Jones labels Lions as 'severe rivals' to Hatters' play-off ambitions

Town boss knows his side haven't achieved anything yet
Hatters boss Nathan JonesHatters boss Nathan Jones
Hatters boss Nathan Jones

Luton boss Nathan Jones considers this afternoon’s visitors to Kenilworth Road, Millwall, as ‘severe rivals’ to the Hatters’ hopes of achieving a Championship play-off place.

The Lions were on a superb run of form prior to the international break, winning five in a row and going unbeaten in eight until defeated 2-0 at Stoke City in their final match.

That was enough to see them climb to 10th though, and are now just four points away from the top six with eight games to go.

Gary Rowett’s side are also just six points away from the Hatters in fourth, which left Jones very clear on the threat the visitors will possess, saying: “Millwall are a very good Championship side.

"They have a really experienced manager, experience right throughout the side, a real tough game every time you play home and away against Millwall, we know that.

"I haven’t looked in depth at the league but they are definite play-off candidates absolutely.

"Anyone below that I don’t know but we’re looking at those as severe rivals to what we want to achieve.

“It’s a Championship game for start, which is always really difficult. Gary prepares his teams fantastically well, they’re always in and around where they need to be.

“The work-rate, it’s Millwall, it’s as tough a game as can be, we absolutely know that.

"But it’s at our place and we’re a good side as well, we believe.

"So I know Gary will be feeling exactly the same as I am.”

Going into the game though, Jones confirmed that the Hatters were in fine spirits, which was unsurprising considering their own run of form ahead of the fortnight off, as they managed a magnificent eight victories from 11 league matches.

He continued: “Any time a team is winning and doing well, it’s happy, but we’ve got a happy changing room anyway, we’ve got a happy training ground and culture anyway.

“With us achieving certain things this season, it’s buoyant, but it usually is.

"It’s not categorically different, like we’ve suddenly gone from one thing to another.

“It’s a buoyant, happy, productive, positive culture anyway.

"Then, with wins, performances and everyone contributing, and everyone getting some self worth then it’s as happy a place as can be.”

One thing Jones can assure Town followers is that having done incredibly well to have got into the situation of being genuine promotion contenders to the Premier League this term, then the they won’t change any of the characteristics that have served them so impressively over the previous 38 fixtures.

He said: "We do three things really, really well.

"We work hard and that’s a given.

"We keep clean sheets and we’re the best in the league at keeping clean sheets.

"And we also score goals. We’re in the top three in the league for scoring goals and chances created.

“If we continue along those lines and do the basics well, stay humble, stay focused and keep doing what we’ve done, then there’s every chance that we could achieve something.

"That’s what’s got us to where we are.

“If we suddenly think we’re something different and change, and start being a little bit more arrogant, not confident, but arrogant in certain stuff, then we’ll come unstuck because we’re not that type of team.

“We do the basics very well. The three most important things in football we do very well."

However, despite such a lofty place in the table, Jones was also more than aware it doesn't count for anything at the moment, adding: "It's a progression, it’s not an achievement because we haven’t done anything yet.

"We always believed and we recruited to progress and get better, to improve on what we’ve done last year.

“We’ve already done that with eight games to go so, barring a disastrous end of season, we will improve on that.

“So, we will have improved, we will have progressed and we will have pushed a boundary.

“But we haven’t achieved anything yet.

"Look, we’re in a decent place and we’ve had a lot of accolades and pats on the back, but we haven’t achieved anything yet.

“We’re in a place that we believe is realistic for us.

"It is a wonderful place and we’re not hiding behind that or being coy, it’s a wonderful place to be in.

“For me, it’s a reward for the work that everyone at the football club does.

"We set our stall out to be in this position, come this time, if everything came together well, and pretty much everything has.”