Emotional Jones reveals how much it meant to take Luton up

The Hatters chief, who took over in January 2016, experienced massive heartache last term, missing out on the play-offs in cruel, cruel fashion last term due to Blackpool’s last minute leveller at Kenilworth Road.

There was no such pain this season, Luton going up in second place, leaving Jones close to tears when asked about just what it meant to him at the club’s civic reception in St George’s Square on Sunday.

He said: “Initially, it was relief, as it was just about doing it.

“But I get up every morning and I run and every day I envisage us getting promoted, envisage getting over the line.

“I listen to music and just run around where I live and I just envisaged it every day, for two years.

“When we did it, I just face-timed my fiance and we were both in tears. That was the emotion, it’s just everything, because we’ve lived and breathed Luton and everything, and it’s been hard, it really has.

“It’s an emotional time for us, as we’ve had our hardships, me and my fiance, but we’ve come through it.

“I’m so proud of this group, I’m so proud of our club, I love our club, yesterday (Saturday), was class.

“I looked at our side, I didn’t have to shout at anyone, because it was exemplary, it was poetry at times.

“I really, really wish we had scored, but what we did and then to see the ovation we had at the end from the fans, the fans sang and it just made you proud to be a Lutonian.

“I’m not from Luton, but I’m a Lutonian and that was amazing, it really was.

“I’ve grown to have the club in my blood now.

“It’s not just loving the club, it’s in my blood, it’s in my heart as it’s a special place.

“We’ve all done something very, very special together and I envisaged that when we came here.”