Hatters midfielder believes Luton are 'really lucky' to have appointed his former Barnsley team-mate as manager

Midfielder Jordan Clark believes the Hatters were ‘lucky’ to be able to attract new boss Rob Edwards to the club as Nathan Jones’ replacement last month.

The 39-year-old, who was appointed to the Kenilworth Road hotseat after Jones headed to Premier League Southampton, has tasted success in his short managerial career to date, winning the League Two title with Forest Green last term.

That achievement saw him named the division’s Manager of the Year, with an opportunity to manage Watford coming his way, which was then cut short by the trigger-happy Hornets after just 10 games of the campaign.

Clark was already well aware of Edwards, before he joined the Hatters, the pair having been at Barnsley together as players during the 2011-12 season, when Luton’s number 18 was coming through the ranks, while Town’s new chief was winding his own time down.

Speaking to the Luton News about his recollections of the former Wales international, Clark, who never actually featured in the same Tykes teams as Edwards, said: "Its been a bit easier for me as I knew the gaffer from my Barnsley days.

"I don’t know him as a manager, but he’s settled in well and we’ve just hit the ground running in training, it’s been really good.

“He came in when Keith Hill was the manager, I didn’t really play a lot that season, but I trained a lot with him and just a lovely, lovely man at the time.

"He was dead good with the young kids when we trained with the first team.

"It was 10 years ago now, but the things I can remember of him, just being a dead good leader.

"Around the lads, giving everyone advice all the time, always happy, always positive, and just a leader on the training ground.

"When he did play for Barnsley, I think he was captain, so just a lovely man, infectious character, his energy that he brings, and just makes you want to do the best for him.

"It was a weird one as I didn’t really know where he went after Barnsley, he went off the radar a little bit, but he has slipped into coaching really well.

"I think he went to the academy set-up at Wolves, so learned his trade there, got his first job at Forest Green and did really, really well there.

"He was doing well at Watford before he got the sack which was a bit harsh I thought, but especially with Nathan moving on and the other two lads, Chris (Cohen) and Alan (Sheehan), I think we’re lucky to have him, really lucky to have him.”

Edwards also managed AFC Telford and worked with Blackpool, plus the England age-groups for the FA during the early days of his coaching career.

He then moved to Forest Green in the summer of 2021, and having watched from afar, Clark was impressed with just how well Edwards did during his time at the New Lawn, triumphing against the odds to be crowned champions, pipping Exeter City and Bristol Rovers to top spot.

Clark added: “At Forest Green he did really well.

"I know myself down the lower leagues it’s tough, so to implement the style of football he did, full credit to him.

“You’ve got to get the lads doing it week in week out, so he’s done really well there and he was doing well at Watford, but managers need time.

"Nine, 10 games, is not a lot.

"It’s tough, but we’re lucky to have him here, so we’ve just got to hopefully do the best we can for him.”