Luton Town: John Still says player criticism hurts

Luton lost 8-7 to Stoke on penalties in the League Cup second round

Luton Town manager John Still says criticism of his players hurts him as they search for a first league win.

The Hatters took Stoke to penalties in the League Cup on Tuesday, but Scott Griffiths missed the decisive kick.

"Scott hasn't done well (recently) but played very well today, and there's a boy that I think has been outstanding since he's been here," Still said.

"He's started slow this year - and some people criticise. It hurts me, it's such narrow-mindedness."

He continued to BBC Three Counties Radio: "If it was your son who was having a difficult time, would you shout and holler at him, or encourage him to get back to where he was.

Cameron McGeehan's injury-time equaliser against Stoke cancelled out Jon Walters' opener and sent the game to extra time

"I just think one or two of our players have had really unfair criticism, we all don't do well some times."

Luton have won just two points from their opening four League Two games and lie 22nd in the table.

Last season they looked set for a promotion push, until a run of seven consecutive losses throughout March and April saw them finish eighth.

But Still, who led the Bedfordshire side out of the Conference in 2014, says supporters should remember how the club has grown in the last few years.

"I get disappointed when I hear it, because I've been here long enough for people to understand my teams, for them to understand how the club has turned around - 99% do, but support the players," he added.

"It really hurts me because I know what the club was like when I came in - we have made unbelievable steps.

"We have been really poor in some league games, but we were really poor (at the start of) my first season, and we won the league with 100 points."