Luton to travel to National League side Southend United in pre-season

Luton Town will head to National League side Southend United for a pre-season friendly next month.

The Shrimpers narrowly missed out on a return to the Football League recently as after making the play-offs and defeating Rochdale and Forest Green Rovers, they then lost 3-2 to Oldham Athletic in the final at Wembley. Town had sent striker Bim Pepple to Roots Hall last campaign, as the forward bagged 10 goals in 21 games, before returning to the Hatters and then heading to League Two outfit Chesterfield for the remainder of the season.

Southend are currently managed by former player Kevin Maher, who has also been in charge of Chelmsford City, with Town’s legendary ex-manager John Still, who led Luton out of non-league and a long-awaited return to the Football League back in 2014, currently residing as head of football at the Essex club.

A statement on the Hatters’ official website said: “The Hatters' last visit to Roots Hall came in the January of our League One title-winning campaign of 2018-19, with Matty Pearson heading in the winner to take us top of the table for the first time that season. The Hatters are also due to play one behind-closed-doors friendly as part of the preparations for the start of the Sky Bet League One season, which kicks off on Saturday 2nd August. Ticket news for our away friendlies will be communicated in due course.”

First team friendlies, Saturday, July 5: Boreham Wood (a) 1pm; Saturday, July 19: Gillingham (a) 3pm; Tuesday, July 22: Southend United (a) 7.45pm; Saturday, July 26: Tottenham Hotspur (h) 3pm.