Luton chief wishes Woodrow the best of luck after he completes Wycombe switch

Luton boss Jack Wilshere wished outgoing forward Cauley Woodrow the best of luck, although not against the Hatters, after he completed a permanent move to fellow League One side Wycombe Wanderers last week.

The 31-year-old had come through the ranks at Kenilworth Road, becoming one of Town’s youngest ever debutants at 16 years and 12 days when playing against Welling United in the FA Trophy back in December 2010. He was then sold to Fulham in 2011, moving to Barnsley permanently in 2019 following a loan spell at Oakwell where he scored over 50 goals, returning to Bedfordshire in the summer of 2022 with Luton in the Championship.

Woodrow was part of the Town squad that won promotion to the Premier League, scoring one top flight strike in 24 matches, that a last minute equaliser at Crystal Palace, also on target with an injury-time winner at Everton in the FA Cup as well. Having joined Blackburn Rovers on loan once Luton were back in the Championship, the former England U21 international then spent last term at the Chairboys, where he netted 12 goals in 40 outings.

Although he was still under contract with Luton, Woodrow, who played 82 times and scored six goals in total for the club, agreed a deal to join Wycombe last week for an undisclosed fee, with Wilshere saying: “I think Cauley really wanted it and good luck to him. I didn’t quite get the chance to connect with Cauley as when I came in, he was on loan and we were really focused on what we were trying to do.

"I spoke to him a little bit when we played against them, but people at the club speak so highly of him and good luck to him as this time last year was probably tough for him, as I think he got told late that he can go out on loan. He went out on loan, played a lot of games, scored some goals and he gets the move he deserves, so good luck to him, just not against us!”

Speaking to the Bucks Free Press about his return to Adams Park, Woodrow admitted there was nowhere else he was intent on signing for, saying: “I think I probably made it clear in my interview at the end of the season how much I enjoyed it here last season. Once I knew there was an opportunity to come back here, there was only one place I wanted to come. So really delighted to be back. Last year, I felt like I wasn't a loan player. I love all the lads, I love the staff and the management team.

"I felt like I'd been at Wycombe for longer than a year. To be back now permanently is really great. Obviously, I settled in last year, so it's not going to take me long to settle back in. In terms of us as a team, we could have achieved a lot more and I think maybe there’s some unfinished business for us as a group. I was really grateful for the fans and how they took to me. I had a really good relationship with them and I'm really looking forward to scoring more goals with them and hopefully having some great moments over the course of the next few years.”

Woodrow also took to Instagram after his departure was made public with a message for the Luton supporters, saying: “I just want to thank @lutontown for the past 4 years! We shared some amazing moments together that I will never forget, forever grateful! Best of luck Hatters.”

Wanderers’ director of football strategy and data intelligence Tom Stockwell said of the move for Woodrow: “Cauley made an important contribution last season on the pitch with 12 goals and four assists, but he’s also a top professional and character in the dressing room which is important for us to keep pushing forwards.

“Cauley is an experienced attacking player who can operate as a 9 or 10 in different shapes and systems. He brings the technical quality to link the back to the front for us. He will link up with the team ready to feature in some of the pre-season friendlies, and this puts him in the best place to impact the team from the start of the season.”

Finally, the Hatters themselves wrote on their official website: “Everyone at Kenilworth Road thanks Cauley for his service over so many years, and especially the part he played in the club’s promotion to the Premier League. He leaves with our best wishes for his time with the Chairboys and his future career. Good luck, Cauley!”