Harford will remind everyone at Luton just how 'immense' the Watford rivalry is for Hatters fans

Luton assistant boss Mick Harford will remind Town’s players in no uncertain terms the undoubted magnitude of this weekend’s derby match at arch rivals Watford.

It’s been over 10 years since the Hatters visited Vicarage Road, a 1-1 draw in the Championship back on April 9, 2006 with Ahmet Brkovic scoring.

Although none of the members of Town’s squad have ever experienced the Beds/Herts derby, Harford has himself, and will use that prior knowledge to gee the squad up.

He said: “We have a real good group of lads and I think they know the importance of it.

“They keep talking to me about it, keep mentioning things about when we played against them and what would it be like with the fans.

“I’ll remind them 100 per cent as will Nathan about the importance of the game.

"I understand the rivalry, it’s a massive game for us, a massive game for the fans, we all understand what it means to the football club and what it means to the fans especially.

“It’s just not another game, especially for the supporters, I know and I will remind everyone at the football club that this game’s massive for everyone at the club, the rivalry’s immense.”

Harford has not only played in the match on seven occasions, but is one of three players, along with Andy Rennie (1929) and Joe Payne (1936) to have scored a hat-trick for Luton during the clash.

Then back in 1986 when the two sides were in Division One, he scored all three goals in a 3-2 win in front of an electric Kenilworth Road.

The former striker continued: “My best friend was in goal for Watford, Tony Coton.

“I rang him up the night before, spoke to him and I said, ‘you know I’m going to score tomorrow and I’m going to knock you out as well,’ and I did.

“To score a hat-trick at any level of football is brilliant, but to score a hat-trick for Luton against Watford it’s mind blowing in terms of playing for Luton.

"It was strange, my best mate’s in goal I scored three."

The game this weekend would have been played our in front of a packed crowd, but due to Covid-19, no supporters will be present.

Harford is aware of the mighty following his side will have online though, saying: “We know the support is there, even though they’re not in the stadium and we thank them for that we appreciate it.

"We keep repeating it, but we know they’re there, we know they're behind us, as a club, as people.

"We look on social media and we see the support we get, we know they’re there.

“I go around the town and I bump in to a few Luton fans and all they talk about is Watford v Luton, let’s beat them, it doesn’t matter what happens this season as long as beat them.

“Hopefully they get on iFollow and watch the game and learn from the seniors the importance and relevance of the game.”