Nathan Jones has highlighted Brentford as a “great model” of a progressive club that Luton are aiming to emulate, as the project to establish the Hatters as a Championship side rolls into west London tonight.
Victory at promotion-chasing Bournemouth at the weekend meant that mid-table Town are now twice as far from the Championship relegation zone (14 points) as they are from the play-offs (seven points).
It already represents progress for for a Luton side that, this time last season were rock bottom of the division, only surviving with a final day Great Escape.
Their position at 12th in the division is being matched by rhetoric from the corridors of Kenilworth Road about looking up the table, rather than towards the basement.
Jones and the club’s board have also made no bones about striving, in the long term, to get to the Premier League and the manager believes tonight’s opponents Brentford – who just missed out on promotion last term – have been plotting the right course for the lower leagues to the top-flight.
“With no disrespect to everyone, we actually don’t want to stop here,” said the manager, adding: “We’re up against quality sides all the time. What you have to add is consistency.
“To be consistent at the level we want to get to, you have to have is a level of confidence and a little bit of luck at times. But we’re only just over a year into the level, so we have to make sure we’re adapting to the level well and not doing anything silly and leaving trap doors.
“We are building, to be consistent over the level. Brentford have been at the level for a number of years. They’ve invested a lot of money, sold players and have a great model.
“They’re another one, a great example of a club that have adapted. Last season they got to the play-offs and this year they’re big tips (for promotion). They take forward steps every year. They’re very well run and that’s what we want.
“We have a great board, great people around us, that want to develop, want to be at this level and keep making in-roads to climb the league.
“Last season we finished 19th and we don’t want to be anywhere near 19th. If we finished 18th it’s progression. I want to finish higher than that but it’s all progression and that’s what we have to do.
“Realistically, since I came to the club, we finished 11th in the first year, then fourth, then second (in League Two). I was here half the year then Mick (Harford) took over and finished first (in League One). Then we finished 19th (in the Championship), so every year we’re above where we were the year before and that’s what we’ve got to continue doing.”
The Hatters are seven points off sixth-placed Brentford ahead of tonight’s first ever trip to the Bee’s Community Stadium, 14 months after a 7-0 hammering on Brentford’s old Griffin Park patch. Town also lost 3-0 to the Bees this season.
New signing Kal Naismith said of Town’s heaviest league defeat for 53 years: “It’s not been mentioned, to be honest. We spoke about Brentford briefly and mentioned how good a side they are. We’ve looked at them and 100 per cent given them respect, but it’s been about us and how we can build on the result against Bournemouth.
“If we can keep that organisation and work-rate then we can go there with confidence.”
Spirits are certainly high after handing fifth-placed Bournemouth their first home league defeat of the season on Saturday, as well as taking top-of-the-table scalps this season, at the time, in Norwich and Preston, albeit at Kenilworth Road.
“They’re (Brentford) a good side, as are Bournemouth, as are pretty much everyone we come up against, so it’s a real tough test, but these are the tests we want,” said Jones.
“For us to be sceptical or fearful about it, we might as well have stayed in League One.
“These (Luton players) are brilliant. They want to be testing themselves. We are developing at this level, we are getting better at this level.”
This, arguably is one of the most challenging weeks to test that theory, with an FA Cup fourth round tie at Premier League giants Chelsea following tonight’s trip to west London.
Jones said: “(It’s a) wonderful, wonderful week to be going and preparing. These are the games we want, they are the games we are proud of. We have to test ourselves.
“We knew going to Bournemouth wasn’t easy, you have to be at it. One person goes to sleep, one person doesn’t do their job, you get punished. Wednesday is exactly the same and Sunday, you would think would be even more so.
“It’s a great week but a real testing week for the squad and we’re going to relish it.”
Central defender Tom Lockyer is a doubt for tonight’s Championship clash after he was forced off with a cut eye in the victory over ten-man Bournemouth. While Martin Cranie is still out injured, but is getting closer to fitness.
