Hatters boss has 'high hopes' for McAtee after striker wins Barnsley's Goal of the Month award

Luton Town manager Rob Edwards has ‘high hopes’ for free-scoring forward John McAtee after a prolific spell at Barnsley which saw him win the club’s Goal of the Month award for December.

After scoring two in his opening 13 matches for the Tykes, the 24-year-old, who moved to the League One side in August, then bagged a brace during the 3-0 FA Cup win at Horsham in November, which led to a run of seven goals in nine matches, including his award-winning effort at Port Vale. Having already found the net against the Valiants with a tidy first-time finish, McAtee then picked the ball up some 35 yards out to arrow a shot into the roof of the net and put his side 3-0 ahead with only 37 minutes on the clock, the visitors holding off a second half comeback from the hosts to triumph 3-2.

It was his second wonder-strike in three games, having scored an audacious angled lob from distance on his left foot in the 2-1 victory over Stevenage as well, as the former Scunthorpe and Grimsby forward, who spent last term back on loan at the Mariners, is now on nine goals for the season from 22 outings

Signed by former Luton boss Nathan Jones in August 2022, he is yet to play for the Hatters in a first team game, although McAtee did feature for Edwards during the pre-season friendlies ahead of the club’s maiden Premier League campaign where his displays caught the eye. Speaking about the forward’s recent glut of spectacular goals, Edwards said: “He’s really capable of that Macca. He’s another player that we’ve got really high hopes for at this football club. He’s gone and had a really successful first half of the season, but we think he’s in a really good place at the moment and I don’t see too much changing in his situation."

With McAtee also adding four assists during the festive period, it helped the Reds make it six matches unbeaten over Christmas and the New Year as they are now sitting sixth in the table. Speaking to the club’s official website, he added: “It's just nice to be hitting some good form and to be recognised for things like this. If I've got to score worldies then I'll try and do that, but it would be nice to be getting some of those so-called 'easier' finishes too."