The rumours are true! Nathan Jones has returned as Luton Town as manager on a “long-term contract”.
Chief executive Gary Sweet confirmed the reappointment of the Welshman in a press conference this morning, saying that the relationship with him and the board has been repaired.
He has also called on fans to trust the 2020 Board’s decision, saying, “one week of madness shouldn’t detract from three years that Nathan gave us before.”
Sweet also laid out how Jones – celebrating his 47th birthday today – is the best manager Town have had “in decades” and admitted he was the right man to try to steer the club to Championship survival, with the financial picture looking bleak should they return to League One, once football returns.
Jones returns after 16 months away, having left under a cloud to join Stoke City, where he was sacked in November. The returning manager has apologised for the manner in which he left, saying he made “an error”.
He has also said sorry about the incident that saw him wear a Stoke City shirt while collecting a manager of the month award he’d won as Hatters boss. He added: “I never had any peace with the decision to go to Stoke.”
Jones admitted that he wants to earn fans’ trust and respect once again after betraying them, and says the way he left will never happen again. He said he wants to be at the club in 10 years’ time.
He replaces his successor Graeme Jones, who was released last month to help ease the financial crisis brought by the Coronavirus pandemic. Chief recruitment manager Mick Harford had been lined up to see Town through the final nine games of the Championship season, but he will now act as Jones’ assistant.
Sweet revealed that it was Harford – who stepped in when Nathan Jones left and steered Town to the League One title – who persuaded him to him to pick the phone up to Jones and extend an olive branch.
Jones will need to mastermind survival in the second tier, with Luton second from bottom and six points adrift.
More reaction from the press conference to follow…
Welcome back Nathen all is forgiven if we start winning?
We all make mistakes and bad decisions in our working lives…who could say they would turn down the chance to earn a massive salary elsewhere…If Mick Harford was behind this re-appointment, he’s a Luton Town legend !!…Then it’s good enough for me.
He’s the best man for the job, and he understands the club. Time for us to grow up and move on – and he has a good incentive to win everyone over. Pretty sure most of us have made a bad career choice at some point……
He’s said sorry about wearing a Stoke City shirt while collecting an award he won as Luton Town manager. And now he wants to earn fans’ trust and respect. He didn’t respect us, so why would we respect him. I can’t watch Luton while he’s in charge.