Luton Town

Image source, Rex Features

It is time for Luton Town to step up and show their quality, according to defender Kal Naismith.

The Hatters have dropped to the foot of the Championship with just two points from their past nine games and have failed to win since manager Matt Bloomfield was appointed in January.

"It's a fight, and we are where we are, but we've got lots to play for and lots of games," Naismith told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"That first result is so important - momentum is such a big thing in football, and that comes from picking up any sort of win, a scrappy 1-0, and you build from there."

The 32-year-old returned to Luton on loan from Bristol City towards the end of the January transfer window, having previously made 68 appearances for the club before moving to Ashton Gate in 2022.

"I've never been so happy to be back here. As a player, you can look at it and say you're in a scrap and it's not a good time, but I look at it and think these are the moments you want to be in where everyone's doubting you, and show people and say, let's go, let's do it.

"You can overthink and look down every avenue, but we know we can be better. We're looking at each other and the quality we have in the changing room, but we need to step it up a bit," added Naismith.

Luton host second-placed Sheffield United in the Championship on Saturday.

Image source, Getty Images

Luton Town manager Matt Bloomfield is calling on his new-look squad to quickly get up to Championship speed.

The call comes after Luton slipped to the foot of the table after their defeat at Sunderland as they battle to avoid successive relegations.

They have taken just two points from 27 since Christmas and of the eight players who have come into their squad in the new year, six are new to this division.

"We're a short of a little bit of Championship experience right now but the boys are giving us everything," Bloomfield told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"They're desperate to improve and I'll take that any day.

"There is a third of the season left and there is no panic. But we have to be realistic of where we are. But we have to be consistent in our behaviour so the lads can be consistent on the pitch."

Luton Town make the trip up to the Stadium of Light on Wednesday (19:45 GMT) as boss Matt Bloomfield searches for his first win in charge.

The Hatters only managed to come away with a point against Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend, leaving them second from bottom of the table and just two points above basement dwellers Plymouth Argyle.

Meanwhile, Sunderland also came out with a draw on Saturday to see them five points adrift of Sheffield United and seven off Leeds United in the automatic promotion places.

• Sunderland are unbeaten across their last 10 league games against Luton Town (W5 D5), winning the reverse fixture 2-1 in October.

• Luton Town are winless across their last 15 away league games against Sunderland (W9 D6), since a 1-0 win at Roker Park in September 1973.

• Sunderland have won 12 of their last 18 league games played on Wednesdays (D2 L4), winning two out of three this season (D1).

• Since Christmas, Luton Town have collected the fewest points of any Championship (2 – D2 L6) and are the only side in the division without a victory in this time.

• Matt Bloomfield is winless in his four Championship games as Luton manager (D2 L2). The last Hatters boss to have a longer winless start in the league was Mick Harford in the 2007-08 season (12 games).

Image source, Getty Images

Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu's Luton Town career may be drawing towards a close following his deadline-day loan move to Rotherham United.

The midfielder has made 412 appearances for the Hatters and BBC Three Counties Radio commentator Simon Oxley has offered a personal recollection of Mpanzu's contribution over 11 and a bit years.

"I can remember one of Pelly's first appearances at Alfreton in the Conference title-winning season," Oxley said. "They were going along quite nicely, Luton, but Alfreton were up there challenging as well and it was seen as a really important test of Luton's credentials.

"They played brilliantly, absolutely swept Alfreton aside. A few players made debuts and the side was really coming together - they won 5-0 in the end and that really set them on the way to what was ultimately a title-winning campaign that got them back into the Football League.

"I remember saying to John Still after the game 'I like the look of that Pelly Ruddock' and he said 'We like Pelly Ruddock as well'. Of course, in those days, it was Pelly Ruddock, not Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, but what a story, to go up from non-league to the Premier League.

"Players have come and gone over the years, fondly recalled and fondly remembered for the roles they played, but always there is Pelly, either in the team or, more latterly, on the bench.

"It's an incredible story and you'd think at the age of 30, there are still a few more chapters to come as well."

Image source, Rex Features

It's time to talk about Luton Town's transfer business...

The Hatters have come down from the Premier League and kept on going... but they have brought in some potentially exciting talent to assist them in a relegation battle which few saw coming.

Thelo Aasgaard and Millenic Alli will seek to make the step up from League One to the Championship, Kal Naismith has arrived to bolster the defence, Isaiah Jones may have a point to prove after his arrival from Middlesbrough, while Lasse Nordas offers competition to Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo.

Luton have offloaded players who were not featuring regularly, including Cauley Woodrow on loan to Blackburn Rovers, while it's also the end of the Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu era.

Will these moves be enough to keep the club in the second tier?

We want you to tell us what you think about the Hatters' transfer dealings...

Let us know your thoughts here.

Geoff Doyle
BBC 3CR sports editor

Luton Town had to do something major in the January transfer window given their position in the relegation places and the outgoings and incomings reflect that.

Whether it will be enough to keep them up remains to be seen but the club have certainly made efforts to achieve that. They said they would be aggressive in their dealings and they bared their teeth as best they could.

The Hatters have been crying out for pace and creativity in the final third all season and so have brought in some potentially exciting talent.

It's now whether signings from League One - Thelo Aasgaard and Millenic Alli - can step up in the Championship and spark Luton into life.

Isaiah Jones does have solid second-tier experience and will need to justify his big transfer fee.

Lasse Nordas offers competition to Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo in the nine role but will need to adapt to British football while Kal Naismith should be a good addition to the defence.

Luton had to offload players who were not featuring regularly, including long-serving Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu who played in the National League through to the Premier League.

It's an end of an era for Mpanzu and sad that it's come to this midway through the season but he'll be back to get a well-deserved testimonial, I'm sure.

New manager Matt Bloomfield has been backed but with two really tricky games coming up against in-form Sunderland and Sheffield United this new squad may have to be judged on the matches following those.

Games are beginning to run out. Luton did well in the draw away to Sheffield Wednesday last time out but they need to start collecting wins.

You get the feeling this relegation fight could go all the way.

Image source, Rex Features

Matt Bloomfield described Luton's point at Hillsborough as 'a stepping stone' after his side ended their run of 11 consecutive Championship defeats on the road.

The Hatters went ahead through Alfie Doughty's first goal of the season and, although Michael Smith levelled with a second-half penalty, Bloomfield's side survived a wave of Wednesday pressure to secure a draw.

"I can feel the spirit growing, I can feel the confidence growing. But that's only words from me unless we back it up with results," Bloomfield told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"A point away from home always has to be respected and I thought there was some really good individual displays in there.

"It's a stepping stone for us, of course we want to win away from home but it's been a long run and to show that character and togetherness and get a point on the road has got to be a good day for us.

"First half I thought our shape was fantastic, we limited Sheffield Wednesday to very few opportunities. I think we tired a bit, we've got some boys still working their way back to full fitness, but at any level, you've got to defend for your lives at times.

"I was really pleased that the boys got some reward for their work because they've worked really hard this week, at least they've got a point and it was nice to share that with the supporters at the end."

Image source, Getty Images

Luton Town's manager has played down suggestions that new boys Millenic Ali and Thelo Aasgaard are 'Matt Bloomfield signings' because of his in-depth knowledge of League One.

The pair have been brought in from Exeter City and Wigan Athletic respectively to add freshness to the Luton squad as they look to pull themselves out of relegation trouble.

"It's important in January, there's not a huge amount of time before the end of the season, so the players you bring in need to be ready to go," Bloomfield told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"Obviously I'm aware of those boys and understand their games, but they were on the club's radar before I got here as well. It's absolutely a (recruitment) team effort."

Bloomfield said it was possible that more signings could be made before the transfer window closes, adding: "This is my third January transfer window and all kinds of names come up and you have to be ready to react.

"We have to make sure we do the right business and we're really pleased with what we've done so far."

But he refused to be drawn on reports suggesting Luton were willing to pay £6m to his former club Wycombe for top scorer Richard Kone.

Asked about the situation regarding Kone, he replied: "I'm smiling because I knew it was coming. Richard is a great boy but I'm not going to sit here and talk about transfers of players at other clubs, it just doesn't feel right.

"I won't be commenting on speculation, I'm here to do the best job I possibly can and our interactions and discussions so far as a recruitment team have been fantastic, we'll do the best we can and do what's right for us for the rest of the season."

Wycombe's joint-interim boss Sam Grace said in midweek that Kone "wants to get promoted with Wycombe".

Tottenham will allow 19-year-old forward Will Lankshear to leave on loan before Monday's transfer deadline, with Burnley, Middlesbrough, West Brom, Cardiff and Luton keen on the England Under-20 international. (Football.London), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column.

Image source, SNS

Allan Campbell is "a real coup for the club," says manager Jim Goodwin after the midfielder joined Dundee United from Luton Town on a permanent deal until the end of the season.

Scotland cap Campbell, 26, moved to the English Championship side in summer 2021 from Motherwell. He has spent the last 18 months on loan, at Millwall and then Charlton.

"It's rare for a player of his calibre to be available in the winter window," Goodwin told the United website.

"His tenacity in the middle of the park perfectly complements his ability to handle the ball in tight areas and retain possession, all while posing a goalscoring threat from near and far."

Campbell - who Goodwin said in his press conference earlier today was of interest to other teams in Scotland - is looking forward to "the high-pressure scenarios" to come.

"As soon as the manager outlined his vision for the rest of the season, I knew where this was where I wanted to be," he said.

"Pressure is a privilege and if you ask any footballer, they want to be involved in high-pressure scenarios. I feel they bring the best out of me and I'm ready for them during an important time of the season."

Luton Town boss Matt Bloomfield will hope to find his first win since taking charge as they visit Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Bloomfield has seen a draw and two losses from his new side since joining from League One's Wycombe Wanderers in January.

The Hatters are currently second from bottom in the Championship and only an emphatic win will give them the opportunity to escape the bottom three.

Meanwhile, Sheffield Wednesday are on the hunt for a play-off place and will need three points else risk dropping off the pace.

• Sheffield Wednesday have won just one of their last 13 league games against Luton Town (D4 L8), a 1-0 victory at Hillsborough in August 2019.

• Luton Town have won seven of their last eight league games against Sheffield Wednesday (L1), keeping four clean sheets across that time.

• Sheffield Wednesday are unbeaten across their last four home league games (W2 D2), scoring 2+ goals in each of those matches.

• Luton have lost each of their last 11 away league games in succession, conceding 2.7 goals on average per match in that time. No side across England's top four tiers is currently on a longer losing run on their travels than the Hatters.

• Luton's Charlton Morris has netted three goals across his last two league meetings with Sheffield Wednesday, netting a brace in the reverse fixture back in September.