Luton's relegation from the Premier League 'still hurts' Hatters wingback

Hatters wingback Alfie Doughty has conceded that Luton's relegation from the Premier League last season ‘still hurts’.

The 24-year-old was one of the main reasons why Town came so close to beating the drop, featuring in 37 out of the club’s 38 top flight matches, starting 34 of them, adding two goals, but more importantly finishing top of the assist charts with eight in total. Having never featured at the level before, the former Stoke and Cardiff player, who also had spells at Kingstonian and Bromley when a youngster with Charlton Athletic, clearly caught the eye of those not just at Kenilworth Road, with Brentford rumoured to be looking at signing him.

With Town ultimately unable to get their heads above the dotted line, a run of just one victory in their last 17 matches meaning they were six points adrift of Nottingham Forest, it means they will plying their trade in the Championship once more next term, although now one of the favourites to bounce straight back at the first attempt.

Reflecting on his maiden campaign at the highest tier of English football, then writing on Instagram, Doughty put: “2 weeks gone and it stills hurt but as my debut season I’ve loved every second of it. I’m proud of myself and the team of how far we come as a group and even though the end result wasn’t what we wanted we can hold our heads up high.”