce always expected him to make.

He continued: “Definitely, he’s a great man manager, and tactically he knows the game, he loves the game.

“He’s a great speaker, sometimes he’s a bit too honest for his own good, I hear some of his interviews sometimes and I’m thinking ‘you're a bit too honest.’

“You can be honest when you're winning, but when you're not doing too well, people will pick up those sorts of things.

“As a person he’s a great person, I’ve got plenty of time for him, he’s always helped me when I was a player.

“I always knew he was going to go on and be a manager.

"It’s been a tough time for him, with a team that people don’t expect too much of, with a little budget and player-wise, a lot of them are playing up a level, they’ve never played there before.

“So there’s some big factors, but for me, he’s doing well.

"He plays the right way, doesn’t always get the result that they deserve, but he’s going in the right direction.”

Taking the plunge into a division which contains the likes of Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Stoke City and West Brom always meant it was going to be tough for Jones to keep the club up this term something Boyce was well aware of.

He said: “For me, the Championship’s harder than the Premier League.

"The Premier League has got fantastic players, but Championship is Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday.

"Everybody can beat each other and you've got teams who have been in the Premier League and are desperate to get back there.

"They've got money too, you look at Wayne Rooney is playing at Derby, look at the other teams and all have got people who have played in the Premier League and have got experience.

"So Championship for me and when I played there, it was so, so difficult. We didn’t get out of it and we ended up getting relegated, so just goes to show, from the Premier League, to Championship, to League One, we sort of bounced.

"Luton have done really just to compete, let alone anything else, just look at the resources.

"If he keeps them up it’s going to be absolutely fantastic, but I think at the same time, Luton have to remember, they’re not at the level of financial where they can compete against the bigger boys in that league.

"So it’s a free hit really, as much as people don’t like to hear it, it’s an experience and whatever happens, they’ll be stronger next season."

Both Wigan and Luton have kept faith with their managers this term, with Paul Cook under pressure from Latics supporters until leading his side to a run of five wins and two draws from their last eight games.

Boyce believe that the boards of either side deserve praise for doing so, adding: “It’s a great credit to the clubs, it would be so easy just to fire them and get somebody else new.

"Paul Cook has shown what he can do last season and this season, and Graeme Jones has got them playing well.

"So it's not a case of he’s gone there and they've completely gone to disaster, but I think Luton were clever at the beginning, they knew what they expected, they thought if they could stay in the league it would be a bonus.

"Obviously from the fans perspective they’ve been used to winning, and as a fan when you’re used to winning, you’re expecting, but it’s been a great experience.

"Luton with their new stadium that’s hopefully coming along, shows where they want be and where they want to play, so if they go down, next year I’m sure they’ll bounce straight back up.”