Sonny Bradley says Luton’s place in their first ever Championship play-offs could be his last shot at the Premier League, so he does not intend to waste it.
The 30-year-old returned to the starting line-up for Saturday’s 1-0 win against Reading, after the latest setback of an injury-hit campaign that has reduced the club captain to just 23 appearances.
Bradley has also suffered three times with Covid since the start of the pandemic, but he went through the pain barrier at the weekend to see Town to their 19th clean sheet of the campaign and a place in the top-six shootout.
The Hatters host Huddersfield on Friday in the first leg of their semi-final and, while there has been much talk about the achievement of extending their season, the centre half is not here to just make up the numbers.
“For me, the season doesn’t stop now. Yeah, it’s all good and we’re in the play-offs and that’s fantastic. But, we’re three games away from the Premier League.
“Some of us in this squad, not all of us, because there’s some young talent I’ve not doubt will go on to play in the Premier League, but the likes of myself and a few of the older boys I won’t mention, it could be our last chance of potentially playing in the Premier League.
“We’re going to give it everything. I think we’ve done that all season. We’re hoping now it’s three more games and that we can win all three.”
Before his return on Saturday, the last time Bradley completed 90 minutes was a month ago against their play-off opponents Huddersfield.
But his return against Reading, along with the likes of James Bree, Jordan Clark and Allan Campbell has given the injury-plagued Hatters a boost, going into their semi-final showdown, while there is hope that top scorer Elijah Adebayo will also make cryotherapy-fuelled return.
“I think it was quite obvious, if you looked at me in that last ten minutes, that I was in a world of pain that last ten minutes,” said Bradley of the weekend’s win, which confirmed the club’s place in the top six.
“I haven’t played 90 minutes for a good few weeks. The last time was Huddersfield away. In between then, I’ve been sent off (against Nottingham Forest) and I’ve come off with injury (against Blackpool). But to come through it is brilliant and I feel good now, going into Friday.”
He added: “There’s absolutely nothing to fear. We feel good, we feel confident, we’ve got players coming back into the squad from injury. I feel good in myself.
“The win at the weekend was important because we got a clean sheet, three points and it’s momentum going into the play-offs. For me, there’s no reason why we can’t do it.”
