Luton striker Danny Hylton has revealed that manager Nathan Jones told him he was wanted at the club, regardless of what division the Hatters were in next season.
The hitman played in all nine games after the restart and helped the club to achieve a Championship Great Escape on the final day, having featured for a combined total of 20 minutes before Coronavirus shut down football for three months in March.
The 31-year-old had been injured for the first part of the season after a knee operation, but appeared surplus to requirements under former manager Graeme Jones as his contract was set to end on the final day of June, which would have put an end to a four-year stay at Kenilworth Road.
But a managerial change during lockdown brought former boss Jones back to the club. it was the Welshman who had originally signed Hylton from Oxford in 2016 and he was quick to bring him in from the cold, handing him a new two-year deal last week.
Asked how long talks had been going on for, Hylton joked: “About 30 seconds. He said, ‘there’s a two-year contract’ and I said ‘cheers!’
“No, there were a few conversations, he said to me that, despite what league we’re in, he wants me.
“I’m thankful for the trust he puts in me and the faith that he shows in me and I just want to get back to playing, getting a run of games and playing some of my better football.
“Of course, it’s great for me, I’m biased, if you ask me about the gaffer, I’ve always said, he’s the best, but he’s the best for this group of players as well.
“He knows every single one of us inside out, we know everything that he wants, he expects and he demands and it’s a great relationship that he’s got with Luton Town, so I’m thankful for the two-year contract and I’m delighted to be here.”
When Hylton returned to first-team training at the start of the year, he announced his desire was to remain at Luton beyond his last contract and he got his wish when he, along with midfielder Luke Berry, became the first players to extend their stays.
The striker, who has scored 58 times in 129 games, said: “I was really happy, I don’t want to be anywhere else, it sounds quite cliche doesn’t it, but I do love Luton Town, I love being there, love the people involved with it, so for me it was an easy decision.
“I thank the gaffer and the staff for showing faith in me and giving me that two-year contract and I just want to look forward.
“I’ve had a little bit of a difficult time with injury, so it will be nice to get back to playing my best football now, get pre-season under my belt, albeit a shorter pre-season and get back to some of my better football.”
