Elliot Lee says he now has a manager he can trust at Luton in Nathan Jones after getting frozen out by predecessor Graeme Jones and fearing his Hatters career was over.
Today’s 1-0 Championship win at Swansea, saw the forward return to the starting line-up for the first time since the opening day of the season six-goal thriller with Middlesbrough.
Lee only featured three more times in the league as a substitute after that 3-3 draw, with his last 18-minute outing coming in January 19, in the 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest.
Graeme Jones was released in April, as the Coronavirus crisis deepened, and speaking of his relationship with the former Belgium number two, the 25-year-old said: “I think you need a chance to be given trust. It’s not so much the manager not trusting the players, I didn’t trust him.
“It’s a strange one. I don’t want to dwell on it too much, what happened in the past, but now I’ve got a manager I can trust. He trusts me and I’m very happy that the gaffer’s back.”
Luton have now picked up four points in the two games since Nathan Jones’ return, raising hopes of beating relegation, and Lee said: “We’ve got a great atmosphere in here now, it’s brilliant and it’s very nice to be part of now and that’s all credit to the gaffer for bringing that back.
“It’s not just on the pitch. There’s a reason why you’re seeing positive results. There’s a positive atmosphere in there now.
“You might think I’m getting bitter because the old manager didn’t pick me but it’s not at all. I care about his club and it wasn’t going in the right direction under the previous manager.
“It’s great to have Nathan back because he brings a positive atmosphere and now you’re seeing the results on the pitch because of that.”
Lee featured 43 times, scoring 12 goals last term as Town won the League One title, so the six-month gap between appearances this season have been hard to take.
“It’s something, as a footballer, that you miss. I’ve been through a lot of dark times this season. Not many people will see that side of football, but I’m very happy to be back in the fold now. I’ve definitely missed that feeling.”
Asked if he’d spoken to Graeme Jones about his lack of action, Lee said: “There were a a few chats. It’s a tough one but let’s just say the chats weren’t very honest from his side. I’m happy now that I’ve got a manager I can trust.
“I wouldn’t mind if I knew I was coming into training and giving my all and if I did something he’d give me a chance.
“There are a lot of things that went on that. No matter what I did in training, it wasn’t going to be enough on a Saturday or a Tuesday.
“That’s where the motivation for a player is ‘well, what else can I do?’ That’s in the past and I’d like think I’ve become a stronger person from it.”
Lee has signed a month-long extension to his contract, that was due to expire on Tuesday. Along with other out of contract stars, it will allow him to play on until the end of July, when the Championship season is scheduled to end after being suspended for three months due to Coronavirus.
He said: “I know I haven’t got long left here on my contract and I don’t expect anything from that. But just to be given a chance in the team with a manager I trust, I like to think that I’ve put in a good performance out there, to prove that I can play at this level and prove that I’m worthy to play in this team.”
Asked if he worried that his Luton career was over, Lee said: “Oh, 100 per cent. I love this club. I love playing for this club and I’ve been through some great times at this club.
“League Two, League One and the boys, the staff and everyone at the club, I’ve absolutely loved it. It was a real shame, not just because I wasn’t playing, it was the way it was ending. We didn’t deserve to be where we are.
“If Nathan Jones hadn’t left I think we’d have been in a much better position. We sort of lost our way, I think. Danny Hylton said it recently, ‘we lost our way’.
“The dressing room wasn’t the same as what it was. You could say that I might be bitter but I think a lot of the lads will say that.
“I’m not being bitter because I wasn’t in the team, I wanted Luton to stay up because we deserve to stay up. We’d all put in the hard work in League Two, League One and we deserve to be in this league.
“I just want to play football and I want to help Luton Town stay in this league. Like everyone else in there (dressing room) I think we are good enough to be in this league.”
