Mads Andersen reveals teen dream note that foretold Premier League destiny

Mads Andersen
Mads Andersen speaks for the first time as a Luton player at the club's Brache training headquarters

New Luton signing Mads Andersen has revealed how he pinned a note to his family fridge when he was a teenager, which declared he’d one day play in the Premier League. 

Growing up in Denmark, the defender spent 11 years at Brondby before moving to Horsens and then to England in 2019 to join Barnsley where he became captain and last term scooped their player of the season award and was named in the League One team of the season. 

With reports linking him to a move to Standard Liege, among other clubs, it was Luton’s interest that won over the centre half and though the official fee has adhered to Town’s ‘undisclosed’ policy, it is thought that the club’s splashed out a record fee for the 25-year-old.

“I figured it out very quickly,” said Andersen on his interest in moving to Luton, adding: “I had a chat with the manager (Rob Edwards), I reached out to the guys I know (Carlton Morris and Cauley Woodrow), I searched a little bit and it was just the one. I came here last week and met everyone and my impression was even better so I’m just even more happy. I’m sure this is the right place for me.”

The lure of the English top flight was a draw for the defender and he revealed a moment from his past is one step closer to coming true, after pre-season which stars on Thursday. 

Andersen said: “When I was back in Denmark I went from one of the bigger clubs in Denmark (Brondby) to a club lower in the leagues and I had a talk with my dad when I signed for Horsens, we talked about it and I said, ‘I’m going to stay here one-and-a-half years, and I’m going to go to the Championship’, and that was exactly what happened. 

“But during that time as well, I had signed like a (piece of) paper saying Premier League, hanging it on the fridge, and I completely forgot everything about it until a few weeks ago, they told me about that, so it’s a dream coming true, really.

“It’s difficult to explain the emotions, but it’s the highest level possible, and that’s where you want to be.”

Like Luton, Andersen had to drop down the leagues in order to rise back up.

He said: “I’ve worked hard, I think I’ve done everything you can do, but sometimes you need some extra mechanisms around you to go through, a bit of luck, and I’ve had that as well, so I’m just grateful.

“If you ask me one year I didn’t think I had to take a step down (to League One) to take two up, so it’s good learning for everyone out there. Just trust the process, work hard, do what you can do and trust the process.”