Shea jokes he has 'completed the EFL' after Vertu Trophy success with Luton

Luton boss James Shea joked that he has now ‘completed the EFL’ after winning the Vertu Trophy and finally fulfilling his ambition to play at Wembley when the Hatters beat Stockport County on Sunday.

The 34-year-old was given the nod by manager Jack Wilshere ahead to make his first ever appearance at the home of English football, having been on the bench twice before in his career, taking his place between the posts as Town triumphed 3-1 to lift the cup for the second time in their history thanks to Nahki Wells’ double and Emilio Lawrence’s strike.

Shea, who has won promotion from League Two, League One and the Championship during his lengthy stint at Kenilworth Road, having made 121 appearances since joining in July 2017, is now able to tick off a winners medal in the EFL Trophy as well, and asked what it felt like to do so, lifting the cup with over 30,000 adoring Hatters fans in attendance, he said: “I’ve completed the EFL now!

"It was fantastic, as soon as that whistle goes, it's relief first kicks in and then you think let’s enjoy it, get with the boys, look for your family in the stands. It was brilliant, to lift a trophy at Wembley is what dreams are made of and to be able to do that with your mates as well, we're such a good group, so to be able to do it with them, everyone works so hard every single day, it's just the reward that we deserve.

"They (supporters) deserve it as well. Everyone knows it’s been a tough couple of years and they deserve that as the fans have stuck with us when times haven't been great lately. I’d like to think they can see there’s a bit of light at the end of the tunnel now and just try to enjoy it, try to take it all in, as we’ve made memories that we won’t ever forget.”

The main discussion point before the game was who was going to be handed the gloves for the match, Shea, who had played every single minute of the competition, or first choice League One stopper Josh Keeley. It looked like the popular deputy would get his chance when he was put up to speak to the press at Wednesday’s media day, and that proved to the case, boss Jack Wilshere admitting afterwards it was always going to be the experienced stopper.

Shea repaid the faith with a terrific save from Josh Stokes with the game still very much in the balance, and asked just when he knew he was going to be running out at Wembley, he continued: I kind of knew I was going to play, but you never fully know in case he changes it. I spoke to my goalkeeping coach about it as well and he gave me the heads up, but I didn't want to say I was playing in in case it changed.

"The day before (Saturday) he named the team, that's when we knew the team and it was exciting more than anything. I was desperate to play as I’d been on the bench twice there before and to be able to play there it's just another thing I can tick off and I was over the moon to get the win with it as well."

On just how Keeley, who played at Wembley for Leyton Orient in the League One play-off final last season, had been when finding out he wasn’t playing, Shea said: “He's been unbelievable, I can’t praise the fella highly enough. Even when we won he was fantastic, the first one over to us, he was so happy. We push each other every day in training, so he knows how much it meant to me to win. He'll be back in on Wednesday (against Northampton) and I'll be fully behind him on Wednesday as he’s been unbelievable this season.”

Having made his superb stop with eight minutes left, Shea was then a part of the Hatters’ clinching strike in the first of 10 minutes added on by referee Martin Coy, as he bowled the ball out to Jordan Clark, who in turn found substitute Shayden Morris to his right. The attacker then got past his man to deliver a low cross for Wells to net at the second attempt, right in front of the hordes of Town supporters behind the goal. Witnessing the clincher, Shea said: “I managed to get the ball, it starts from me, I'll take that all day long!

"I just saw Clicks with loads of space in front of him and thought if I throw that we can get down the other end. He's played Shayden in, Shayden’s done a bit of magic, Nahki's got across the front and he's stuck it in. As soon as that goes in the pure relief as with 10 minutes to go you’re thinking, it’s not done but you’re nearly there. The Luton end was like a sea of orange. When the third goal went in, I was facing it and I just see everyone celebrate and it was an unbelievable sight. I can still see it now, I saw the whole Luton end erupting and it was incredible.

"It's hard to explain as I spoke to Kal (Naismith) about this after and he said to me, he wasn't nervous before the game, he just felt so confident we were going to the job and get the result and I felt exactly the same. I was so confident how we were going to do it, but I'm not going to lie, as soon as that third goal went in, it was just pure relief more than anything as you’re just praying nothing can go wrong there. When it went 3-1, there was that bit of relief thinking you’re nearly there, just a few more minutes and then we can enjoy it.”

Although thrilled for himself and his team-mates, Shea was also elated for manager Wilshere, the two originally team-mates at the start of their career when part of an Arsenal U18s side who won the FA Youth Cup back in 2009. He hasn’t had it all his own way since taking over in October of last year, although recent results would suggest the manager’s idea are finally starting to sink in, as the stopper added: “I was over the moon for him as him and his staff as his staff massive, they’re a big part of it all and I’m sure he would say the same.

"His staff have been brilliant since they’ve come in and he deserves it as he's had a lot of stick the first few months. He's stuck with his processes, stuck with the way he wants to play, stuck to his guns and he trusts his players. He thoroughly deserves that and I’m sure that's the first of many for him. We've found our identity, it’s taken a little bit of time to get there, but we're on the right track and don’t get me wrong, we’re not finished yet. There’s still a long way to go but we're on the right track.”