FEATURE: Oakes happy he made fans ‘smile’ during Hatters spell

Looking back on his Luton career, attacker Scott Oakes was happy to know he left the Hatters fans with a smile on their face during his time at Kenilworth Road.

The former crowd favourite joined Town in 1991 from Leicester City and went on to become a firm favourite with supporters, playing 200 game, scoring 34 goals, while often producing some dazzling bouts of skill as well.

Now 47, Oakes was speaking to the Luton News after it was 26 years ago to the day on Monday that he scored his famous FA Cup hat-trick against West Ham United that sent Town to Wembley for the semi-final (picture gallery here), eventually losing to Chelsea.

Recalling his five years with the Hatters, Oakes said: “I played a fair whack, I made a lot of fans smile which was the main thing.

“I did enjoy my time there, I tried my hardest, I loved playing football, I loved playing all sports, but I enjoyed it.

“I never didn’t give 100 per cent and I know with the goals and the games, the way I played, the goals I set up, I know I made them smile and happy, so I’ve got good memories.

“Everybody likes seeing that, that’s why people go and watch football if a certain player is turning up, or a certain team, you just appreciate good football.

“When we were on song, it made it a hell of a lot easier, so there was plenty of good memories there.”

Oakes had signed for Town in the early 1990s joining up with former boss David Pleat, who signed him and Des Linton from the Foxes in a part exchange deal.

On how the move panned out, he said: “It was weird, I really didn’t know what I was doing, I had nobody directing me as an agent or anything.

“It was just me and Des Linton getting swapped for Steve Thompson. Brian Little, who was my manager, wanted Steve Thompson and then David Pleat wanted us two.

“I didn’t want to leave my home town, but it was just the promise of playing football, and to move with Pleaty.

“He understood how I played as I’d been with him in my YTS and that’s how I’d been brought up, so it was kind of comfortable already.”

Oakes went on to have plenty of ups and down in his time with Town, after getting his debut in the 1-0 top flight defeat at Norwich City in October 1991.

He scored his first goal in the 3-2 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday a few months later, before finding the net again in the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.

Oakes said: “Norwich away, Bryan Gunn, I hit a free kick to the top corner and I still don’t know how he saved it, he was on fire that day.

“Then I can remember playing Tottenham not long after I joined when the floodlights went out, while the Palace goal was a one-two with Brian Stein.

“My first two goals were against two England goalkeepers, Nigel Martyn and Chris Woods, so I knew I could score, I knew I had it in me.”

Although making 21 appearances and being in the same side as Mick Harford, Brian Stein and Mark Pembridge, Oakes wasn’t able to help the Hatters stay in Division One.

They won an impressive 10 games at home, but no away success all term meant they finished two points behind Coventry City, after losing 2-1 at Notts County on the final day.

Oakes said: “I can remember that, we were leading as well, but they bought Rob Matthews on, he scored two and that was that.

“It wasn’t a nice feeling as the Premier League started the next season, so it was a shame, we just never won away from home, it was our Achilles heel, we just couldn’t do it.”

The Hatters never looked like bouncing back during Oakes’ time either, with a best finish of 16th and then suffering another relegation in 1996.

Oakes said: “You look back now and the players that we had, if we could have kept those, it’s a shame that we needed to sell players, it was difficult.

“We never made that step, we were nowhere near the play-offs, we just couldn’t take that step further, couldn’t get the extra players in to help us take that step further.”

However there was still plenty to look back on and enjoy for Oakes, including a goal against Derby that is still talked about to this day and winning an England U21 cap in June 1993.

Oakes added: “Luton was the main part of my life and I did enjoy it.

“That goal against Derby, that’s just a one-off that people appreciated for being in the ground that day, so that was a special one.

“I managed to get an England U21 cap too, achieving that with Luton.”

“I got my cap against Brazil and I wasn’t playing in the final, but we ended up beating France in the Toulon tournament.

“We had Andy Cole and Chris Sutton upfront, Jamie Redknapp and Ray Parlour in midfield, Scott Minto, Gareth Southgate, if you look back at that team, the names you could reel off were unbelievable, Darren Anderton.

“Garry Flitcroft was in midfield, Lawrie McMenemy was in charge, great manager, he was, and an unbelievable team as a lot of them went on to great things.”

Oakes' time at the Hatters came to an end in August 1996, as he joined up with Pleat once more, now in charge at Sheffield Wednesday for £425,000.

Injuries and a clause in the transfer, meant that he could never produce his best for the Owls, as he continued: "They had to give Luton money if I made certain appearances, so Sheffield Wednesday couldn’t afford to do it in the end as no-one knew about the demise of the money situation as well.

"Maybe I could have had a change of heart and not followed Pleaty, but I loved playing for him.

"It was a shame it was injury prone, but it was what it was, there was some good players up there too.

"David Hirst and Mark Bright upfront, John Sheridan, Graham Hyde, Jim Magilton was there, Des Walker, Andy Hinchcliffe, Kevin Pressman, they had decent players.

"When I was there, they had (Benito) Carbone and Paolo (Di Canio) at the time, so I just wish I’d played more or was given the chance to play more.

"I wish I could have had a season just to show what I could have done, I played a few games, but not enough.

"I wasn’t to know about the situation with Luton and how many games I had to play, it was a shame that happened, as I would have liked to have got a lot more games in, but then I did my knee and that was the point of no return being injured like that.

"I loved every minute of my career though, I loved the sport, I still play charity games, I can't do five-a-side anymore, it’s just the chopping and changing with my knee.

“I have the odd charity match now and again just to prove that I can still play, nothing strenuous, I know I’ll probably have to have my knee replaced, but as long as I can still play golf and do one sport, I’ll be happy.

"I had to pack up tennis as well, that was my first love, but I do get to go around in a golf society now, so I’m still there for that.

Since hanging up his boots, Oakes admits he still keeps an eye out for the Hatters, but is not hankering for a return to the game.

He added: "I did football around schools for a bit, that was enjoyable as well, I did my coaching, but it never got to me that much, it was never in my blood to do the coaching.

"If they ever needed me or Mick (Harford) needed anyone to help out or anything like that, it would be a different kind of call, but I’ve never searched for it, I’ve never gone after it, I enjoy working.

"I’ll look for the results, I still speak to Marvin (Johnson) now and again, he’s over in America coaching, but I don’t follow it as such.

“All I get is social media that I hear about, last year was amazing and I can remember everyone being on a high from that.

“It’s nice to see your mate (Mick Harford) do really well, we played together for many years and everybody loves Mick at the club.

"He’s a top bloke, it was nice to see and it brings a smile to your face when your mate’s doing well.

"It would be nice if they did take the next step and with the stadium coming up, you never know what might happen with that.

"I filled in all the forms and wrote off, did all my stuff towards helping them, like everyone else has done, I hope that does come off as that might take them the extra step forward that they need."