Hatters boss pleads for '˜sanity' over Power Court decision

Luton chief Nathan Jones has pleaded for some '˜sane decisions' to be reached by Luton Borough Council's planning department when they look at Town's application for a new ground at Power Court next month.
Hatters boss Nathan JonesHatters boss Nathan Jones
Hatters boss Nathan Jones

The Hatters’ plans for a new 17,500 all-seater stadium and mixed use scheme at Newlands Park will finally go before the council on January 16 and January 30.

Jones, who has his sights on getting his side into the Championship this season, knows a new home is vital if Town are to fully fulfil their potential of going even higher.

He said: “There’s only so far we can go without the stadium. You see the fans, the club is rocking, the club is in a great place, they’re all pulling in the right direction.

“It’s a fantastic, fantastic club, it really is, but we just need some right decisions, some sane decisions to be made.

“Because people in Luton need what we’re going to give them, not just the stadium, which will mean that we can compete at the higher level, but the retail too.

“The development that Newlands Park gives us, will mean that the people of Luton, people of Bedfordshire, get something better, and Luton needs it.

“Without being disrespectful, I’ve said it a million times, we need it, the people of Luton need it and it’s sanity to put it through. So we’re just waiting on that decision, but that will be key to how far we can go in the future.”

Saturday’s 2-0 win over Burton Albion meant Luton made it six straight wins and moved four points clear of third placed Sunderland.

Jones hailed the whole club for their efforts during the first half of the campaign, as he added: “We have come a long way, but there’s a lot of good people at the club pulling in the right direction.

“From the board, the owners, right through to myself, my staff, my players, the office staff, the cleaners, the groundsmen, everything we do.

“There’s good people at this club, but a lot of work goes into it week in week out.

“The fans get behind us, they believe in something, the players believe in something, I believe in something and we drive that home.

“We share that belief and that desire and that goal to do well.

“Everyone works tirelessly, I ask my groundsman to do stuff, I speak daily with my groundsman, ‘we need this, we need that, we will be better if we get that.’

“They perform, they work tirelessly for that, the cleaners do exactly the same, the cooks here, we say ‘we need this, if we can have that on the day then they will recover.’ And they do it and it’s that type of club, all pulling in the right direction, no kind of pretension, no egos, no nothing, just a one goal and at the minute we’re on our way to do it.

“It’s a military operation, metaphorically, to prepare for every game and we prepare with that same vigour, with that same thoroughness as every single game.

“And at the minute, it’s bringing results, it’s bringing a real togetherness for everyone and we’re all moving in the right direction together.

“We’re very proud of what we do here, but we haven’t stopped yet and we don’t want to.

“We have a projection, we have where we want to be and god willing, if everything comes together we can do that.”