Luton must get off to a fast start - recruitment is key

Successive relegations mean that Luton find themselves in a similar position to this time last year. They are playing in the league below, are one of the favourites for the title, and expectations are high.

Playing at another level lower means they surely must do well. They will come up against teams who were in League Two when they were in the Premier League two seasons ago.

The pressure is back on, and the Hatters will need to get off to a fast start. They can't make the same mistakes they made last year. And recruitment is key.

However, they are likely to be experiencing similar scenarios to what occurred 12 months ago.

Players who think they should be playing at a higher level, who may not want to be at the club and with agents in their ear.

There could also be others who are surplus to requirements who are under contract and happy to remain where they are.

Transfer business has begun, and two big characters have been brought in. Kal Naismith, on loan last season, who inexplicably didn't start the final Championship match at West Brom that relegated Luton.

And George Saville from Millwall, whose game time across the last seven seasons in the Championship is phenomenal.

Both are leaders; both will be part of the spine of the team, and so they seem excellent, solid additions.

The next stage of the rebuilding process may have to wait until others depart.

This waiting game affected Luton last year, and they've got to hope it goes smoother.

It's never easy, as the transfer merry-go-round takes time to kick in, particularly the lower down you go, but Luton may have to force the issue to get players out quicker so that they can then go about sorting incomings.

Luton have just changed their recruitment team; the January transfer window was deemed a success with the likes of Izzy Jones, Thelo Aasgaard, Millenic Alli and Kal Naismith (loan) brought in, and so those involved in that business have been promoted.

They have got to get it right again this time. Hatters boss Matt Bloomfield knows he has to get off to a good start and try and repeat what Birmingham did last season.