Walsh 'can't wait' to keep working with Luton chief after penning new contract
Midfielder is staying at Kenilworth Road
Luton midfielder Liam Walsh has revealed that continuing to work with manager Jack Wilshere was a huge reason behind his decision to extend his time at Kenilworth Road, signing a new contract with the Hatters this afternoon.
The 28-year-old had been in and out of the side since arriving in the summer of 2024, as two red cards in his first 11 outings saw him suspended for seven games in total and fined the maximum amount possible, limited to just 28 league and cup outings under Rob Edwards and Matt Bloomfield in his first season
However, having penned a heartfelt apology following his second dismissal at Blackburn Rovers just minutes after coming on, Walsh began to win the Luton fans on side once more with a string of fine displays in the latter stages of the campaign, as another sending off in the 1-0 home win against Coventry City was rescinded on appeal.
He continued his upward curve last season, really beginning to flourish once Wilshere took over in October, starting 30 out of the 43 games the ex-Arsenal and England star has been in charge of, scoring twice and adding eight assists, as Luton just missed out on the play-offs by a single point, although they did win the Vertu Trophy by beating Stockport County 3-1 at Wembley.
With his partner Missy Bo Kearns suffering a tragic miscarriage in March, the support shown by Wilshere was key in the midfielder being able to return to the team so quickly as well, speaking openly about how it affected him ahead of a trip to the home of English football, and the role that his manager played in helping the pair through the awful time.
Finishing with 40 appearances in all competitions, the most he has ever managed since turning pro at Everton in 2015, asked how much of a role Wilshere played in him staying, Walsh told the Hatters’ official website his mind was made up before the turn of the year, saying: “Massively. I’ve been wanting to get it done since he came in because the first couple of weeks, I learned so much from him. He’s given me the most game time I’ve had through a season and I know that I’ve got a manager who believes in what I can do on a pitch, and that’s all you want as a player. I think I’ve still got so much to learn from him, and I can’t wait to work with him again.”
Although it took over a month from the season ending for Walsh to agree terms with the Hatters, it was never in doubt from his side, or Wilshere’s either for a player who won the Ian Pearce Memorial Trophy for the most man of the match awards handed out by the Luton News at home games, plus the Vertu Trophy Player of the Round for the semi-finals when he bagged the winner against Northampton.
He added: “It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while. I had talks with the manager earlier on in the season and he knew how much I wanted to be at the club next year. It has taken a while to get done, with all the stuff going on this season. But we’ve pushed and pushed on both sides to get it done, and I couldn’t be any happier.”