Jones would love to emulate success story of tonight's opponents Brentford

Luton boss Nathan Jones would love to emulate tonight's opponents Brentford and become a force to be reckoned with in the Championship.

The Bees have been in the second tier for the last seven seasons, going extremely close to reaching the Premier League last term when they were beaten by Fulham in the play-off final at Wembley.

The club have recently seen the likes of Neal Maupay, Ollie Watkins and Said Benrahma all snapped up by top flight teams in Brighton, Aston Villa and West Ham, but boss Thomas Frank has still put a squad together that is looking increasingly like of mounting another promotion challenge, sitting in sixth place, but with games in hand over all the sides above them.

Jones said: "We’re up against quality sides all the time and what you have to add is consistency.

"To be consistent at the level we want to get to, you have to have a level of confidence, a little bit of luck at times, but we’re only just over a year into the level.

"So we have to make sure we’re adapting to the level well and not doing anything silly and leaving trap doors.

“We are building, to be consistent over the level, Brentford have been at the level for a number of years.

"They’ve invested a lot of money, sold players and have a great model.

“They’re another one, a great example of a club that have adapted.

"Last season they got to the play-offs and this year they’re big tips (for promotion).

"They take forward steps every year, they’re very well run and that’s what we want.

“We have a great board, great people around us, that want to develop, want to be at this level and keep making in-roads to climb the league."

Since Jones arrived as manager for his first spell back in January 2016, he has helped Luton improve every season and is well on course for doing that this term as well.

The boss added: "Last season we finished 19th and we don’t want to be anywhere near 19th.

"If we finished 18th it’s progression, I want to finish higher than that but it’s all progression and that’s what we have to do.

“Realistically, since I came to the club, we finished 11th in the first year, then fourth, then second.

"I was here half the year then Mick (Harford) took over and finished first.

"Then we finished 19th, so every year we’re above where we were the year before and that’s what we’ve got to continue doing."