Hatters keeper Shea will take inspiration from Town team-mate Rea as he battles back from knee injury

Town keeper James Shea will look to use team-mate Glen Rea’s recovery as his inspiration when coming back from the cruciate knee ligament injury he suffered against Cardiff City recently.

The 30-year-old, who signed a new contract with the Hatters recently, faces an extended period of time on the sideline, with boss Nathan Jones admitting it could be anything up to a year before he is back between the posts again.

Shea himself revealed there was understandably a degree of apprehension ahead of what will be the first operation of his career, although he is in the same boat as long-serving midfielder Rea, having suffered his injury while on loan with League One promotion chasing Wigan Athletic.

It will be the second time the former Brighton and Ireland U21 player will have gone under the knife, having injured his other knee back in December 2018 and going on to regain full fitness, playing an important role as the Hatters stayed in the Championship.

With that in mind, Shea said: “Glen has got to have his op because he’s done the same thing so me and him are going to be partners for a good few months.

"We’ll push each other, probably get on each other’s nerves at some point, but we will both help each other through it all.

“Glen has done it and come back, he was brilliant so you take inspiration from Glen.

"He came back and showed what he can do and that’s what I want to do.”

Although Shea knows that there are some long and arduous months of rehabilitation ahead, there was the odd positive point he can take, adding: “My holiday's been cancelled, but we'll have a good time together (at the training ground).

“It's going to be tough but we'll get each other through it.

"I get to spend time with my little girl who's 15 months.

"She's not used to having me home every single day, so it's one good thing coming out of it, that I get to spend more time with them.”