Ex-Hatter vows he will win promotion to the Championship after joining MK Dons
Bramall moves to Luton’s League One rivals on a free transfer
Former Luton winger Cohen Bramall is extremely confident he will achieve his goal of winning promotion to the Championship after agreeing to join MK Dons on a free transfer over the weekend.
The 30-year-old left Kenilworth Road in the summer having been unable to do so with the Hatters, as despite starring in the early stages of his career in Bedfordshire after joining in August, scoring three stunning free kicks in 35 appearances, one against Port Vale good enough to win the Goal of the Season award, he didn’t start again after suffering ankle ligament damage against Blackpool in January and wasn’t offered a new deal by boss Jack Wilshere once the campaign ended.
A free agent, he was snapped up by the Dons, who will face Town in League One this season after finishing second in the League Two last term to reach the third tier, and with the impressive financial backing they have in place, plus manager Paul Warne, who signed Bramall four years ago when in charge of Rotherham United, the ex-Arsenal youngster is confident they will go up again.
Speaking to the club’s official website, he said: “I’ve been around for a bit now and I think people see speed, power, grit, determination, a winning mentality and set-pieces are a big part of my game at the moment and last season. Last year I was left wing for Luton for the majority of it, I haven’t really played that position, but at the same time it’s down the left which I do like and enjoy and it did bring on parts of my game that I wasn't really comfortable with, but now I am. Momentum is huge and starting strong is really, really important.
"At Luton we did it last year, we got momentum for the last 13, 14 games, so again it’s massive. Taking the momentum from getting promoted from League Two, they are pretty similar leagues, but it is super, super important to start the season strong. Warney knows it will be big for him. I think he’s had five promotions in eight years which is insane and I back him 100 percent to do it again. Whether that’s automatic or play-offs, I back him, hence why I’ve come here as I wanted to get promoted. It’s a massive club and I’m excited.”
Discussing his new addition, Warne himself continued: “Cohen Bramall is a player I've had before. He’s had a really good career, and he’s very quick on the pitch. He’s like a fullback that has winger tendencies, who always wants to take people on and gives us a great dynamic energy down the left side.
“We've always kept in touch. I always keep in touch with my old players, so this was a pretty easy signing and it was easy to convince him to come here. He wants to get back to the Championship, so he's another great addition to the squad and he’ll make us stronger for when pre-season properly starts, so I’m really pleased with him.”
Meanwhile, sporting director Liam Sweeting added: “He’s a player we’ve tracked for a long time and someone we’ve consistently felt would be an excellent fit for the way we want to play. Cohen possesses some outstanding attributes that we believe will have a real impact down the left-hand side of our team. He brings pace, athleticism and an attacking threat, while also having the experience and quality to influence games consistently at this level.
“As with all of our recruitment this summer, we wanted players who fit both the footballing profile and the character we’re building within the squad. Cohen ticks those boxes and we’re excited to see him working under Paul and integrating into the group. We’re delighted to have him with us and look forward to seeing the contribution he’ll make over the season ahead.”