At his pre-match Press conference ahead of tomorrow’s first home game of the decade against Birmingham City, Hatters boss Graeme Jones spoke of the boost that this week’s news about Newlands Park has given everyone at the football club.
Asked about the news that there will be no further legal challenge to the mixed-use development at Junction 10 of the M1, which will pave the way for the new stadium to be built in the town centre at Power Court, Jones said: “Firstly, it’s wonderful news for the future of the football club.
“Obviously we all know where we were ten-plus years ago and that is an absolute priority for this football club, that we are self-sustainable.
"For me, Newlands Park goes alongside Power Court and it goes alongside the Category 2 status for the academy, which means we can scout and educate our own players and hopefully prepare them for a brand new stadium with a real long-term future for Luton Town Football Club.
“It’s great news which guarantees the long-term security of the football club.”
The Town manager hopes that supporters will turn up for another sold-out afternoon at Kenilworth Road in great voice as his team look to continue the impressive form shown in the last home game against Fulham.
“I’d like to think the fans come to the game with an optimistic, positive mindset,” said Jones. “We need to assess and measure where we were not so long ago.
“We are bottom of the Championship. I don’t want to be there. The players don’t want to be there. The club doesn’t want to be there. It’s the reality.
“But there’s such a huge future now at Luton Town Football Club – a self-sustainable future – one that they’re in control of, and not relying on transfer windows and gambles with players, with the greatest respect.
“I think to be a Luton Town supporter, back in the second tier, with the future that we’ve got, is something to be incredibly proud of – but not something we want to settle for, because we all want Championship football next season. Nobody more than me, nobody more than the club, and we’ll keep working towards that.”