Complete 'turnaround' for Hatters keeper Shea as the 'joy' is back under Jack

Goalkeeper James Shea feels the ‘joy’ has returned to Luton’s squad since his former Arsenal team-mates Jack Wilshere took over, insisting there has been a complete ‘turnaround’ in confidence levels at Kenilworth Road under the new manager.

The 34-year-old gave an exceedingly honest interview after the 3-1 loss at League Two Cambridge United in the Vertu Trophy a few months ago, revealing it felt like Town were playing against 13 men at times, admitting their battered belief was well and truly on the floor, as he couldn’t quite believe the drop-off since playing in the Premier League just two years earlier. A few days later Wilshere was appointed as Matt Bloomfield’s successor, as he has since led Luton to three wins, four draws and two defeats in his first nine third tier games in charge, Town climbing up to seventh in the table, also winning three cup matches in that time too.

Although results have dropped off recently, the Hatters triumphing in just one of their last six League One contests, although four have finished all square, then talking ahead of the weekend’s 2-2 draw against Port Vale, Shea spoke about the drastic improvement he has noticed, saying: “It’s completely turned around at the minute. Even after the Barnsley game (5-0 loss), I know it wasn’t a great result, even the other night (1-1 against Leyton Orient) when it wasn’t the best result, there’s a positive feel around the place, there’s a joy around the place.

"After the Cambridge game, it couldn’t get much lower, we weren’t in a great place then, but certainly now I feel like it’s more positive and a more positive environment and hopefully we can get a few more results to just push us up the table. He’s (Wilshere) been brilliant, all his stuff have been brilliant, Powelly (Chris Powell), Bridgey (David Bridges), Tim (Corcoran), they’ve all come in and given everyone a bit of a new lease of life. It’s been very enjoyable, but serious as well of course and you just hope it continues.”

Asked about the honesty in his post match interview at the U’s, where he revealed just how bad things had got around the club, and the positive reaction from supporters towards him in the aftermath, Shea admitted he had been concerned that he had gone too far in the heat of the moment, continuing: “I’m not going to lie, I was a little bit worried as I thought I might have said something I shouldn’t have said.

"I got a lot of messages about it and a lot of people said it was all good to hear. It was hard as it was straight after the game and I was disappointed as I wanted to win the game, because every time you’re playing you want to win and keep a clean sheet. I just felt at the time we were in a bad situation, it just came out, but a complete turnaround since.

“Thankfully we're moving in the right direction. We just need to get a few more points on the board that can push us into the play-offs and hopefully then pushing up to the automatic spots as that’s what we need, that’s where we’ve got to be. Anything other than that is a failure of a season really.”

Having moved to Kenilworth Road back in July 2017 when the Hatters were a League Two side, Shea has found match action hard to come by in recent seasons, restricted to just four outings, two of them from the bench, in the last three years. However this term, he has made six appearances already, his most since the 2021-22 campaign, also getting back-to-back run-outs recently when starting the 4-0 Vertu Trophy win over Exeter City, plus the 2-2 draw at Fleetwood in the FA Cup too.

When facing the Grecians, the long-serving stopper was able to keep a clean sheet over 90 minutes for the first time in well over two years, his last coming when between the posts for the home stalemate against Hull City on May 8, 2023, with Luton a Championship side back then. On finally being able to get the long-awaited shut-out and featuring more regularly, with the Hatters still in the Vertu Trophy, at home to Swindon Town next month, he added: “I was desperate as I felt like we’ve played well in the games I’ve played and we’ve not been able to keep the clean sheet, so to be able to keep one against Exeter, I was over the moon.

"It was a shame I couldn’t keep one against Fleetwood as well, but I loved it, I loved every single minute of it. Even though we didn’t get the result we wanted against Fleetwood, it was just great to be out there, great to be able to play Tuesday, Saturday, get two games close in. I know it wasn’t pretty, the weather was awful, but I absolutely loved it. Any time I get to put the shirt on and play, I can’t wait to get out there.”