Graeme Jones revealed that Luton tried and failed to sign a defensive midfielder in the summer, but that Glen Rea has filled that role after an ‘outstanding’ display during the 3-2 win over Derby County last night.
Town came from a goal down to clinch a vital victory in their fight for Championship survival, courtesy of a late Jayden Bogle own goal.
Harry Cornick provided the assist for that gaffe and was awarded the man of the match gong by the sponsors, but Rea – who last week promised that positive run was coming – could count himself hard done by as he was the lynchpin that gave Town a steelier determination that has been lacking too often this term.
“I thought his performance was outstanding,” said Jones, after Rea provided the solution to a problem that couldn’t be solved before the start of the season.
“Last summer my priority was to sign a defensive midfield player and we couldn’t get one. Obviously, we lost Alan McCormack and I knew the need to get one.
“Glen wasn’t fit. It’s difficult at a club like this to give a salary to somebody else when you know you’ve got a defensive midfield player in your club.”
Rea’s 13-month lay-off with a knee injury effectively ended in October when he returned to full training, but he was immediately loaned out to National League Woking for a month to get game time, making seven appearances.
Last night, after the 25-year-old’s fourth and best outing for Luton, since his return, Jones said: “It was difficult to send him on loan to Woking when you know that you could do with him in your team, but there’s no easy step to getting him back to full match fitness at any level, never mind the Championship.
“Glen had never played in the Championship before. Glen’s got something that we haven’t got in the group and the effect that he had on the game was difficult to measure, because it’s such an effective role, without seeming glamourous and him getting on the ball.”
Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, who quickly got Town back on terms with another self-proclaimed ‘banger’, after Wayne Rooney’s opener, was quick to praise Rea too, saying: “Glen was the security that we needed at the back. He loves a hard tackle, he loves to head the ball and that’s his game.
“Anything that he does, (like) mop up for the mistakes that me and Tunni (Ryan Tunnicliffe) do, it’s great to have the security blanket of Glen behind us.”
Before his injury in December 2018, Rea was captain of the team and Mpanzu said: “He’s always talking, saying ‘Pell, left shoulder, right shoulder’. If I’ve given a pass away he’s always saying, ‘Pell, I know you can do better, I know your quality,’ so, having Glen’s leadership skills is a key to us.”
