Hatters boss calls on Town fans to better 'amazing' Watford atmosphere against Sunderland

Ahead of tonight’s must-win Championship play-off semi-final second leg against Sunderland, Hatters boss Rob Edwards has called on Town fans to not just recreate the kind of atmosphere they did against fierce rivals Watford recently, but surpass it.

Back in April, Kenilworth Road was rocking from well before kick to long after the final whistle when the Hornets were in town, as Luton made it a day to live long in the memory, Gabe Osho and Allan Campbell scoring to secure a 2-0 victory against Town’s sworn enemies.

That has to be the case for Edwards when the Black Cats visit tonight, as Luton go into the game trailing 2-1 from the first leg on Saturday and know nothing less than a victory will do if they want to reach the final at Wembley later this month.

The Hatters boss said: “The atmosphere was amazing for the Watford game.

"If we can use that as a model and notch it up a bit more again that would be what I’d like, and what we need as well. I think that was a great advert for how the Kenny is when it’s at its best.

“I’m not saying hostile, but make it as loud as possible, but do what they do great.

"We’ve had the best atmosphere at home for us was the Watford game where they were incredible, if we can take it up a notch or two from that, it will be pretty special.”

With the Luton fans getting the ground long before kick-off, the Hatters players roared off as they went back into the changing room following their warm-up, when with such a big prize at stake, Edwards urged them to do exactly the same this time.

He continued: “I did hear in the changing room and in my office beforehand, it was great.

"If they want to get in earlier and get the atmosphere going when the players are warming up, or before that, then great.

“I don’t see any harm in that at all I just want to encourage everyone to make sure that everything’s in the right spirits.

“It’s a game of football, but get right behind the lads.

"Anything they can do to help our team win, by being loud and making that atmosphere right, then do it.

“The Watford one was the one to go off, no doubt about it.

"It was the best atmosphere I’ve ever experienced at Kenilworth Road, and if we can better that, then that’ll be great, but that will be down to our performance as well, I’m well aware of that.

“The performance against Watford was very good, we’ve got to make sure that we’re at it.”

Having witnessed over 46,000 at the Stadium of Light on Saturday create a white-hot atmosphere that drove the Black Cats on to victory, then Edwards knows first hand the significance of the role that supporters can play.

He added “It’s huge, massive, you can see it today (Saturday), it was a cauldron, it’s hard to hear yourself think.

"I thought the lads dealt with that really, really well, especially in that first half.

"I’m really pleased with massive elements of what the lads did, and how we performed and the bravery that we showed.

"We know we can be better in certain areas, but we’re right in the game.

"At half time in these kinds of games, you want to be going back home in the game and we certainly are.”