Rob Edwards: Luton Town name former Watford boss as manager

Luton Town have named ex-Watford boss Rob Edwards as their new manager on a "minimum three-and-a-half year" deal.

The 39-year-old replaces Nathan Jones, who left the Championship club last week after being appointed by Premier League side Southampton.

Edwards was appointed by Watford in May and sacked on 26 September after only 11 games in charge, winning three.

"From the outside, looking in at Luton Town, you see such a well-run football club," he told the club website.

"You can see it's a club that puts its people and supporters first. I feel a lot of positivity around the place, and I'm really thankful to be given the chance to be part of it.

"Because of where I've just come from, it has probably added a difficulty to the decision for them, but I'm really pleased that they see past that and deem me as the right person to play a part in the next chapter of this club going forward."

Following a playing career that began at Aston Villa and included spells at Wolves, Blackpool and Barnsley, Edwards retired at the age of 30.

He had two games in charge of Wolves as interim boss in 2016 and a season as AFC Telford boss before becoming head coach of England's under-16 team.

Edwards was appointed by Forest Green Rovers in May 2021 and they went up as League Two champions last term, winning half of their 46 league games and losing only eight, prompting Watford to recruit him following relegation from the Premier League.

The two clubs are just 19 miles apart and their rivalry stretches back to 1921 when they faced each other in a league game for the first time.

'We understand supporters' concerns'

Rob Edwards lasted only 11 games at Watford before the club replaced him with Slaven Bilic

Edwards is only the second person to manage both clubs, and first for 84 years, after Neil McBain.

"We fully understand the concerns some supporters may have with his previous club, but the one action Watford did that impressed us in recent times was their appointment of Rob," Luton chief executive Gary Sweet said.

"From our lengthy conversations with him, he immediately bought into our values as a club, we had deep discussions about our culture, our opportunities, and he fully understands where we have come from to get to this point now.

"We're confident that with such a limited association with them, Rob will very quickly feel much more a member of our tight club here at Kenilworth Road."

Edwards' first match as Luton boss will be away to Middlesbrough on 10 December following the World Cup break.

His first home game comes eight days later against Millwall.

The Hatters are 10th in the table - six places below Watford, having lost 4-0 to them at Vicarage Road on 23 October - after reaching the play-offs under Jones last season.

Sweet said there had been "unprecedented interest" in the job and that Edwards' associated staff were likely to join him in the next few days.

'Short connection with Watford' - analysis

Geoff Doyle, BBC Three Counties Radio sports editor

The narrative is that Edwards becomes only the second person in history to manage both Watford and Luton - but I think the majority of Hatters fans won't be too bothered by that.

Edwards only managed 10 Championship games at Vicarage Road before being sacked and so there isn't that big a connection.

Luton supporters should care more about whether he can achieve at this level with his previous success having come in League Two with Forest Green.

He ticks a lot of boxes. He's well-regarded, is a young ambitious coach and strives for a good team-working ethos.

To his and the club's advantage, he now has three weeks to work with the players and get his principles across before the Championship resumes after the World Cup break.