New loan signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall arrived from Leicester at the weekend having been already been given a glowing report of Luton Town by hometown hero James Justin.
The midfielder was one of the manager Nathan Jones’ top targets and the Foxes gave him permission to speak with the attacking midfielder after he’d personally scouted him eight times, while he was on loan at League One Blackpool last term.
But, in an effort to sweeten the offer, the Welshman called up former charge Justin, now at the Premier League club, to ask if he could bestow the virtues of Luton Town upon Dewsbury-Hall, only to find the England under-21 full back had already preempted his old boss.
“I did actually ring James to ask him but he said he’s already done it, so it didn’t come from any prompting from me, but James is one of ours even though he plays for a wonderful Premier League club and trust me, he would have had a word,” said Jones.
“James Justin needs no encouragement to speak well of Luton, he’s a Lutonian, he loves the place, it’s in his family, it’s in every part of him.
“That kid never forgets where he comes from, he’s what we love having here, he epitomises everything we do at Luton, so he would have been singing Luton’s praises on every single level, I know that.”
Before joining Luton for the campaign, Dewsbury-Hall penned a four-year deal with Leicester and while making loan signings goes against Luton’s policy of wanting to develop their own players, but it’s one Jones couldn’t pass up.
He said: “He’s an excellent player and probably one of the first ones I identified on my return, in terms of ones we had to get. We tried to get him permanently but we couldn’t.
“Leicester kept him around, he played against Arsenal and when they finally let him out they were true to their word, because we registered interest before anyone really.
“I watched him seven or eight times at Blackpool last year and I thought he did excellently and he’s one that will fit right into what we do here.
“He’s a great character, very good technically, he had a wonderful loan at Blackpool and Leicester City gave me permission to meet him very, very early, a few days after the season finished and I did. I’m glad I did because he’s chosen to come here.
“He’s a centre midfield player. He can play in attacking midfield, he can play in a two, he can sit if need be, but we see him as an attacking midfield player. He’s got a wonderful left foot, technically very good, he’s a good athlete and scores goals if he’s in a position enough.
“So, we’ll look to harness that and get some real development in him.
It’s a shame he’s not ours but if we have to develop him then Leicester’s a good club for us to help.”
Dewsbury-Hall will be available for tomorrow’s Championship clash at Millwall.
