Bradley ready for the battle to win a first team berth

Summer signing Sonny Bradley is anticipating a real battle to win a place in the Hatters starting 11 this term.
Sonny Bradley takes part in pre-season training out in SloveniaSonny Bradley takes part in pre-season training out in Slovenia
Sonny Bradley takes part in pre-season training out in Slovenia

The 26-year-old, who penned a three year deal after leaving Plymouth, will be up against Alan Sheehan, Glen Rea, Lloyd Jones and Matty Pearson for a central defensive berth.

It’s a challenge he will relish though, saying: “I understand Sheehan was player of the year, so obviously he’s had a great season and I don’t expect to walk into the team, that’s not the attitude I’ll go in with.

“I haven’t got the respect yet from the players and I think you get that respect by performing on the pitch, doing it every day in training.

“So first of all, I’ve got to turn up in training and show the lads what I’ve got, then out on the pitch, to get the respect, I’ve got to put the performances in.

“I understand there’s going to be competition for places, but that’s what you want.

“I think you want to be every day turning up in training, knowing that you have to be one of the best players if you want to start on a Saturday, I love that.

“I’ve met the with the manager and he’s told me that’s exactly how it’s going to be, you’ve got to work hard, got to train well, got to do it in the week otherwise you’ve got a risk of not starting on a Saturday.

“That’s the attitude I have anyway, every day in training, so it matches what I like to do as well. It’s going to be tough competition for places, but that’s what I want.”

On just what Luton fans can expect from him, Bradley continued: “You’re not going to get fancy football from me, I like to be organised, I like to be a leader on the pitch, that’s what I feel I am, that’s what you’ll see.

“I like to do the basics well, I like to keep clean sheets, every time I go out on a Saturday, I speak to the lads and say ‘I want a clean sheet.’

“That’s what I want and if you get that, normally you go on and win the game. So that will be my job from the back, to keep us organised, not concede and just continue to put in performances every week.”

Bradley scored 11 goals in his two years at Argyle and wants to bring that to Luton too, as he thinks it’s an area of his game that can thrive while at Kenilworth Road.

He added: “I like to think I’m good in both boxes, defensively, and I’m a threat going forward as well.

“I only got four last season which for me was disappointing to be honest, as in League Two I got seven.

“Personally, I think I should have got at least seven again, seven or eight.

“I haven’t sat down yet and sorted my targets out, but I want more goals, I want more clean sheets.

“I’ve seen some of the corners and some of the goals Pottsy (Dan Potts) scored this season, so put him in there, we’ve got Hylts (Danny Hylton), got Jake (Jervis), the rest of the boys, get me in there as well, and I think we could be quite serious from set-pieces this season.

“I’ll need to see how it goes, but I think we could be a real threat.

“It’s going to be interesting, I’ve never really been part of a team who play this way, this style of football, it’s something I want to buy into, something I want to do.”