Promotion with Luton is the pinnacle of Sheehan's career

Club captain Alan Sheehan labelled reaching the Championship with Luton as the ‘pinnacle’ of his career.
Town club captain Alan SheehanTown club captain Alan Sheehan
Town club captain Alan Sheehan

The 32-year-old enjoyed back-to-back promotions this week as defeats for both Portsmouth and Sunderland meant that Kenilworth Road will be hosting second tier football next term.

Sheehan, who moved to the club from Bradford in January 2016, was visibly emotional when speaking of the achievement, as he said: “Captain of the club is a huge responsibility for me.

“When I was made captain of the club, I said that I would do everything I could to take this club forward, and right now, it’s the pinnacle of my career.

“Leading this unbelievable club to the Championship, just incredible and a very proud moment for me.”

On just how he watched the moment unfold in midweek, with Portsmouth beaten 3-2 by Peterborough United and Sunderland going down 2-1 at Fleetwood, Sheehan said: “I got it on iFollow and watched it with my missus and my friend came round at half time.

“I was very nervous watching it, and when it got back to 2-2, I was thinking, ‘we’re going to have to do it on Saturday,’ and then that happened, it was good.

“Pressure can do funny things to people.

“At Burton the other day, it was a weird match, Wimbledon, we should be about 10-1 ahead at the time and then they score last kick of the game.

“Then you start thinking, ‘is it going to be one of these years? Is it going to be this? Is it going to be that?

“But it’s an incredible achievement and we’re so happy.”

Sheehan has had to watch on from the sidelines for the majority of the season, unable to displace the centre half pairing of Sonny Bradley and Matty Pearson, as he continued: “If right is right we could have wrapped it up a few weeks ago, but we got there in the end, better late than never.

“It’s just incredible. Did I feel helpless? Yes, you do feel helpless sometimes when you’re injured and you’re not on the pitch, but you just try your best to keep positive and keep everything going the best way it can go.”

The former Notts County, Leeds and Swindon defender hasn’t been overly surprised to see Luton on the up since he joined, finishing second in League Two last term and now with a chance of taking the League One title this season.

He said: “I’ve said a number of times over the last few years, I just feel that something special is happening.

“We do interviews and you don’t want to be too cocky and say it, but I just had this feeling that something good was going to happen in the past few years.

“A double promotion, two in two years, it’s incredible, it really is.

“It’s hard to put into words, I don’t think it will sink in until Saturday at the game.

Although Sheehan hasn’t celebrated properly with his team-mates, he will have the chance after tomorrow’s game with Oxford United and at the open top bus parade on Sunday.

He added: “We work really hard, there’s not really a big drinking culture, but I suppose right now we can let our hair down a bit.

“Hopefully we’re made champions and go from there.

“We don’t really live close by, it’s not like you’re living in a city, everyone’s spread out.

“One or two of the boys have celebrated, but we’ll probably celebrate over the weekend, and hopefully get the trophy then.”