Development squad's pre-season programme finalised
A Luton Town XI will make the trip across the county border to Hitchin Town for the annual pre-season friendly with our Hertfordshire neighbours on Tuesday August 2nd.
It will be the 14th successive year the Hatters have sent a side to Top Field, continuing the strong relationship the clubs share, in particular with the partnership at the North Herts Arena in Baldock for the football development and education course for 16 to 19-year-olds.
Lucas Kirkpatrick, Will Wright and Liam Brooks are graduates of that joint Luton-Hitchin scheme currently in the first-team squad at Top Field, while another – Kane Smith – has been the subject of much transfer speculation in recent months and is currently training at League One Shrewsbury.
The Hatters line-up for the 7.45pm kick-off against the side who finished third in the Evo-Stik League Southern Premier last season will predominantly be made up of Andy Awford’s development squad players.
Coming just four days ahead of the Hatters’ Sky Bet League Two opener, however, first-team manager Nathan Jones could give senior players who aren’t likely to be involved at Plymouth the chance to get extra playing time into their legs as the pre-season programme draws to a close.
Awford’s lads will have already faced Southern League opposition twice before then, after opening the development squad’s pre-season programme at Colchester United’s Florence Park training ground on July 19th.
On Saturday July 23rd, the Town head to Hillgrounds Road to face United Counties League Premier Division champions Kempston Rovers in a 3pm kick-off ahead of their debut season at Step 4.
And the following Friday, July 29th, we are at Creasey Park to face Spartan South Midlands League title winners AFC Dunstable for a 7.30pm kick-off.
The ODs will represent another tough test for the young Hatters as they also gear up for life in the Southern League’s Division One Central for the first time.
Full pre-season fixture list for the development squad as follows:
- Tues July 19th Colchester United (a) 2pm
- Sat July 23rd Kempston Rovers (a) 3pm
- Fri 29th July AFC Dunstable (a) 7.30pm
- Tues Aug 2nd Hitchin Town (a) 7.45pm