Jones pens message to Hatters supporters after making 'tough' decision to leave 'special' Luton for Southampton

Former Luton boss Nathan Jones has penned a message to the club’s supporters after making what he described as a ‘tough’ decision to leave the club and take the reins at Premier League side Southampton today.

The 49-year-old had recently completed 300 games in charge at Kenilworth Road, the third most in the club’s history, before being given permission to speak to the Saints about the vacancy at St Mary’s Road on Wednesday.

After attending the club’s Carabao Cup penalty shoot-out win over Sheffield Wednesday last night, Jones was then unveiled as the replacement for Ralph Hasenhüttl this morning, signing a long-term deal, as he took assistant manager Chris Cohen and first team coach Alan Sheehan with him the south coast.

Writing a statement the Hatters’ official website, Jones admitted to feeling ‘homesick’ after opting to move away from a club he has spent such a large chunk of his managerial career with, saying: “At the end of a whirlwind couple of days, I wanted to take the time to thank everyone connected with Luton Town Football Club for their support since I first walked into Kenilworth Road as a manager in 2016.

“I love everyone and everything about Luton, even from my brief spell as a player, and it’s really difficult to explain how to leave something special, it has to be for something extra special.

“This was a special opportunity to go and work in the Premier League, and to work at a really established club that came in for me because of certain things we all did together at Luton.

"Southampton like how we worked, and they want to build in exactly the same way.

“There have been a number of opportunities to leave, but I never considered them in any way.

"This just seemed like too good an opportunity to turn down.

“I’d like to thank everyone at the club from the board to the staff, to the players and the fans, because without all of you, and without the support and faith shown in me two and a half years ago, I would never be in this position.

"When I came back, I needed Luton as much as Luton needed me, so it was a real alignment.

“I knew what I was coming back into. I knew it wasn’t a gamble.

"I knew we could do good work together, just because of the people involved and the players we had.

"Since then, we’ve built and we’ve grown, and I think we’ve left the club in a real healthy state, with a wonderful group of players who give everything for the club.

“I want to thank every Luton fan for the messages they’ve sent me, because 99 per cent have been really understanding.

"Believe me, it has been tough for me to take the decision to leave and at the moment I feel homesick, because I’m coming away from places that I’ve loved and known for so long, leaving so many good friends, and so many people I genuinely care about.

“But I know Luton Town are in great hands with Mick (Harford, head of recruitment), Gary (Sweet, chief executive) and the board.

"It’s been a privilege to manage a wonderful football club that is run in the right way, by passionate supporters, and I wish everyone at Kenilworth Road the very best for the future.”