Liam Walsh has admitted he enjoyed his football at Luton more than he has “for a while” and he thanked boss Matt Bloomfield for extending his contract for another season.
Despite relegation from the Championship on the final day of the season, the midfielder was one of the standout performers from March when the Hatters picked up 18 points from their final 11 games. His 28 appearance for the Hatters, were the most he’d managed in a single season since the 2019/20 campaign with Coventry, prior to an injury-ravaged time with Swansea.
His debut season run-in with Luton also marked a turnaround for the 27-year-old after two red cards in six games last year, either side of an injury, drew strong criticism from supporters.
But a heartfelt apology on social media, backed up by his improved performances on the pitch after boss Bloomfield took over from Rob Edwards in January, made amends and the club took the option of an extra year on his contract.
Asked about his conversations with the manager, he told the club’s website: “We both had a similar head on with where we want to be. I had a good chat with him and, working with him last year, I enjoyed my football and I haven’t enjoyed it as much as I have done, for a while.
“The gaffer put his trust in me and giving me another year here, I couldn’t be more thankful and I’m looking forward to it.”
Now with the Hatters back in pre-season training, Walsh revealed that rather than just fitness work, Bloomfield and his team have also been instilling tactical work into the players to prepare them for a League One football.
“Getting all of those sessions in early doors and getting everything right will give us the fundamentals to do well this season,” the Liverpudlian said, adding: “If they’re going to hammer it into us this early on then the earlier we’ll learn it and the better we’ll start off this season.”
