Ex-Town midfielder Turner sees similarities between current Luton squad and his top flight Hatters

Former Hatters midfielder Wayne Turner can see similar signs of the togetherness in the current squad at Kenilworth Road to the one he was part of when Town spent their longest period in the top flight back in the 1980s.

After being promoted to what was then Division One in 1982, Luton went on to enjoy a decade at the highest level of English football, eventually dropping out of the division at the end of the 1991-92 campaign.

Now back there for the first time since, Turner, who was part of the team that were under the stewardship of legendary manager David Pleat in those days, and now back at Kenilworth Road once more as head of academy development, said: “I can see a real togetherness that we had 40 years ago when I played and 30 years ago when I coached.

"I can see a similar situation going on which makes me very excited.

“It’s a real close-knit club that has been brought together by Gary Sweet (chief executive) at the very top, and it filters down right through the football side of the club, so we’re very lucky.”

First time around, Turner had been a bit part of the squad as Luton made their way into the highest level of English football, spending time out on loan with Lincoln City, but once they were there, he began to make his mark on the first team.

After featuring 30 times in their first season, he managed 19 Division One outings the following campaign and 24 in the 1984-85 campaign, before Peter Nicholas joined which saw the midfielder move on that summer in search of regular first team football.

He still managed 83 of his 102 outings in the top flight though and on what it was like to be around the squad in those days, he continued: “It was amazing because when we became part of it, I say we, the players, the club was a bit of a yo-yo club.

“In the 70s it had been up and down, through the division and back again and it had slowly been growing and going up the leagues when David took over.

“We had a couple of near misses, when I wasn’t really involved as an 18, 19-year-old, we had come close to getting up, but then that year the boys did brilliant.

“I went away on loan, came back and had a good run in the end, so for me to walk back into the group, and them doing that well was twofold.

“One for me to get back in the team, and two to go into a team that was doing that well, as we got up with about two or three games to spare.

“It was a fantastic achievement and then we stayed there for about 10 years, which was even more of an achievement.

“It was all a rollercoaster, it was new to all of us, getting into that top league and going to the Liverpool’s and drawing 3-3, losing 6-0 and going to West Ham and winning 3-2, Walshy (Paul Walsh) gets a hat-trick at Upton Park.

“Going to Goodison, winning 1-0, Walshy scored, away to Stoke, 4-4, it was some mad places to go.

"Beating Newcastle at home, beating Man United at home, it was mad, it was an unbelievable experience.

“Going to Highbury which was the place to be, so it was an incredible situation that just went week by week.

“It was amazing and you don't realise how massive it was until you look back.

"At the time you’re just doing your job, playing and fighting for points, fighting to get into the team, fighting to stay in, coming back from injuries.

“It's stuff that you look back on and think, that was me, it makes you proud of what you did and what you achieved.

"You just accepted it and got on with it, it was an amazing situation that I found myself in.”

The players that Luton had at their disposal in those days soon became household names with not just Hatter fans, but supporters of all clubs in that era, with Pleat putting together a truly fantastic side.

After staying up by the skin of their teeth in the first season after famously winning 1-0 at Manchester City on the final day thanks to Raddy Antic's heroics, Town went on not only settle in their new surroundings, but push on as well, with two ninth place finishes and a highest ever of seventh in the 1986-87 campaign.

On what it was like being part of such a collection of top players, Turner continued: “It was incredible as you were pitting your wits against them every day in training, but then you were trying to knock one of them out of the way to get in the team.

“The longer it goes on the more they are as when you think of what they did and what David did with that group.

“You could name a team out of all of those players and then the second lot came in, Steve Foster, Paul Elliott, Mick Saxby, Clive Goodyear, all those players who went on to have great careers.

“I know Mick got his cut short, but players like Brian Horton, Lil Fuccillo, Gary Parker, myself, Ricky Hill, Frankie Bunn, David Moss, Brian Stein, Mick Harford, David Preece, Paul Walsh, Tim Breacker, Kirk Stephens, so may top, top players.”

With Luton’s players of the modern era looking to emulate what their predecessors managed, a number of them experiencing this level for the first time in their careers, on what it was like coming up against the biggest names in English football on a weekly basis, Turner said: “You were in it together at every top ground.

“I remember Arsenal, Highbury and that really did get you going, for me anyway, Anfield was daunting, and Goodison Park.

“Upton Park, midweek going, there, Man United, but the Arsenal ground was the one that was really historical.

“Tottenham were massive, playing against (Glen) Hoddle, Mick Hazard, when I think about it now, it just comes back to me again, what you did and how you did it.”