McManaman wants to be more than just an impact player for the Hatters

Hatters attacker Callum McManaman admitted his potency from the bench has counted against him at times during his career after another goalscoring cameo in Luton’s 1-1 draw with Preston North End on Saturday.

The 29-year-old netted his fourth goal in a Town shirt at the weekend, with all of them coming in games the winger hasn’t started, and coincidentally, three of them now in the 87th minute, the other in the 86th.

Although McManaman always felt like he could have a big influence on the contest, he doesn’t want to be know as a supersub, saying: “I felt quietly confident, I’ve done it most of the season.

“It’s a bit frustrating coming off the bench and doing it and not doing it from the start, it’s kind of gone against me.

“I’ve done it a few times in my career, it goes against you sometimes if you do well off the bench, you get seen as an impact player, but I’m just happy to get the goal.”

McManaman had been brought to the club by former boss Graeme Jones, the manager one of the main reasons that he moved south for the first time in his career, the pair having won an FA Cup together in 2013 at Wigan Athletic.

However, he could never fully break in under Jones, with 11 of his of his 20 appearances coming from the bench.

He was among the substitutes once more for new manager Nathan Jones’ first game in charge against Preston, introduced on 75 minutes to have a starring role, hammering home with time running out to salvage a point.

McManaman hopes his leveller leads to a larger role in the eight remaining games now, saying: “I was disappointed Graeme left, but the new gaffer has been brilliant with me.

“He’s given me a chance from the off, he spoke to me and I think he likes the way I play.

“He’s already spoken to me about being aggressive, putting my foot in and staying sharp, so you never know.

“We’ve been getting on well, so hopefully I can get in the team and maybe start a few games and get a run.”

Jones used all five his permitted substitutes in the end, ringing the changes to salvage a point, with James Bree, another replacement, picking up the assist.

He was pleased with McManaman’s impact, revealing the former West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland player was close to being named in the side from the opening whistle.

Jones said: “He’s unlucky not to start, he’s been really bright in everything we’ve done.

“I went with pretty much the same team that has got results for the club in the last six or seven games, so that’s why I’ve done that, but we know that the side’s going to change, the personnel is going to change.

“We have to evolve, we have to find ways of winning games, staying competitive, staying aggressive in our press and in our work-rate, it’s going to take the whole squad.

“To bring on Callum, to bring on Danny Hylton, who doesn’t necessarily start from the bench very often when I’ve been manager and then to have energy in (James) Bree, to bring Sonny Bradley on, George Moncur had a real impetus when he came on with energy, so it was good to get them all on.

“We’re going to have to do that and sometimes it’s difficult for players to accept that they are going to have to trudge through 70 minutes for someone else to come on and get a little bit of glory, but that’s a team game and it’s an unusual mini-tournament right now.”