It was a memorable weekend for 18-year-old Jake Howells. A man-of-the-match performance against Rochdale was followed up on Sunday night with the promising left-back claiming the Luton Town Young Player of the Year award.

Howells spoke of his eagerness to help the Hatters bounce back to the Football League at the first attempt next season, and gave his thoughts on how this season has panned out.

"It has been an up and down season and hopefully we can bounce up again. I've got some games under my belt and I want to progress further and play at the highest level in the future," said the Hatters' defender.

"Hopefully I can play next year and get us back up into this league again."

Howells hoped that his eye-catching display against the Dale would not only impress the manager, but also the Town supporters:

"I played 90 minutes in the reserves on Thursday, played well and the gaffer said to me I was going to get a chance. I thought as long as I got a chance I would give it my all for the fans as well as myself. So when I got on I tried to give it my all.

"The fans turn up and pay money to watch us so we've got to play for them as well as ourselves and make sure we get in the team for next year and show them that we're going to try and get back up next season."

With the game being played on a pleasant spring afternoon, the 18-year-old felt the heat was a factor for the Hatters losing their 1-0 lead, but conceded that the Rochdale half-time changes had made a significant difference:

"It was quite hot out there and hard to play but first half we were really good, passing the ball around and they couldn't get near us. Then in the second half they changed, made a couple of substitutions which changed how we played and then we found it a bit tougher and started to feel it.

"On the whole, as a team, I thought we played well and passed it well."

Finally, with Howells keen to stay at Kenilworth Road, he described the "exciting" news at being offered his first professional contract:

"I've played over 30 games now so it's a long wait for me to finally get it but I've got a meeting next week so I'll sort it all out then and get it done and dusted."