‘I’ll be in the away end with the Luton fans’ at Man Utd, says departing Bradley

Sonny Bradley dishes out sips of champagne to Luton fans at Wembley after winning promotion to the Premier League
Sonny Bradley dishes out sips of champagne to Luton fans at Wembley after winning promotion to the Premier League. Photo by Liam Smith

Departing Luton skipper Sonny Bradley says wants to be in the away end with Luton fans when Town travel to Old Trafford to play Manchester United in the Premier League.

On Thursday, the Hatters will find out the fixtures for their first season back in the top flight for 31 years after winning promotion via the Championship play-offs. 

But Bradley won’t be part of that squad as his successful five-year spell at Kenilworth Road will officially come to an end in three weeks when his contract expires. 

Sonny Bradley said one last goodbye to Luton fans at Kenilworth Road after the play-off semi-final win over Sunderland
Sonny Bradley said one last goodbye to Luton fans at Kenilworth Road after the play-off semi-final win over Sunderland. Photo by Liam Smith

The defender leaves with two promotion medals, having joined the Hatters in League One and he’s already said that wherever he ends up he’ll be preaching positive messages about the club. 

And there have been plenty coming his way from supporters since he announced the end of his time at Luton before the play-off campaign. 

And though he didn’t play in the final at Wembley against Coventry, he admitted lifting the trophy in front of 36,000 Hatters was the highlight of his career, as they took just nine years to become the first club ever to go from the non-league to the Premier League. 

“It hasn’t really sunk in that Luton are going to be going away to Manchester United and Manchester City,” said the 31-year-old, who played against the Red Devils in the Carabao Cup defeat at Kenilworth Road in 2020, though it was behind closed doors due to Covid restrictions.

Sonny Bradley looks for a way past Manchester United's Juan Mata
Sonny Bradley looks for a way past Manchester United’s Juan Mata in the 2020 Carabao Cup clash. Photo by Liam Smith

“Manchester United are the biggest club in England and as a Manchester United fan, I think that’s the fixture, when they go to Old Trafford, I’ll be in the away end with the Luton fans.”

After Town’s Wembley penalty shootout heroics to reach the promised land, Bradley led his team out one last time for the victory day parade two days later, which saw an estimated 20,000 fans fill the streets of Luton. 

Speaking of the turnout during the celebrations, Bradley said: “Absolutely amazing, every fan that’s there today, every fan that’s been at Kenilworth Road, I think they really appreciate what we’ve done for the club.

“You can see it when you’re just walking around and talking to people, and in return, we absolutely love their support, as without them, we are nothing, we are absolutely nothing.

“So, it’s not just the players who have done it, it’s the fans, it’s the staff, it’s everyone associated with the football club.

“Everyone’s played their part, and that togetherness is the reason that we’ve done it, so I’m just delighted.”

Sonny Bradley salutes Luton fans in a packed St George's Square after winning promotion to the Premier League
Sonny Bradley salutes Luton fans in a packed St George’s Square after winning promotion to the Premier League. Photo by Liam Smith

But for the popular captain, his future lies away from Kenilworth Road, which is currently undergoing £10million worth of upgrades to make Luton’s 118-year-old home Premier League-ready.

The have already been reports and rumours about Bradley’s next destination, with a link to Derby County one of the most recent.   

Bradley said: “Nothing’s been decided yet, there’s been some speculation on social media, but I haven’t seen any solid facts yet.

“It’s just people trying to put two and two together, they seem to know more than me, I always said, ‘let’s get the season out of the way first, let’s get the season done, and then I’ll reassess my position’, but it wouldn’t be fair to focus my attention anywhere else right now, as I still had a part to play with the boys.

“Now it’s done and I can focus on my future and I’m hungry for success, the next club that I go to, I’m desperate for success, hopefully it will be a club that are on the up, that match my ambitions.”