Graeme Jones has urged Luton fans to repeat the raucousness of their season opener and make it a permanent fixture, starting with today’s first Championship away day at Cardiff.
More than 2,000 Hatters will make the trip to south Wales this afternoon, hoping for a first victory after a 3-3 home thriller to kick-start the EFL campaign last Friday night.
After that game Jones said the Kenilworth Road atmosphere was the best he’s ever experienced as a rowdy packed house relished a return to the second tier after 12 years away.
Talking of the travelling faithful, the Town boss said: “They have to play their part. That can’t be a one-off on Friday night, live on Sky, on the opening game of the EFL season. It has to be permanent, it has to be consistent.
“Us, as staff need to be consistent with our preparation, the players need to be consistent with their performance and their lifestyle. It’s all part of that triangle I’ve spoken about with players, staff and supporters.
“They certainly played their part on Friday night.”
Even once his emotions had eased and he’d examined the Middlesbrough game, Jones reiterated just how special it was to manage his first competitive game in front of the Hatters’ home fans.
He said: “On Friday night it’s a feeling that you get and then you go home and you analyse what’s gone on and, for me, if you want to define the word supporters, it’s something where you hope they’re going to support their team.
“I’ve been involved in different clubs through the years and that’s the best performance from a set of fans, that’s what I meant, in supporting their team. One-nil down, 3-2 down, they were there for us every second because they could see the effort on the pitch, they could see the desire.
“That’s going to be huge this season, that they continue to support their team.
‘You’re not going to start a game, play well, score one, score two, score three and win a game 3-0. There’s going to be moments when you’re vulnerable and moments where the opposition is strong. The beauty about Friday night was the support of the supporters in certain moments of the game.
“I’ve not seen that – maybe it’s the clubs I’ve been at – I’ve not seen that for a long, long time and that’s what was special about Friday night, for me.”
