Mick Harford will return to the dugout at Nottingham Forest today in the FA Cup to help steady the ship after the “traumatic” departure of Luton manager Rob Edwards.
The chief recruitment officer has been a player, manager, assistant manager, caretaker boss and has stepped in on previous occasions when the hottest was vacated.
Most notably Harford steered Town to the League One title after Nathan Jones left from Stoke City in controversial circumstances in 2019.
Today at the City Ground, where he was also a caretaker manager for three months, 21 years ago, Harford will assist Edwards’ former right hand men, Paul Trollope and Richie Kyle.
Asked what his involvement will be, the 65-year-old joked: “It’s up to the manager! I’ll be on the touchline. In the dugout.”
Harford was one of the men involved in recruiting Edwards and he watched as the 42-year-old guided Luton to the Premier League for the first time.
But the Hatters were relegated straight back to the Championship and, currently sitting two points from the drop zone, Edwards’ tenure came to end by mutual consent on Thursday.
The manager said his goodbyes to staff and players at The Brache training ground and, speaking a day later, about the emotional scenes, Harford said: “Yesterday was traumatic, really, in terms of what happened with Rob.
“Obviously it was unique what happened to this football club because this football club is unique. And for Rob to be in here with the chairman (David Wilkinson), the chief exec (Gary Sweet), all the players and the staff, saying his goodbyes, it never happens in any football club. So it just shows the level of where we are and what and what kind of club we’re at.
“It’s a sad day. We lost a really good man. He’s a unique person. And he’s going to be a big loss to all of us. So, we wish him all the best with him. And I’m sure he’ll be back in football very, very soon.
“He’s a good coach. He’s a good, manager. And, overall, he’s a really good person.”
Harford was last in the dugout as a caretaker boss when Nathan Jones left for a second time in 2022, briding the gap for one game between the Welshman and Edwards at Rotherham, another side he managed, 20 years ago.
The club legend said: “When these things happen, I offered myself to Gary. I said, ‘Gary, whatever you need me to do. I’m here for you. I’ve a duty to the football club to do that’. And he just said, ‘could you please support Richie and Trolls?’
“So that’s what I’m here to do to support them over the next few days nd however long it takes until we get a new manager in.”
Harford and his recruitment team will be involved in that process too, but before he helps picks a new leader, he’ll have to help pick a team to try and topple Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup, and end a ten-game losing stream on the road.
“It was a tricky day yesterday, they were a little bit flat,” Harford said of the players on the day that Edwards’ exit was confirmed.
“Today they were excellent. They trained really really well, up for it. Obviously, a big game ahead, FA Cup game against Nottingham Forest.
“Hopefully it’s a full house. I think Luton will take a full quota up there, so there’s a bit of pressure on there.
“The players were really, really good today. I was really chuffed with their attitude and how they’ve come through, because it will definitely affect them.
“As Gary and Trolls alluded, he (Edwards) was very, very close to the players. He had a brilliant relationship with just about everyone at the football club.
“Some of them took it hard, some of them are pleased, some of them are disappointed. They’ve been good players.”
Fans have largely expected a change in manager, but many have still carried a sense of regret after what Edwards achieved while at the club.
“I believe our supporters are the best supporters in the country by a country mile by anyone,” said Harford.
“I’m a Sunderland fan and I say that from from being a Sunderland fan. Our supporters will 100 per cent be behind the team, behind the staff, behind Gary and the board, and that’s never come into my thoughts that they would be anything else but supportive.”
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