Luton Town’s new boss Jack Wilshere has been promised a “basketball match” in his first FA Cup test as a manager with Forest Green Rovers chief Robbie Savage saying his National League promotion hopefuls will “have a go” at the Hatters after the two clubs were drawn together in first round next month.
The Hatters boss was unveiled yesterday, so is yet to manage his first game with the club, but is preparing for a League One clash against Mansfield on Saturday, but last night Rovers dispatched Worthing 4-1 in the fourth qualifying round to then be drawn in the plum tie of the first round proper, with a trip to Kenilworth Road.
Luton have never faced Forest Green in the FA Cup, with all but the last two of their clashes taking place in the Conference and their only defeat to the Gloucestershire side coming in 2012.
After Rovers’ relegation out of the Football League in 2024, ex-Wales international Savage made the switch from Macclesfield and under him they have made a strong start to the season.
They’ve lost just once in 14 National League outings so far, so are in confident mood, in contrast to Luton, where one of Wilshere’s first tasks will be to help restore some verve to a side, still feeling the effects of back-to-back relegations since reaching the Premier League for the first time ever in 2023.
Savage told TNT Sports last night: “Luton Town were in the Premier League a couple of years ago. Jack Wilshere, a fantastic young manager with a point to prove. I’ll be telling my players we can go there and win. Why not?
“We can play like that [against Worthing], we can create chances, it’ll be end to end. We want a basketball match because of our pace. Hopefully, we’ll have new players available, players back. We’ll have a go.
“They will be favourites on paper but the way we can play and hurt teams, why can’t I say to my players, ‘we can go there and win’?.”
The cup clash is scheduled for the weekend of November 1, with £45,000 in prize money for the winners and £15,000 for the losers.
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