Woodrow: Luton's aim has to be to reach the Premier League

Forward eyes top flight with the Hatters
Cauley Woodrow lines up a shot during Town's 1-1 pre-season draw with West Ham on SaturdayCauley Woodrow lines up a shot during Town's 1-1 pre-season draw with West Ham on Saturday
Cauley Woodrow lines up a shot during Town's 1-1 pre-season draw with West Ham on Saturday

Luton’s ambition this season has to be reaching the Premier League according to summer addition Cauley Woodrow.The 27-year-old made his return to Kenilworth Road last month following an absence of over a decade, as he was signed from Barnsley for an undisclosed fee.Woodrow almost made it into the top flight two seasons ago, when the Tykes reached the play-off semi-finals, only to lose 2-1 to Swansea City over two legs.It was the same for Luton last term, as finishing sixth in the table, they couldn’t get past Huddersfield Town, going down 2-1 on aggregate, meaning they are set for a fourth season in the second tier.With seven signings in place though, Woodrow knows another crack at the top flight has to be in everyone’s thoughts, saying: “For me coming here, I’m not going to sit here and say that it’s going to be easy, but that is our ambition.

“That's every player here’s ambition, the club's ambition and hopefully we can fulfil that.

"As a footballer, a football club and staff, all you want to do is play at the top, be at the top and work at the top.

" If they aren’t your ambitions then you are probably in the wrong job.”Since Woodrow departed Kenilworth Road back in 2011 to move to Fulham, who were then a Premier League club themselves, he has watched from afar as Luton made their way back from the Conference to seriously pushing for a place at the top table in that time.

It’s something he has been more than happy to see, saying: “When I signed here at 14, I'd just been released from Tottenham and the reason I signed here was the feel that the club had.

“The club were in the Conference at the time, but for me it wasn't about the division they were in as I knew it felt right here.

“I left and went to Fulham, as I had an opportunity to go there, so I took it and I've always kept in contact with Gary Sweet (chief executive) and I’ve always looked at the results.

“I know people say that, but I always have done and to see how the club has grown back to where it belongs over the years that I have been gone, the club should be really proud of what they've managed to achieve.

“Last season was a good season and hopefully we can get to the promised land, that's the trajectory that the club wants to get to.”

Playing for boss Nathan Jones again was a big pull for the forward too, the pair having briefly worked together when the Welshman helped out the England U21 squad, that Woodrow was a part of, back in 2015.

He added: “We had a trip away and Nathan was involved in that.

“He took a few sessions, so it was someone that I know and someone that I've played against over the years, so he's someone that I want to work with and I'm really excited to work with.

"It's important that you have a relationship with the manager.

“We had a chat and he was a big factor for why we wanted to come here.

“I can see his enthusiasm and what he's about, and that's what I want to be about as well as a player.

“The decision of me coming back here was maybe a little bit easier as I did know the club, so it was familiar, I'm a local boy, so it did make it easier.”