Leeds defender and Luton play-off winner hopes Town can survive in the top flight

​​Luton play-off winner Cody Drameh is keeping his fingers crossed that the Hatters can win their battle to stay in the Premier League this term.

The 22-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Kenilworth Road from Leeds United after joining in January, playing a huge part in Town reaching the top flight, featuring 19 times, including the full 120 minutes as Luton defeated Coventry City on penalties at Wembley. He then joined Championship side Birmingham City in the summer, making 30 outings in all competitions this term.

He has retained a close eye on his former side’s efforts to remain in the top flight though, telling Sky Bet: “I’ve been keeping up with Luton’s results in the Premier League this season as I’m always looking out for how they’re doing. They are near the relegation zone currently, so hopefully they can get themselves out and get themselves into a more comfortable position and I wish them well for the remainder of the season.”

Drameh would also love to see Town chief Rob Edwards lead the club to safety, after the manager has made a terrific impact during his time since being appointed as Luton manager in November 2022, continuing: "He is a top manager and a top person. His attention to detail is impeccable and he never overlooks anything, never takes anything for granted in terms of the opposition.

"He helped me a lot with my game whilst I was playing as a right wing back in a back five, and he made everything clear for me and that’s vital for players so when you step on the pitch, you know exactly what you need to do. Overall, he was a great gaffer for me. The mentality that Rob Edwards and his coaching staff installed in us was a hard-working team effort, no individuals, with everyone working together, pushing for one thing and ultimately achieving that at the end of the season.

“I think even though we had a much smaller budget at Luton in the Championship last season, it just shows the mentality we had going into games, how we worked hard for each other and what hard work can do – it can make up a lot of gaps."

The defender’s aims this term are the polar opposite as he is part of a Blues side who are now just a single point above the relegation zone in the second tier with three matches to go. Casting his mind back almost 12 months now to what it was like at the home of English football with the Hatters, he said: “It was an amazing feeling being promoted to the Premier League with Luton through the play-off final. It was a very tiring 120 minutes of football and then when it went to penalties, everyone was nervous.

"I had Luke Berry standing next to me during the shoot-out, and he took one of the first penalties, which he scored, then the player (Fankaty Dabo) from Coventry missed his. It was nerve-wracking, but was amazing to have been promoted with Luton. I was actually due to take the next penalty in the shootout, so I’m not sure how that would have played out in an alternative universe, but luckily it didn’t get to me.”