Nathan Jones says Luton are “excited” about their chances in the summer transfer window, despite their current embargo from the EFL.
The Hatters are one of ten Championship clubs that have been hit with an embargo for not filing their accounts, despite the government extending the deadline.
However, the EFL have not given the same extension, despite not filing their own accounts to time either.
A statement from the club on Monday quickly dispelled any threat of “financial Armageddon” and outlined that their accounts will be filed with HMRC this month, after which time the embargo should be lifted. But as players cannot be signed until the end of the season, it makes no difference to Town’s ability to trade in transfers.
Jones called the embargo, “borderline farcical,” but speaking about improving his squad in the summer, he added: “We’re in a decent position and we’re quite excited about what we can do in the summer. It’s not because we’ve got a load of money to spend, but there will be scope to go out and fish like we do reasonably well.”
The manager added: “Looking back on our transfer dealings and with what we have to do, it’s been a tough year with Covid. We’ve been helped because of the way the club’s run, because we haven’t had a massive deficit budget towards income.
“And then we’ve had wonderful fans that have actually contributed, even though they haven’t been able to come to the game, which meant that we can be in a position that we’ve been able to survive without multiple sackings, without major trauma, because of a group effort and a CEO and board that have been fantastic through this.”
Town chief executive Gary Sweet said at the start of the pandemic last year, that there was a possibility that Luton could come out the other end in a stronger position that some other clubs in the Championship.
Asked if that was still a possibility, Jones said: “I hope so, but I think what Gary meant is that if we all stuck together and all did our bit, and this is not a cliched manager spiel thing, but the fans have been wonderful for us in terms of the backing they’ve given us and that really does help.
“But in terms of that, I think what it will do, with Championship clubs, there’s an element of frivolousness with some of the spending. What it will do is that it doesn’t mean that we’ll have shed loads more money to spend, what I think it means is that the gap between the big spenders, the medium spenders, the over-spenders and us is not getting smaller because they can’t do it.
“The pandemic’s hit everyone, and hopefully what’s happened, what will happen and what I think Gary means, having the conversations with him that I do, is that there’ll be a little bit more of an even playing field.
“It brings a certain type of player into our realm that wouldn’t necessarily might not be in that.”
