FFP NOT COMING TO SAVE HATTERS
ROB EDWARDS has told his Luton stars they cannot bank on potential Financial Fair Play point deductions to keep them in the Premier League.
The Hatters are seeking to take their first Big Six scalp when in-form Manchester United visit Kenilworth Road this afternoon.
Luton have had several nail-biting encounters this season with the top-flight’s traditional elite half-dozen, but only got a home point against Liverpool for their troubles.
And despite last weekend’s 3-1 defeat by relegation rivals Sheffield United, Edwards (above) has urged his ambitious side to keep looking up, and not nervously over their shoulders.
“We clearly want to look upwards but whether we can is another thing,” said the Hatters boss.
“I keep saying this at the moment but we don’t want to rely on points deductions and other things that are outside of our control.
“Our aim is to get as many points as we can and that will be the same for everyone else.
“We don’t want to just accept that we’re here, fourth bottom, and that’s going to be us.
“I want the lads to fly and flourish at this level and at times they’ve shown they’re capable of that but we must start showing that consistently.”
Ten years ago, on this weekend, Luton thumped another United 7-0 at The Kenny. Hereford United, in the National League.
It’s been a miraculous rise to prominence since then and for that reason, Edwards insists both he and the club have nothing to prove. He added: “Our aim is to be a Premier League team next year so to do that you’ve got to be able to compete with these teams.
“I don’t feel like I’ve got anything to prove, me or anyone. We believe in ourselves, we believe in our abilities as a football club but it’s a privilege to be going up against Manchester United given the journey this club has been on.
“Ten years ago we were playing Hereford, it’s brilliant. We’re up for the challenge and it’s a little more fighting talk now.
“It’s not, ‘Oh we’re lucky to be here’ as we deserve to be here. We’re going into this game confident. Afterwards I might sound ridiculous right here, right now but I really believe in this group of players.”
Edwards was also full of praise for his ex-united duo Teden Mengi (below) and Tahith Chong as they look to make a statement against their former employers.
He said of the pair: “I speak really highly of those two lads because they’re here and we saw really good qualities in them. They were qualities we felt could help us. “But it’s right across the board now with the academies, they’re bringing up top young people and young men. It’s really exciting for the future and the national game. “Those two lads have special qualities, they can handle pressure, handle the ball, and you have to tick so many boxes at this level. They’re just two good individuals all-round. They’ve been brought up the right way, they’re very respectful.”