Summer signing is expecting a 'big season' for the Hatters
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New Luton midfielder Shandon Baptiste is eying a positive start to the season when Town go up against Burnley at Kenilworth Road on Monday evening.
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Hide AdThe Hatters take on a Clarets team who, like themselves, were in the top flight last term and are also embarking on their journey to return at the first attempt. Asked about the upcoming clash, Baptiste, who has dropped back to the Championship after three years in the Premier League with Brentford, told the club’s official website: “I’m looking forward to it. I feel like it’s the start of a big season for us.
"Hopefully we can start off with three points, if not, we go again, but we are going to be looking to start well and everyone is looking forward to it. Everyone at the club has made me feel welcome, everyone has made me feel good so hopefully that can carry on and we can have a great start to the season.
Baptiste got his first taste of his new home last weekend when he played 78 minutes in the 3-1 defeat to La Liga side Celta Vigo. Although the ground was half full, he was still impressed with the noise created before the sell-out that is expected in a few days time, saying: “(It was) fantastic, all the fans cheering, all the fans bringing positive vibes is just so good to see. Just stick with us and hopefully, first game of the season, we can hear them cheering again.
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Hide AdDespite Town losing on the day, Baptiste gave a further demonstration of just what he can bring to the midfield this term with a pinpoint first-time cross for Alfie Doughty to volley home from close range. He had also come close to setting up Carlton Morris with another exquisite delivery in the first half, as playing alongside Jordan Clark in the centre of the park, he continued: “Just game time is going to get us more connected, building on that relationship and I feel like the more games we play together, the more he’ll understand me and I’ll understand him. The two games I’ve played with him have been really good and hopefully we can just build on that.”
Although Town were undone by two late goals, the first when Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu's weak back header was capitalised on in some style with an instinctive first time finish, asked for his reflections on the contest, Baptiste added: “I think it was a good game, I think we controlled it well. Obviously the three goals conceded, when we look back at it we’ll probably see that we could have avoided them.
"We’ll see what we need to do better and take that into the first game. You want to get the errors out of the way now so when the season starts, everything is good and everyone can move forward on to more positive things. It was the last game, everyone got a good run out and now we are looking forward to the start of the season.”
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