Former Aston Villa coach and Blackpool manager named early favourite for the Luton job

Former Blackpool manager Neil Critchley is the early favourite to become new Luton Town boss according to the bookmakers after Nathan Jones left Kenilworth Road to take over at Premier League side Southampton this morning.

The 44-year-old former Crewe academy director moved to Liverpool as U18s coach in 2013, before taking charge of the first team for two matches, one in December 2019 with the senior squad travelling to the Club World Cup in Qatar and then again in February 2020, when Jurgen Klopp’s side were on a mid-season break.

Critchley was then appointed Blackpool head coach in March 2020, winning promotion to the Championship via the play-offs the following season.

He led the Tangerines to 16th during their first campaign back in the second tier, before moving to Aston Villa as assistant head coach to Steven Gerrard in June 2022, departing Villa Park just four months later when Gerrard was sacked by the Premier League club.

Former Watford manager Rob Edwards is second in the running at 5-1, having seen his time at Vicarage Road ended after just 10 league games earlier this season, after winning promotion to League One with Forest Green Rovers in his previous job.

Third is Plymouth chief Steven Schumacher who is doing a fantastic job with the Pilgrims, leading the way in League One this season, with ex-Sheffield United and Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder fourth.