Hatters boss Nathan Jones apologises for betraying his relationship with Luton fans when leaving for Stoke

Luton boss Nathan Jones has apologised for the way in which he 'betrayed' his relationship with Luton's fans when leaving the club in January 2019.

The Hatters chief, who was appointed for a second spell in charge this morning, had led Town to second in League One before controversially moving to Championship side Stoke City just days before a crunch trip to high-flying Sunderland.

His departure caused a huge amount of criticism and anger from the Luton supporters after they had built up such a strong rapport with the former Brighton assistant over his three years at the helm.

The news that the Welshman is now back at Kenilworth Road charged with leading the Hatters to Championship survival has been met with a mixed reception from Town fans, but speaking to the press this morning, a remorseful Jones was determined to rebuild their previous relationship.

He said: "What I will say is before we had the opportunity to move, we were on a real good trajectory, we had a long term goal and I veered from that.

“We had a number of opportunities to leave if we wanted to and it wasn’t a case of we wanted to leave in any way, it was, at the time, we felt it was an opportunity that was a good opportunity to be a Premier League club quite quickly, but as it turned out, that wasn’t the case.

“But I love the club, I wholeheartedly regret how those events came about, because I could have handled them so much better.

"I loved working for the club and then suddenly, three or four days of real madness, because it was a whirlwind and something I’ve learned a lot from, something I couldn’t envisage happening, detracted from the long term goal that we always had at the football club.

"Regardless of whether it was the right or wrong decision, what I’m really remorseful about and I what I regret wholeheartedly was the manner of the exit.

"I understand that was bound to cause the animosity that it did, and I’m very grateful for being given the opportunity to manage this club again.

"We’ve had to build relationships a while ago back up for normality and then this came about, so I’m very grateful for the club to have given me the opportunity to manage again.

"The fans, I had a fantastic relationship with the fans, I betrayed that, I went against everything they had given me, but I had to earn that.

"Let's not forget, I wasn’t embraced immediately, I had to earn that, and that’s exactly what I’m going to have to do again and that’s exactly what I intend to do."

Jones also felt he had to do the same with the players that he left in the lurch when deciding to head to the bet365 Stadium, taking a number of his backroom staff with him.

After meeting a small group of them for his first training session today, he continued: "I’ve only had a short time with them, I have to rebuild relationships with them too.

"It went from probably the best relationship you could possibly have to me leaving, I betrayed a bit of trust there with them, so I’ll have to build that up.

"But let's not forget also, that I gave them a lot. I have given the club quite a lot in the time that I’d been here, I just made an error in terms of leaving.

"Now I want us to focus on the present and the present is we need to be together, the players need to be together.

"I believe wholeheartedly I’ll get a good reaction because I have a good relationship with the majority and the others I’ll have to earn."

Although it will be a while before Jones will walk out on to pitch in front of any supporters, as should the Championship return, it will be played behind closed doors, he didn't think that would benefit him, adding: "Have I seemed the type of guy that needs easing in?

“Of course, football should be played in front of fans, at the minute we’re in a really difficult time, a pandemic, it’s unprecedented times, so needs must.

"We have to get back playing, it’s the way to do it.

"I would love Kenilworth to be full to get the reaction as, as I said, when I first arrived at Kenilworth, I was pretty much unknown as a manager, so I had to earn that trust and respect.,

"I believe i did that over time and that’s what I have to do again.

"Playing in front of Kenilworth Road, a full house, with the fans, it is a real daunting thing and you have to have strength of character to be able to do that.

"I believe it will be a strength to us moving forward, the side issue of myself, obviously, but for the greater good here, it's about getting results for Luton so we can be where we believe we should be.

"I look forward to playing in front of a full house at Kenilworth Road again and whenever that may be."