Edwards takes an 'honest approach' when dealing with players he has left out of the Hatters XI

Luton manager Rob Edwards revealed he takes an ‘honest’ approach while making sure his door is always open for a chat when having to deal with players he has left out of the team.

Bar defensive injuries to the back three, the Town chief has stuck to a fairly settled side in recent weeks, going with a midfield trio of Marvelous Nkamba, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu and Jordan Clark, behind Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo.

Throw in Ethan Horvath, Tom Lockyer, Amari’i Bell and Alfie Doughty, while Leeds United loanee Cody Drameh has also started when fit, then it means players like Cauley Woodrow, Allan Campbell, Luke Berry, Fred Onyedinma, Henri Lansbury and Sonny Bradley have found themselves on the bench and unable to get in.

Understanding there will be frustrations about not being involved on a more regular basis, when discussing just how he manages those members of his squad who are out of the XI, Edwards said: “I just try to be honest.

“My style is that I’m always very open and I'll try and treat everyone with respect, not everyone the same, but everyone with respect.

“The door's always open so people can have a chat.

“I'll always try and pick people off, and pre-empt certain conversations anyway and just make sure that I'm trying to pay as many people as possible my attention.

“I think that's the only way I know how to do it.

"Honesty, respect and the lads are not necessarily going to agree with it, because they all got back themselves and believe they should be playing, but hopefully it keeps people motivated to keep working and keep pushing because that's what you need to have.”

It was something that midfielder Campbell praised after he was recalled to the Town team to face Swansea on Saturday, admitting that the pair had spoken openly about his situation when left out for the previous five matches.

With the Luton boss having had a 11-year career as a player, the Scottish international appreciated the conversations, saying: “He’s been there before, he knows how you’re feeling and it was nice for him to come and speak to me, give me that reassurance and all I can focus on is training well and being ready for that chance.”

With Campbell producing an excellent performance on his return to the side, then Edwards knows Town’s strength in depth in their midfield areas is a huge plus for the squad, adding: “Allan obviously came in on the weekend, did very well and we managed to win the game.

"So it provides us with real options and you need that, you know, you need competition for places, you need people snapping at the heels of the ones that are in the team.

"You want people to feel motivated and close to it.

"And I think all those lads in that area of the pitch feel that.”