TEAM PREVIEW: Luton Town – Chris Coyne still keeps up with his former team

 

Finishing 8th would be classed as a great effort for most teams coming straight up from the Conference, but it could have been so much more for Luton Town. After an off start, Luton won seven games on the bounce but then lost seven games in a row at a crucial time between March and April. With a little bit of consistency, Luton could be a real challenger this season.

Last Season: League Two (8th)

Manager: John Still

 

Squad

GKs: Mark Tyler, Elliot Justham, Craig King
DFs: Stephen O’Donnell, Dan Potts, Steve McNulty, Scott Cuthbert, Scott Griffiths, Magnus Okuonghae, Curtley Williams, Mark O’Brien, Luke Wilkinson, Luke Trotman, Mark Onyemah
MFs: Jonathan Smith, Alex Lawless, Cameron McGeehan, Ryan Hall, Danny Green, Paddy McCourt, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Luke Guttridge, Nathan Doyle, Isaac Galliford, Jake Howells, Andy Parry, Matt Robinson
FWs: Paul Benson, Jack Marriott, Josh McQuoid, Zane Banton

 

Transfers

In: Scott Cuthbert (Leyton Orient), Jack Marriott (Ipswich Town), Paddy McCourt (Brighton & Hove Albion), Cameron McGeehan (Norwich City), Josh McQuoid (Bournemouth), Stephen O’Donnell (Partick Thistle), Magnus Okuonghae (Colchester United), Dan Potts (West Ham United), Danny Green (MK Dons), Mark O’Brien (Derby County)

Out: Danny Fitzsimons (Dartford), Alex Wall (Bromley), Mark Cullen (Blackpool), Ross Lafayette (Eastleigh), Ricky Miller (Dover), Shaun Whalley (Shrewsbury Town), Jim Stevenson (Aldershot), Brett Longden (St. Neots), Charlie Walker (Aldershot), Andy Drury (Eastleigh), Fraser Franks (Stevenage), Lee Angol (Peterborough United), Alex Lacey (Yeovil Town)

 

First Six: Accrington Stanley (A), Oxford United (H), Bristol Rovers (H), Yeovil Town (A), Portsmouth (H), Cambridge United (A)

Likely Lineup: (4-3-3) Tyler – Cuthbert, McNulty, Wilkinson, Griffiths – Lawless, McGeehan, Doyle – Green, Benson, McCourt

 

 

A word from…Chris Coyne

On his arrival from Australia After playing in the U17 World Cup for Australia I went to West Ham United and loved every second of it.

The pace was quick, but going there in December was tough! I went from 36 degrees in Perth to -2 degrees in London, that was drastic! The football and the quality of players in general was an eye opener for me.

On settling down at Luton Yeah, to get first team football and play every week was what I was craving. We had a great bunch of lads, but we were tough and played some good football, so it was a great time to be at the club.

We had a great team and great morale. It was the way we won games as well, we scored plenty of goals and played a good brand of football. It was a bunch of lads who were anything from 21 to 26 years old’s that loved playing football and being around each other.

On Joe Kinnear Joe was superb, he was always on at you about something but he always got the best out of his players.

He will split opinions because he is strong in his beliefs, but he was a great character and leader at the club alongside Mick Harford and Brian Stein.

On leaving the club Yeah it wasn’t a great time, but with the club needing money because they were in administration a few of us had to go, me and Davey Edwards. The administration period wasn’t great but it brought us closer together and the boys dug in as a group when times were tough.

On still following the club I always follow the club, I spoke to Luke Guttridge after one of the games last year. It’s on Setanta in Australia and I always make an effort to keep up with what’s going on at my club.

Pre-season is always about new faces and I think it shows the direction the club wants to go. That staff at Luton have seen what players that were at the club were capable of and tried to strengthen, Luton are in a good position as the fans and the travelling support make players want to be a part of the club.

 

The Offside Rule Podcast Prediction: Luton have lost a lot of players over the summer and brought a lot in so a quick start isn’t a given, but it’s a must. They’ve got all the talent to get promoted and John Still has brought in some good players, but consistency lacked last season.

Key Player: Cameron McGeehan – The midfielder has had two excellent loan spells at the club in recent times so it will be a big relief for the club to have snapped him up permanently. He has plenty of pace to burst through the middle and could take League Two by storm this season.

One to Watch: Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu – The former West Ham man impressed last season in the middle of the park and whilst there’s plenty of competition for him there this season, at just 22 he’ll keep improving and challenging the more experienced names.