​No egos allowed for Hatters striker despite a lack of game time during Luton's survival bid

Luton striker Cauley Woodrow insists any egos will be left at the door in an attempt to help the Hatters stay in the Premier League this season.

The 29-year-old was one of a handful of players who had experienced the top flight before Town won promotion, having played six times for Fulham earlier in his career, moving to Craven Cottage from Luton when aged just 16. Coming on as a late substitute in the opening day defeat to Brighton, Woodrow then scored a wonderful goal as the Hatters beat Gillingham 3-2 in their Carabao Cup second round clash.

However, he found it harder to break into Rob Edwards’ starting XI for the Premier League, restricted to just eight outings in total, all of them coming as a substitute, while he was also absent for almost two months due to a calf injury. Now fit again, Woodrow gave a clear reminder of just what he is capable of, when introduced midway through the second half at Everton in the FA Cup on Saturday, going on to score a stoppage time winner to seal a 2-1 success that sent Luton through to round five.

He then came off the bench for the closing stages of Tuesday night’s 4-0 win over Brighton in the top flight, as on his campaign to date, Woodrow said: “It’s been hard, I just try and train my hardest every single day. You’ve just got to be positive around the place, help the boys that are playing, as ultimately this season it’s about us staying up.

"It’s about us being in the Premier League next season and whether you’re playing or not playing, you’ve got to be a good person and put your own ego aside for a moment. It’s difficult at times as everyone wants to play, but it’s a team game and we’ve all got to stick together if we want to achieve something this season.

"I haven't been playing as much as I would have wanted to, I’ve been unlucky with injury as well. It's been tough since I've come here, but I've scored goals my whole career, that’s what I'm about. I love it here, it’s the local team to me, I was here as a kid as well, it's just an amazing football club. All the lads are unbelievable, the fans as well.”

Since Edwards took over at Kenilworth Road in November 2022, the forward has seen his impact limited by a succession of unfortunate injuries, while also having to bide his time behind Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo. When called upon he has often made an impression though, with the winner against Norwich in the manager’s first home game in charge, plus further goals to help Luton triumph at both Wigan Athletic and Rotherham United last term.

Although he has only started three league games for the Hatters under Edwards, his last the 1-1 draw at Reading in April 2023 when he suffered yet another frustrating injury just as he was returning to his best form, asked how he has been when trying win his place back, the boss said: “Cauley’s always really good. He’s really mature, he gets it and I know I say this all the time, I can’t keep everyone happy, but if I can keep people motivated, focused and fit then that’s my job really.

"Cauley is someone that of course has his frustrations, but he also fights like crazy to get in. He’ll train really, really hard and really well and we trust him. He’s had some injuries and a stop-start time since we’ve been in. It’s been hard for him to maybe get a rhythm, but he’s scored some really important goals for us, at key times, so we know he knows where the back of the net is.”

With Adebayo up to eight for the season in the top flight after a brilliant hat-trick against the Seagulls in midweek, then if Woodrow and Morris can find their scoring touch in the second half of the campaign, Edwards knows it will be of huge benefit to Town’s attempts at staying up, adding: “Putting the ball in the back of the net at this level is the most difficult thing. You don’t get as many chances to do it as you do in the Championship obviously and the more people that we’ve got in good form, confident, who I feel can impact the game, the better for us.

"It gives me some headaches but that’s good and I trust all of the lads. They’re all going to press, all going to work hard, all going to give us something in possession, but hopefully they can all have a goal threat as well, whether it’s open play or set-pieces.”

​

​