Woodrow can't wait to run out at Kenilworth Road for his second Hatters debut

New Town signing Cauley Woodrow can’t wait to run out on to the Kenilworth Road pitch as a fully fledged Luton player this season.

The 27-year-old has done it twice before during the 2010-11 season, when as a 16-year-old, he came on as a second half substitute in FA Trophy wins against Uxbridge and Gloucester City, although both times those in attendance numbered under 2,500.

With the Hatters a Conference side back then, Woodrow, who made made his debut in an earlier tie at Welling United, was swiftly snapped up by Premier League Fulham before he could do so in a league encounter.

He then headed to Barnsley in 2018, returning to feature as an opposition player, before after a decade away, has joined Town following his move from the Tyles for an undisclosed fee.

On his memories of taking to the hallowed turf during his teenage years, and the prospect of doing it in the Championship with a full stadium behind him, he said: “I was at school at the time and it was a time I was doing quite well in the U18s.

"I remember my mum getting a phone call saying I needed to train with the first team as the club was thinking about putting me in the squad for a cup game and I was buzzing, I couldn't really believe it.

"I made my debut against Welling United away and my family were there.

"It feels like a million years ago, but a great moment and I made a couple of appearances after that, played at Kenilworth Road, and it was an amazing time.

“I can’t wait (to run out this season). All my family will obviously be here and the fans, they are the heart of the club.

“Over the years it has been quite a hostile place to play as an opposition player, but hopefully now the fans will have my back and I can show what I’m about as a player for them and repay them with good performances, goals and wins.

Woodrow had actually been on the pitch before his Trophy exploits, celebrating Luton’s Johnstone’s Paint victory over Brighton on penalties in 2009, although he knows he shouldn’t have been there, continuing: "It was the shoot-out with Brighton, Luton obviously won and I remember seeing a couple of people running on the pitch, well not a couple, there was hundreds.

“So I thought I'd get involved, jumped over the barriers and on to the pitch, celebrated with the players at the time. Good memories, but I'd probably get fined now!”

Although Woodrow only had a short stint with the Hatters, having joined as a 14-year-old after leaving Tottenham Hotspur and moving on two years later, there are still reminders of his achievements on display at Kenilworth Road.

He was part of an U16 team who won a prestigious European five-a-side tournament, while his England U17 jersey adorns the walls in the John Moore Lounge too.

Woodrow added: “Football and life go past so fast and you forget the things you achieve as a young player.

“I've come back and seen the ball up there that I was part of the tournament abroad and we managed to win it.

“There's a trophy as well and I'd completely forgotten about it until I've seen that.

“It's amazing, brings back great memories and good times here, something that I'm obviously grateful for and times that I look over in my career and can be proud of.

"I played a few games for Luton in the first team and I remember getting the call from England saying they were going to call me up.

"It was at the time where Luton were in non-league and the other players were at top clubs – Liverpool, Arsenal and teams like that.

“So amazing memories again, something that I look back on fondly and when we played here last few seasons, we were getting dressed in here (John Moore Lounge) because of Covid and then I’ve seen the shirt up there, I didn’t even know it was there to be honest.

"It is amazing to see it on the wall and obviously I thank the club for putting it up there.”