Collins praises Luton's recruitment after landing Potters attacker Ince to help boost Town's goal threat

Hatters' striker James Collins praised the club's recruitment efforts after they managed to entice Stoke City attacker Tom Ince to move to Kenilworth Road for the rest of the season on transfer deadline day earlier this month.

The 29-year-old, who joined on a loan deal, has been sold for vast transfer fees in his career to date, with the Potters shelling out £10m to acquire his services from Huddersfield Town.

That saw the Terriers make a profit, having spent £4.75m to capture Ince in from Derby County after the ex-Liverpool youngster had produced a hugely productive spell for the Rams, scoring 38 goals in 115 appearances.

Luton's new addition has played almost 50 times in the Premier League, capped by England at U17, U19 and U21 level as well, and although he might only be with the Hatters for a few months, Collins was impressed to see him lining up in a Town shirt, saying: "I think the recruitment at this football club, ever since I’ve been here, has always been fantastic.

“So it doesn't surprise me that we’ve managed to get someone like the calibre of Tom and credit goes to the gaffer and the staff and the board as they rarely get it wrong with signings.

“He’s been fantastic, he’s come in, showed his quality.

"We know from the career he’s had, he's played in the Premier League and the Championship all his career so to have someone in the door like him is only going to help us moving forward.”

With Two struggling to score goals in the league this season, just 22 to their name from 27 games, then Collins, who has seven of them, is looking to Ince to provide some more chances for him and his team-mates and also share the burden of finding the net too.

He added: “I’m hoping that, that’s the plan.

“He’s done the extra finishing with us and he's got some left foot.

"I've played against him over the years and he's always done well and you don't have the career like he's had if you're a bad player.

"I’m really excited when he gets fully fit, I don't think hes been playing much at Stoke so I'm excited to see what he can produce.

"Bringing someone like Tom with the career he’s had and the goals and assists he’s had, he’s definitely going to add quality coming into the box and on the scoresheet.”