Reece Burke says that Luton’s rise through the divisions convinced him to sign for the Hatters because he sees no sign of that stopping as he eyes returning to the Premier League with his new side.
The 24-year-old turned down a new deal with Hull City to move south on a free and make the next leap in his career, having left top-flight outfit West Ham United for the Tigers in 2018.
Burke had made five appearances in the Premier League for the Hammers, but last term found himself in League One after Hull were relegated last year.
Despite bouncing straight back as third tier champions, Town finished in 12th position in the Championship – their highest finish in the division since 1981/82 – and the ambition is to keep improving, as they have every year since manager Nathan Jones has been in charge.
When the Welshman arrived in 2016, Luton were rattling around League Two, but two successive promotions lifted them up the leagues to where they can now view themselves as an established Championship outfit – but that’s not the ceiling on their ambition, or Burke’s.
“I have seen the club come from the lower leagues to where they are now and I believe they will keep pushing on because of what is going on in and around the football club. That is what appeals to me,” the new recruit said.
“In terms of football at a young age, that is why I decided to league West Ham. I had a few loan moves and then I kept going back there. I just knew my time playing in the Premier League wasn’t going to come, I could just sense that.
“That is why I decided to go to Hull City in the first place, I still had two years on my contract there (West Ham) but I decided to leave because I wanted to be the main man at Hull City because I’m all about games, I just want to play football.
“I don’t want to be at a club and not playing football. Don’t get me wrong it will frustrate me but you have to be driven and earn your right to play.
“In terms of what you see outside of the football club, all I see is good things about Luton and that is what I want to be a part of, I want to be part of the next step.”
And Burke believes his experiences with the lows of relegation and the highs of promotion will stand him in good stead to achieve his dreams.
“It’s very rare that to get to top it’s going to be a straight route. You’ll have ups and downs and that’s the way my career has gone,” he said.
“I played five games in the Premier League, then went on loan to League One. I came back, went on loan to the Championship and had a bad season, getting injured.
“Wigan got relegated, then I went to Bolton, managed to stay up. Then moved to Hull City, had a very good season with them, but then we got relegated and bounced back.
“The pathway is never going to be straightforward, but that’s what makes you a better player.
“It’s frustrating for me to play in League One, not so much that I think I’m better than League One, but I believe deep down that for me to develop and be the player I need to be, I need to be playing gin the Championship.
“It’s no disrespect to League One, but I feel like I’ve got a lot more to offer because I’ve played in the Championship and I’ve had a taste for it.
“To get to the next step, that’s what I need to be doing. Last season was a bit frustrating at times but we won the league at the end of the day and it’s a great achievement, so it was well worth it. It’s something that I’m not going to forget for the rest of my life, winning the league.
“But the pathway to success is never straightforward, you’re going to have ups and downs and you’ve got to just take it as it comes.
“Hopefully the next step for me is the Premier League.”
