Nathan Jones says it’s no fluke that Luton are on the precipice of the play-offs, as his Hatters have produced top six figures all season.
Town know that victory in today’s final game of the season at home to Reading guarantees a semi-final shot at promotion to the Premier League.
And for a club that was in the National League eight years ago and in League Two when manager Jones took over six years ago, it would be a remarkable story.
Asked what it would mean to qualify for the end of season competition, two years after completing the Great Escape to beat relegation, Jones said: “(It’s) massive, because it’s a culmination of something we’ve planned for.
“The A-Team used to say, ‘I love it when a plan comes together’ and that’s what it is.
“This isn’t a massive surprise, where we are. Yeah, top six, will surprise a lot. But we planned and, if everything come together, that’s where we can finish.
“But we’re top eight, regardless. Whatever happens. And, it’s deservedly because if you look at every single number it backs up our position. We’re comfortably top six.
“So, it’s not like ‘they’ve fluked it’. No. The only thing we’re not top six on, is possession. Everything else, we’re top six – numbers, shots, chances created, goals, clean sheets, pressing stats, everything, chances conceded. We’re top six. The numbers back that up. It’s no surprise, we are where we should be and in god’s will, we’ll finish that off at the weekend.”
But those aren’t the only statistics that Jones has a grasp on as he and his staff planned for a final day of the season showdown to seal a play-off place.
Jones said: “Our analyst did a historic thing that if you want to get into the play-offs, these are the stats you need to get to – you need eight points per five games. Then you get to 72 points and it means you have game, sometimes 72 is enough, sometimes 73, 74, but historically 75 gets you in and that is all it was. Not a mystic meg or me getting a divine revelation from the lord, it was us statistically going with history and that is where we are. That was our goal setting.”
But though that aim is in Luton’s hands, Jones baulked at the suggestion that it will be easier needing a win from a Reading side who will finish one place above the Championship relegation zone.
“It couldn’t be worse,” said Jones, adding: “There is four teams for two spots, all those teams are playing sides that theoretically will have nothing to play for. Fulham are champions and they’ve got Sheffield United. In theory they should be on holiday.
“Bournemouth have already got promoted, Millwall should win the game because Bournemouth would have been out all week. Preston on holiday looking at next year? Should be an easy one for Middlesbrough. Reading exactly the same. There is no easy game in the Championship, no easy game. This isn’t theoretically, this is the last day of the Championship in England.”
