Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu is poised to make his 350th appearance and Rob Edwards has added his name to the list of managers that have declared their admiration for the longest-serving player in his Luton side.
The midfielder will mark a decade at the club later this year since he first signed on loan from West Ham United for John Still in November 2013 and then made his move permanently two months later.
The 28-year-old is the only Hatter to have ever played and scored in four different divisions as his journey has mirrored the club’s remarkable rise from the Conference to the Championship.
At 14th in the club’s all-time appearances chart – eight games short of equalling Matthew Spring’s record – the Londoner will reach his milestone at Kenilworth Road, either against Grimsby in Saturday’s FA Cup fourth-round clash, or Tuesday’s visit of Cardiff in the league.
Talking of the midfielder’s imminent milestone match for the club, Town chief Edwards said: “It’s an amazing landmark and he’ll get there whether it’s this weekend or whether it’s Tuesday, he will get that.
“I love him to bits already. (I’ve) not been working with him that long but he’s a brilliant person, he brings an amazing energy to work every single day, he gives everything every single day and you see that on a match day.
“You guys would have seen it, the fans would have seen it for a number of years, he gives everything and that is all anybody could ever ask of something.
“That’s why he has come through and continues to perform at this level because he gives everything, all that he can give, he leaves it out there every single day and I can’t respect him any more than I do. He’s a wonderful person.
“I was aware of him and then when I got in the building, I become aware of his personality and what he’s like around the place.
“He’s an infectious character, loads of life, loads of energy and in football you need people with personality, you need those characters and he’s a brilliant person to work with, we’re really lucky to have him in the group.”
Edwards is the fifth manager to have favoured Mpanzu, playing him for all but 20 league minutes of his impressive start to life in the Hatters’ hotseat.
He said: “Coming up to 10 years. It’s an incredible, brilliant achievement and shows what a good player he is as well because to get 350 games he’s getting selected a lot, everyone, no matter what manager has been here in that period of time, they’ve picked him.”
