Andros Townsend is close to signing a contract extension with Luton and hopes he can help the Hatters achieve “something special” this season.
The 32-year-old joined Town in the summer on a short-term deal which expires in January. But his arrival came after he spent the summer with fellow newly promoted side Burnley and they offered him a contract only to withdraw it at the 11th hour.
It was a move that Townsend has admitted left him in tears as he thought his chance to continue his career in the Premier League had vanished.
But Town gave him hope after being out of action since March 2022 with a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury while at Everton.
Townsend has become a first team starter and has been welcomed whole-heartedly by the Hatters faithful.
Talks to stay at Kenilworth Road are now at an advanced stage, though he said: “I don’t want to count my chickens before they’re hatched but I think we’re almost there.
“It wasn’t much work because obviously this is the club that gave me my chance when no-one else would, so it wasn’t a case of pitting them against other clubs.
“It was Luton and Luton only. I think we’re on the cusp of something very special so it would be difficult to leave halfway through.
“We’re almost there but I don’t want to get excited until it’s signed on the dotted line.”
Just this week, Townsend appeared on BBC 5 Live talking about the unique atmosphere at Kenilworth Road this season, in which Luton fans have given their heroes standing ovations whether they win, lose or draw.
That was the case again yesterday as Town put on a grandstand finale to almost come back from 3-0 down to draw with Chelsea, in the end losing by the odd goal.
Asked what it has meant to be a Hatter, Townsend said: “I think, first and foremost, the aim was just to get back playing, get back playing in the Premier League and I think that was the special thing.
“But along the way, I’ve been lucky enough that I’ve joined a special, special club. A club that went through the leagues long before I arrived and like I said before, we can do something special this season.
“We believe that in the dressing room and that’s the main reason that I’m signing on and hopefully we can do that.”
In his pre-Chelsea press conference, Luton manager Rob Edwards said of the Townsend contract negotiations: “We’re talking to him and trying to get something agreed, which would be great for us because he’s been brilliant since he’s come in.
“We’re working on it as we speak.”
He added: “I think he’s really enjoying it here and appreciates that we probably help each other and hopefully we can do that for a little while yet.”
It’s not just Townsend who has spoken highly of the Hatters, with fellow experienced summer signing Ross Barkley, who scored against his old club Chelsea yesterday, previous talking in positive terms about the club.
“It means the club’s special,” said Edwards on the duo that have been there and done throughout their whole career in the Premier League.
“I know that. It didn’t take me long to work that out. We have got something unique going on at the moment. Not every club has that.
“I understand as well it’s because of where we are and the players have done so well, won games of football and got promoted, that there’s this unique and special bond that we’ve got between the supporters, the players, the staff, the board.
“There’s only a handful of clubs in the country that have that right now. So, it’s unique and special.
“What we have with the fans and from the fans is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. They’re incredible and I think the players are seeing that now.
“And Andros, who’s been there, done it, at the top, top level, for him to say it, it’s really humbling.”
