Cranie wants to play his part in Luton's quest to stay up

Hatters defender Martin Cranie wants to play a major role between now and the end of the season after enduring an injury-hit first campaign with Luton.

The 33-year-old signed from Sheffield United in the summer, once the Blades had made their way to the Premier League.

He started the first four games of the campaign, before suffering a knee injury at Sheffield Wednesday in the opening month.

That ruled him out until mid-October, returning for the 3-0 win over Bristol City, keeping his place for the following four matches as well.

Cranie was then sidelined again though, back as a sub for the reverse trip to Ashton Gate on December 29 and starting the 3-1 defeat to Millwall on New Year’s Day.

However, yet another injury struck, which kept him out until the 1-0 win at Middlesbrough on February 15, where he started.

Although on the bench for Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Charlton, he was in the side for Tuesday night's 2-1 win over Brentford, scoring a crucial second goal right on the stroke of half time.

Now fully fit once more, on the problem, Cranie, who was speaking before the weekend defeat at the Valley, said: “It was my knee again, same as the first one from back against Sheffield Wednesday, my medial.

“Then there was a another tackle late on in the game with Millwall and it just opened my knee back up again.

“I’ve been working in the gym to strengthen it up and fingers crossed it’s fine now.

“Touch wood I’ve never really suffered from injury or been out for a long period of time, so for me this season to miss as much football as I have done, it’s been very frustrating.

“I’ve worked hard to get back fit now, so I’m hoping to stay fit.

“I’ve spent a lot of this season on the sidelines, so it’s just nice to be back in training, get a game under my belt and hopefully stay injury free for the rest of the season.

“Watching from the stands is never nice, knowing you can’t do anything.

“But the lads have been putting 100 per cent in every week, and as we showed the last few matches it’s paying off and long may that continue.”

With Cranie back, plus midfielders Glen Rea and Izzy Brown, the latter only missing Saturday and Tuesday due to tonsillitis, then the former Coventry and Barnsley player is confident going of remaining in the Championship going into the final stages of the season.

He continued: “We’ve got a strong squad and when everyone’s fit, we can really compete in this league, as we’ve shown.

"Other than a few results where we’ve not given a good account of ourselves, we’ve competed in most games and now we’ve got most of the players back fit, hopefully that can stay for the rest of the season and we can finish strongly.”

Cranie also hopes that the fans are fully back onside now after manager Graeme Jones had received criticism from the terraces in recent weeks.

They certainly showed what a force they can be during the midweek win over Brentford, as Cranie said: "You know when the fans are disappointed, you can hear them after a game.

"It’s never nice, but you’ve got to keep your mind focused as we’ve got another game around the corner.

"You can’t dwell on it, I know everyone’s frustrated, we’re frustrated when we get a bad result, but we've just go to keep working hard and getting results.

"Over the last week we’ve put together some good results and hopefully its pleasing the fans and given us a better mood in the changing room."

The former Coventry and Southampton defender also backed midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe to come good after some Town supporters had barracked him earlier this month.

He added: "He’s got a good character, Maybe he got a little bit of criticism in the weeks before, but he doesn’t let it bother him.

"He goes out on a Saturday, gives everything and he’s a real big asset for the team."