We are delighted to confirm the return to Luton Town Football Club as full-time Academy coaches of two hugely respected former players, with Alan McCormack appointed as Under-18s Head Coach and Alex Lawless as Assistant Professional Development Phase Coach.
Former midfielder Lawless, part of the Conference title winning squad of 2013-14, has come back to Kenilworth Road from his role as youth team manager at Leyton Orient to work with the U18s and Development Squad.
With the U18s he will assist McCormack, another former title-winning midfielder who returned part-time last season to coach the Under-13s and help with the Development Squad.
The Irishman, who made 39 appearances during the League Two and One promotion campaigns after signing from Brentford in 2017, is now back in at The Brache on a full-time basis.
Lawless, 37, joined the Hatters in November 2010 from York and went onto make 203 appearances, scoring 22 goals, as he helped the club return to the EFL before departing in the summer of 2016 to join Yeovil Town.
The Welshman has retained his home in the town, and he said: “The club is so close to my heart and my connection with the fans and friends within the club has always remained, especially being based in the town ever since.
“I had a real interest in the youth section when I was a player here and coaching in the academy here just aligns perfectly with what I’m about, and what the club is about.
“I’ve had two years at a great club in Leyton Orient after retiring from playing, and I’m so grateful they gave me an opportunity which has hopefully put me in good stead for now continuing my coaching pathway here at Luton Town.”
With Paul Hart installed as Academy Director shortly before the end of last season, Lawless is excited by the chance to learn from the 69-year-old, who has headed up academies at Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Portsmouth and Charlton, as well as all of his experience at the top level of senior football.
“I’m fully aware of Paul’s career and he’s the perfect mentor for me at this stage, along with all the other former players here, like Adrian Forbes, Paul Benson and Alan McCormack, who have already gained the coaching experience that I want to tap into and learn from.
“I’m so happy to be given the opportunity to come back and I’m really looking forward to working with both the youth team and the development players, as they make the transition to senior football.”
On his own promotion, McCormack said: “I’m over the moon. As soon as the opportunity arose to make the step up, I jumped at the chance. I’ve been itching to go full-time ever since I came back to coach last year, so to be given this chance now is a privilege and can’t wait to get going with everything.
“It’s a great opportunity to come back and take the U18s and try to get players ready for the first team. It’s a big step up, but the challenge is to produce players for Nathan and I’ll be giving it everything to get the conveyor belt moving.”
On being reunited again with Hart, who was assistant-manager for much of the time McCormack was a player at Kenilworth Road for the back-to-back promotions, the 38-year-old added: “You just have to look at Paul’s history in academy football and his experience as a player and manager as well to know that there is bundles to learn from him. For us just starting out as coaches, he’s the perfect teacher.
“Even when I was coming in part-time for the short period in which he’d switched from first team to the academy, every single conversation I had with him, you couldn’t fail to learn from. It’s up to us now to keep soaking those words up and pass them on to the young players.”
In other role changes, Dale Brunton is now Academy Operations Manager, Dan Walder becomes Head of Coaching for the U9-16s and Michael Malone’s role as PDP analyst has been confirmed after he stepped up following Simon Dunn’s elevation to the first team earlier this year.
Youth Development Phase Lead Coach Paul Reed has departed after ten years working in the club’s youth system, and everyone at the Club wishes Paul well in his new career away from football.
A NUMBER OF ACADEMY JOB OPPORTUNITIES REMAIN OPEN – CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS.