Awford taking it game by game with Luton

The former Portsmouth chief will take Luton for their trip to St James Park on Saturday after John Still was dismissed earlier today.

When asked if he would be interested in the permanent role at Kenilworth Road, Awford said: “Game by game, I’m going to take it game by game.

“I’m not going to look any further than the next game, I think that would be wrong of me to do that.

“One day, yes, (I’d like to return to management), but I didn’t expect it this soon, of course not. The club have asked me to do the job so I’ll get on with it and do the job to the best of my ability.

“Gary (Sweet) has given me an idea of when they would like to maybe bring in a permanent manager, but I think that’s for other people to say, that’s not for me to say.

“It will be game by game, if that’s one game it’s one game, if that’s 10 games, it’s 10 games, if it’s 50 games it’s 50 games, I don’t know.

“We’ll take it game by game, see what that brings.”

On how the decision came about for Awford to lead the Hatters, he continued: “There was a group discussion with all the staff, with Terry (Harris), with Hakan (Hayrettin), with Kevin Dearden and Gary, who came to a decision to ask me to be caretaker manager with the full support of the other lads, to as group, try and get the results game by game and I’ll lead it.

“But the guys have worked really, really hard with the team this year and we need everyone on the same hymnsheet and everybody pushing forward now.”

Awford was managing in League Two last year with Pompey too, so hopes to use that knowledge ahead of his stint in the hotseat.

He added: “This is another massive club as well, so I hope so. The experience down there as caretaker manager twice and then permanent, I’d hope that will stand me in good stead.”