Harford hails World Cup duo Lockyer and Horvath as a credit to the Hatters' progress from their days in the Conference

Chief recruitment officer Mick Harford insists the fact that the Hatters have two players at the World Cup Finals in Qatar shows just how far the club has come since they were a non-league side under a decade ago.

Back in the 2013-14 campaign, Luton found themselves finally ending their five year wait to return to the Football League, thanks to the managerial skills of John Still and the goals of Andre Gray.

The best the squad could really hope during their hiatus from the four main tiers of English football was an England C call-up, of which they were quite a few, with Jake Howells, Fraser Franks, Adam Watkins, Simon Ainge, Andy Parry and Gray himself all gaining such honours.

However, fast-forward to the current day and such is Town’s stature that their players are now getting the opportunity on far bigger stages, with Allan Campbell recently earning his maiden senior Scotland cap, full back Amari’i Bell going up against Lionel Messi when representing Jamaica against Argentina and Admiral Muskwe part of the Africa Cup of Nations for Zimbabwe earlier this year too.

Now, two of Luton’s squad, Tom Lockyer and Ethan Horvath, are in Qatar for the game’s biggest tournament going, chosen by Wales and USA respectively, while if selected, will come up against each other this evening as the two sides meet in their opening Group B fixture.

Harford said: “I’d just like to say something about the team and the club.

"I don’t know how long it was since we were in the Conference, seven, eight years ago, the evolution has been unbelievable in terms of where we are now.

"Because when you look at it, I said this to the players, all of that squad, they've enabled two players to be going to the World Cup, from a Luton Town football squad, which is totally unbelievable that we have players playing in the World Cup.

"That’s a credit to the football club, the squad and the two lads Ethan and Locks who are going off to play in the World Cup and I wish them all the very best and hope they do well out there.

“We’re absolutely delighted for both of them, it’s fully deserved.

"Tom Lockyer has worked his way back in by unbelievable performances.

"Ethan has had a great season for us so far, kept loads of clean sheets, been a big part of our back five, back six, whatever you want to call it in terms of clean sheets.

"His communication has been incredible and it’s fully deserved for me in my opinion. We wish them all the best.”

Team-mate Jordan Clark was also thrilled for Lockyer and Horvath to get their chance on the biggest stage, as he added: “Full credit to them, it’s such a proud achievement for both of them, all the lads are dead proud of them.

"It just makes you think, when you’re in the academy at maybe like 12 or 13, you want to be a professional footballer, but my goal was to play for my country, that’s what I wanted to do.

"Obviously I might not ever make it, but to see them do it as well, it’s unbelievable, just full credit to them.

"Look at Locks, he’s come from Bristol Rovers, through the academy, I’m sure they’ll be dead proud as well.

"It’s a load of hard work and I just wish them all the best and hopefully they can get some game time and see how they end up in the World Cup.”