Comparing Luton’s budget to their Championship rivals should no longer apply, according to boss Graeme Jones, after his men ran Leeds United close at the weekend.
It took an 90th minute Patrick Bamford goal to break Hatters hearts after a spirited display, but the manager believes Marcelo Bielsa’s side are the best in the division, so is taking the performance positives from Saturday’s 2-1 defeat.
It’s well-known that Town have one of the smallest budgets in the division, but Jones does not want to discuss it any more.
He said: “I don’t think there’s any need any more to have conversations about budgets because my players, our players, at the weekend, showed that we can compete for 90 minutes and be level on the scoreline with the best team in the league.
“So, I’d rather take that aspect from the game that anything else.”
However, Luton are still on a five-game losing streak, sitting one place above relegation on goal difference.
“It’s a 29-game season,” Jones said, adding: “Everybody knew that we need to finish fourth from bottom. That’s a minimum requirement. We’ve slipped in by one goal, so the target hasn’t changed.
“Where we are when the season finishes on the 4th of May, we need to be above the bottom three.
“We might win the next three and all of a sudden we’re mid-table and thinking, ‘what was all that worry about that Leeds period?’ Nobody knows in football. You’ve just got to work hard for your conscience every day, try to improve, try to max out and that’s what we’re doing.”
And despite their run of zero points from the last 15 available, Jones says there is still unity in the squad.
“Togetherness has never been in question,” he said, adding: “Everybody is together here. Everybody is responsible here from the board to the players to myself. I love that because I would know it if people aren’t giving everything and we are.
“We are absolutely maxing out. I think the 13 days of preparation for Leeds has taken us to a different level.
“We analysed every area and I think we improved in every area at the weekend because, if we hadn’t then Leeds can inflict some damage and we were competitive until the last seconds of the game.”
