Walsh left with 'goosebumps' after Town win the Vertu Trophy

Midfielder Liam Walsh admitted he was left with ‘goosebumps’ after Town’s 3-1 victory over Stockport County on Sunday saw the Hatters crowned Vertu Trophy champions at Wembley.

The 28-year-old was playing at the home of English football for the first time in his career, as he was part of a magnificent first half display that saw Luton bounce back from conceding early on to lead 2-1 at the break thanks to goals from Emilio Lawrence and Nahki Wells. Jack Wilshere’s side then had to withstand a period of pressure from their opponents after the break, but came through that impressively, courtesy of a stunning save from James Shea, striker Wells sealing victory when he scored his second in the first minute of stoppage time.

It meant that Walsh could make his way up the famous Wembley steps to lift the trophy with the rest of his team-mates, as describing his emotions when doing so, he said: “We said early on in the season we wanted to get ourselves to Wembley in this competition and we’ve done that. I think the performance we put in definitely deserved the win and the feeling of being out there at Wembley and winning a game of football, it’s a special day for us.

“We were unfazed by them going ahead, we didn’t feel like they really had a foot in the game and I think in those moments, we’re playing the game not the occasion. We’re not panicking under pressure, the stuff that the manager’s got us doing, it all clicked and we felt it on the pitch, so we stuck at it. It worked out and we’ve come away with the win. It’s these moments further on in your career, you’ll always remember it, just getting the win and seeing all the fans celebrating, it really gives you goosebumps.”

Walsh was also happy to play a role in delivering a first trophy of his manager’s short career in the dug-out to date, the ex-Arsenal and England star having only taken over at Kenilworth Road in October. He continued: “I said there about winning the football game at Wembley and the fact we’ve done it to lift the trophy, I’m made up for the manager as well. His first proper job in the game and I’m glad that we could win it for him.”

Meanwhile, the victory was also a poignant one for Walsh, who announced the tragic news earlier this month that he and his partner, Aston Villa Women’s footballer Missy Bo Kearns, had suffered a miscarriage. He was able to share a brief moment with her before going up to lift the trophy too, saying: “I had two minutes (with her), I didn't say much because I was that tired, but she told me how proud she was.

"She was the first person I saw in the crowd when I got here two hours before kick-off and it meant the world to me. She was out there supporting me straight away, when I was out on the pitch warming up I could see all my mates there as well, and my family, the support I’ve got around me was unbelievable and I’m made up I could win for them.”

With Walsh having played 35 games this season, he hopes that the campaign can now be extended for another few weeks which is something that Wilshere really drummed home during the post-match huddle, the midfielder adding: “That’s the first thing the manager said out on the pitch. He congratulated us and he said that we want to be back in a couple of weeks and that’s what we’re going to try and do.”