Improvement is the aim for Hatters boss Jones although he doesn’t expect miracles

Improving on last season’s position of 12th is the ultimate goal for Luton boss Nathan Jones this term.

The Hatters chief has managed to do so every time since he was first appointed to the Kenilworth hot-seat back in January 2016, as after finishing 11th in League Two, Town were then fourth the next season, before ending up second to win promotion the following term.

Jones then left in January 2019, but when he returned with nine games to go, he managed to ensure the Hatters stayed in the second tier by coming 19th and then led the club to their mid-table spot last term.

Ahead of today’s opener against Peterborough United, on his aims for the term ahead, Jones said: “It (improvement) has to be the goal.

“We were very pleased with our overall season, we felt we should have been slightly higher but that’s for another day, so we have to try.

“Every year we’ve improved, every year we’ve enhanced what we’ve had at the club, player-wise, squad-wise, position, and hopefully we can continue to do that.”

With Luton’s summer business in the transfer window and the fact they have now established themselves in the second tier, expectancy has risen among supporters about just what they feel their side are capable of.

While staying up in the past two seasons has been seen as a success, there has been talk of a top half finish, with some whispers of Town mounting a play-off push.

On the pressures that might come with such hopes, Jones continued: “What we have to remember is that we still have one of the lowest budgets in the league so we are not going to be miraculous, we won’t produce miracles.

“But what we are going to do with the stability we have had for two seasons, and the enhanced recruitment we have been able to do with the backing we have been given, we believe we are in a better starting position.

“Anything can happen over a 46-game season, which then turns into a 50-game season depending on cups and so on.

“What we have to make sure is that we are prepared, we would like to better last year but we know that will be very difficult because the playing field hasn’t really changed that much.

“But what we do believe is that we are in a better position so god willing, we will be able to.”