Bradley was hellbent on preserving Championship football for Luton fans

Captain Sonny Bradley has revealed the burning desire to give Luton fans Championship football once more next season was their main incentive ahead of the relegation decider against Blackburn Rovers last week.

Town knew going into the game that a victory should be enough to save their second tier status, a quite incredible feat given their perilous position when the season resumed once more back in June after the coronavirus pandemic.

Social distancing measures have meant that Town supporters were unable to watch any of their club’s last five home games in the division, and will still be absent when the new campaign gets underway in September.

It is hoped to gradually phase fans back in from October and the fact they will now be watching Luton in the second tier was all that was on Bradley’s mind.

He said: “It was amazing to stay up in the fashion that we did, as it was always going to be a difficult night with everything going on around us.

“For me I’ve never been in that position, fighting on the last day to stay up, so it was a new experience for me, quite strange.

“I was going for the drinks break and people were telling us scores, so it was a bit chaotic.

“When we finally heard the final whistle, it was almost a sense of relief as well as happiness, probably more relief than anything, that the season was over.

“The pressure was off and I don’t just mean pressure from football, but there’s been a lot of pressure built up with everything that’s going on, in our current climate, which I think everyone’s feeling that so it was a sense of relief that we stayed up.

“The main thing for me is that the fans now return to Championship football, whenever that may be and for me on the list, number one, that’s the biggest.

“The fans coming back to Championship football as that’s exactly what they deserve in my opinion.”

After triumphing at Hull to set up the must-win clash, Bradley admitted they couldn’t get away from all the hype about it during the build-up.

Luton had gone into the game as one of seven teams that might have fallen through the trapdoor, something he was constantly reminded of.

The defender continued: “There was pressure on us and throughout the week, you can’t get away from people talking.

“On Sky Sports, they built it up and were talking about if Luton draw and all the possible outcomes, so you end up listening to it and thinking about it.

“But at the end of the day and like the manager said to us, if we win the game, then we are guaranteed to stay up, that’s got to be our sole focus.

“I suppose that makes it easier, as that’s how you prepare for every game, especially since I’ve been at this club and under Nathan especially, we always set out to win.

“Okay we’ve done it in different ways, particularly away from home this season, but it was nice to get the win and finally take the pressure off.”

It was the same during the game, as even if he had wanted to, Bradley couldn't escape what was going on elsewhere in the division, as he said: "The only result I knew was the Wigan game, one because someone told me, but also, anyone who’s played at Kenilworth Road, will know the boxes are right on top of the pitch and in the boxes, there’s a TV.

"So as I was playing, I looked over and there was people just telling me and I could see it on the screens, so it was impossible to get away from it.

"Even if I didn't want to know, I was getting told, but that did not impact my performance at all.

"So I just kept a cool head, I knew the job we had to do and I’m proud of the boys for doing it."

Although Town knew a win would more or less see them safe, they conceded first, Adam Armstrong netting from close range, but Bradley felt that actually worked in his side's favour.

He said: "When I reflect on the result and not many people will agree with me saying this, but I think it might have been a good thing to concede.

"As you look at previous games at home, the Barnsley game, the QPR one, we scored first and we kind of sat back and because of what was going on in the division, we thought we could protect that lead.

"When you allow so much pressure on to you, eventually, good teams will score goals.

"So going down early, we then realised we’re going to have to turn it on here, we're going to have to up it and by doing that, we’ve gone 2-1 up, it could have been three and then second half, (James) Collins' goal, great run from Harry (Cornick), I think he was excellent.

"It was a stonewall penalty, I’ve seen it from all angles and for me Collo was always the coolest man in the ground on that night.

"If I’d have wanted anyone to take that penalty, it would have been James, so when that went in, there was some relief.

"I went over to have a drink and I got told that Fulham had scored as well (against Wigan), so it was almost a bit like, 'we've got a chance here.'

"I think it was 15 minutes to go, it was disappointing to concede the second goal, especially the manner that it happens, when they went two up top and went direct, I think me and Cam (Cameron Carter-Vickers) we could have probably handled that a little bit better, but after the final whistle, it wasn’t too much of a worry."

Bradley himself had been involved in a crucial second goal as after levelling at 1-1, James Bree's low corner appeared to be turned in by the skipper.

However, it went down as a Bradley Johnson own goal, and Bradley added: "I've only seen one angle of it, but the ball came in, I got a really slightly flick on it, and then I think that put Bradley Johnson off.

"He set himself to clear it, but because I got a touch on it, his body position then was wrong and he's put it into his own net, but it’s definitely an own goal.

"I had a bit of a laugh with Gary Sweet (chief executive) after the game, saying I’ll be asking for my goal bonus.

"At the time, the importance of the game, I wasn’t bothered how it went in, I was happy that we went 2-1 up and then we went on to finish the job."