Kevin Blackwell has praised the contribution of defender Jaroslaw Fojut ahead of his last game for the Hatters against Yeovil on Tuesday.

The Polish defender is set to return to Bolton after the game on New Years Day following the end of his loan spell.

With Luton currently in administration, the Club are unable to extend his stay at Kenilworth Road.

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Fojut scored his third goal for Luton during the 2-1 win over Port Vale on Saturday and Blackwell has been full of praise of the defender.

Blackwell said: "He has been colossal. He has been a credit to Bolton Wanderers and this Club and will be hugely missed.

"The only way you can learn and develop as a player is to play matches, which is what we have given him at Luton Town.

"We are bitterly disappointed to lose him and hopefully he will get a good ovation from the crowd on Tuesday because it's what he deserves.

"Such is the manner and the state of the Club at the moment, it's one of those unfortunate punishments that we have to take."

Blackwell is now hoping to kick start 2008 in the same way his side finished 2007.

His side face a Yeovil team that have won only once in their last four games, but are still within touching distance of the play-off pack.

And Blackwell believes his side are quickly becoming a stronger side, both at Kenilworth Road and on the road.

The Hatters boss added: "We look a lot better as a team now. I have felt we have looked very flimsy away from home, not just this season, but last season as well.

"We have had to find the pieces of the puzzle to put together and it is slowing coming right for us. It just takes time, but that is something that is not a common commodity in the game.

"The players are starting to do the things I want them to do and we thoroughly deserved the victory at Port Vale."

But Blackwell is now facing the prospect of losing other members of his squad during the January transfer window.

Blackwelll said: "The players have certainly shown the fans over the past few weeks that they feel very passionate about this Club.

"It would be easy for them to say 'I'm going to move on from here so I'm not bothered what happens.'

"But that hasn't happened. Everyone is desperate to see the Club survive and flourish. I think the win at Port Vale was a fitting tribute to the fans.

"I just hope they can now get behind us for this next difficult period. January is undoubtedly going to be hard, but we can get through it.

"I suppose the best scenario will be one player leaving in a big sale, but that still wouldn't solve the problem with the wages.

"If we sold one player for £1.4 million, it would see us through until May, but the players would then still have to accept half their wages.

"How do I tell convince someone who has been paid two-and-a-half in nine weeks wages to stay here. They have mortgages, families and responsibilities. If an opportunity to have some stability in their lives came along then it would be hard for them to turn it down."

Luton will have Steve Robinson back from suspension on Tuesday, but Chris Coyne is still out as he serves the second of his two-match ban.

Richard Jackson is still missing, but the Hatters didn't pick up any fresh injury problems from the win at Port Vale.

 

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