Luton chief praises Hatters board for their patience even when Town went through a 'little wobble'

Jones sets his sights on become the longest-serving manager in the Championship
Luton Town CEO Gary Sweet watches Town's opening game of the season with chairman David WilkinsonLuton Town CEO Gary Sweet watches Town's opening game of the season with chairman David Wilkinson
Luton Town CEO Gary Sweet watches Town's opening game of the season with chairman David Wilkinson

Luton boss Nathan Jones has praised the Hatters’ board for not following in the footsteps of certain other clubs in the Championship and decide to change manager despite Town having what he deemed a ‘little wobble’ at the start of the campaign.

Following on from a season in which Luton finished an impressive sixth in the table, beaten over two legs of the play-off semi-finals by Huddersfield Town, they had a tough beginning results-wise, without a victory in their opening five games, including a Carabao Cup home defeat to League Two Newport County as well.

That came after a summer in which the Hatters had strengthened significantly in the transfer window, breaking their record to bring in Carlton Morris from Barnsley for a seven-figure sum, also splashing out on Cauley Woodrow, Alfie Doughty and Louie Watson to name three, loaning in Nottingham Forest keeper Ethan Horvath too.

While Jones might have found himself under pressure at some other clubs in the second tier, Huddersfield already sacking Danny Schofield and Watford following suit by firing Rob Edwards in the week after just 10 games in charge, despite CEO Scott Duxbury originally stating he would be support his new boss ‘come hell or high water', that was never going to be the case at Kenilworth Road.

The Luton chief, who signed a new long-term deal in January, and has led Town back up to 11th with three wins and two draws from their last six games, said: “Obviously since we last spoke there has been a Championship manager who has gone and that is the perils of being a manager, perils of results, owners and things.

“Luckily enough I have a fantastic board and when we have a little wobble as such, different owners might have thought ‘we spent a bit of money in the summer, we finished sixth last year, we should be this, but you’ve lost two on the bounce so see you later.’

“I have a good board here and a good CEO (Gary Sweet) who I have a good relationship with and here we do things slightly more structured.

"I’m very happy with that and I’m very happy to be manager of the club.”

Jones, who has been at Kenilworth Road for two years and 124 days since his return for a second spell in charge, is now the third longest serving manager in the Championship after Paul Warne recently left Rotherham United to join League One side Derby County following almost six years with the Millers.

The Welshman has set his sights on overtaking Coventry boss Mark Robins and Millwall supremo Gary Rowett, as he added: “I would like to be the longest to be fair.

"Paul Warne chose to go to a club he felt was a better fit or at this point gives him the right kind of challenge.

"I wish him well, he’s a good friend of mine Paul, has done a wonderful job at Rotherham and Derby are a big club.”