Lack of fear meant Craddock always believed Luton Town could win the JPT

Former Luton striker Tom Craddock always had faith that his side could be crowned Johnstone's Paint Trophy champions back in 2009 due to their difficult run to the final.

Then a League Two side, Town saw off Brentford, Walsall and Colchester in the early rounds, before beating Brighton & Hove Albion on penalties in the area final, all four sides plying their trade a division higher than the Hatters.

That set up a meeting with another third tier side, Scunthorpe United in the final, with Chris Martin, Craddock and Claude Gnapka scoring to seal a famous 3-2 victory, 11 years ago to the day on Sunday.

Although few others had given Town a chance, Craddock revealed he and the squad were always confident going into the Wembley clash, as speaking exclusively to the Luton News, he said: “We played against Walsall in the earlier rounds and we’d beat them and we were comfortable.

“Just before I joined, we played Brentford who were flying high at the top of the league, so they were quite fancied, Colchester were League One and Brighton were League One, so we beat all League One teams and we didn't have anything to fear.

“Scunthorpe were the best team we played because you look at the players they had, they went and had a good season in the Championship after getting promoted through the play-offs and then a few of their players moved on.

“So we just all believed, we had quite a few young lads who had a lot of belief in themselves and then some really good older pros and experienced players who weren’t fazed by anything as they'd played higher.

“It was just a good mix really and we didn’t have any fear.

"Playing at Kenilworth Road, there's a lot of expectation and I know the fans were quite kind to us that year, but when you get beat, the fans give you a little bit of stick so you learn to deal with the pressure.

"That game, the pressure didn't really seem to bother anyone, everyone seemed to step up and raise their game for it.

“In quite a few of the league games we’d gone behind a few times and come back and won games, so although we were at the bottom with the points deduction, we’d come back in a few games and had belief.

"We had a really good dressing room and going into the final, Scunthorpe were in the play-offs and went up to the Championship, and I don't think anyone fancied us.

"I had a lot of family and friends come down and I know they didn’t fancy us either, but we all believed, everyone just believed we were going to win.

"The way it happened, the way the game went, it was just a great game and an unbelievable day, something you’ll never, ever forget.

"I've been looking at the photos the last few days as when you're playing you take it on on the day, but when you finish playing, it brings it all back what a big achievement it all was.”

Taking the pitch for the Hatters that day were some seriously good players too, who had all featured at a higher level during their careers too.

Craddock, who was 23 at time, knew they had been a key element of the success, adding: "Nico (Kevin Nicholls), everyone knows what he was like, he was absolutely different class.

"On the pitch, he was like a warhorse, I know he had really bad knees, but he used to go out and give everything, train every day and give his absolutely all as he just loved the football club, he was brilliant.

"Nico was a top footballer and a top Championship player when he was at Luton the first time round

“Then you had George Pilkington who was absolutely different class, he was so underrated.

"I think he was one of the best defenders in the lower league, he was quick, strong, tough, really good on the ball, he had everything.

"Then the likes of Kevin Gallen, he was cup-tied, but he was a really, really important part of the dressing room, always joking and kept everyone upbeat.

"Those three especially were really important and for a young lad like myself, just trying to make my way in the game, it was great as you could learn off them.

"It wasn't all good, we used to have arguments and scuffles in training, but it was always left on the training pitch.

"Then the coaching staff, we had Dimi (Kharine), Mick (Harford), Alan Neilson and Kevin Watson.

"Those four were just a really good changing room and it was a shame that we couldn't stay together for longer the next season.

"As I do think if we had kept that same core together, we would have definitely pushed Stevenage further, I know we pushed them all the way, but we would have definitely pushed them further than we did.”