'Self-belief' has seen Mpanzu prove any doubters wrong and make it to the Premier League with Luton

Town midfielder Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu insists having both the ‘confidence’ and ‘self belief’ has seen him prove any doubters wrong by remaining with the Hatters on their journey from non-league to the Premier League.

The 29-year-old was the last of the four out of contract members of Town’s squad to commit their future to the club on Monday, following Tom Lockyer in penning a new deal, meaning he will officially make history by being the first player to feature for the same side in every division from the Conference to the top flight this term.

The fact that Mpanzu has been able to adapt to each new level that he has faced since being at Kenilworth Road, making 370 appearances for Luton’s XI in League Two, League One and the Championship, with every Town manager from John Still to Rob Edwards selecting him, is down in large part to the determination the DR Congo international has to succeed.

He told the club’s official website: “It’s about self belief and if you have confidence.

"If you have confidence you can do anything in the world basically.

"You’re always going to get doubters, always going to get people who have their opinion, but I believe in myself and my ability.

"The club do, the manager does, so I've got to repay the faith they put in me and keep trying to perform.

"But to just know that I've played a lot of games for the club and helped them throughout every league is special and twelfth August can’t come soon enough.”

It hasn’t all been plain sailing for Mpanzu though since he walked through the door, with injuries and some play-off woe to contend with, as he continued: “It’s been my second home, the only club I really know.

“We’ve been through crazy experiences, ups and downs, obviously a couple of losses.

"Blackpool in the play-offs, last year against Huddersfield it was tough, but we’ve always come back.

"We’re glad to get over the line and look forward to our first season in the Prem.”

Asked to sum up just what it feels like to know that he will be a bona fide Premier League player after leaving West Ham United a decade ago to move to Kenilworth Road when Town were in the Blue Square Bet Premier, Mpanzu, for once, was a little bit dumbstruck.

He said: "I don’t think words can describe it just yet.

“When the fixtures came out that kind of hit a little bit, but the closer we get to August it will be like ‘okay we're getting there,' and then once we travel down to Brighton it’s going to be special.

“Once you put on the shirt and you see the Premier League badge, you're going to think, yeah, we've achieved something mad.

“It’s crazy as I’ve been with Luton since non-league, so to achieve that with one club is special.

“I’ve still got a way to go, twelfth of August away to Brighton, which will be a difficult game as they all will be, but we don’t want it to end so soon.

"We’re going to try and win as many games as we can out of the 38 games we play, so it’s going to be an adventure to say the least.”

On just how he will be preparing for Town’s first top flight campaign in just over 30 years, Mpanzu added: "Like I normally do, just enjoying the vibe.

"You never know when the football thing will end, it’s just about enjoying working hard always, listening to what Rob and all the staff he's brought into the club say.

"Talking about the tactics that we're going to be using for the teams we're going to be playing, take everything in my stride, keep trying to ball out and when that day comes, hopefully we get a result.

"As football’s a results business, so hopefully that comes and puts us in a good way to start the season.”