Play-off final win at Wembley is still giving Luton defender 'butterflies'

Town defender Amar’i Bell is still getting butterflies over a month after winning promotion to the Premier League with Luton last season.

The 29-year-old was part of the Hatters’ side who beat Coventry City 6-5 on penalties at Wembley on May 27, playing the entire 120 minutes in his left-sided centre half role as Town did the unthinkable and returned to the top flight for the first time in over 30 years.

It sparked scenes of utter jubilation from the massed ranks of Luton fans at the national stadium, as the club also saw 20,000 supporters come out to cheer their heroes in an open top bus tour and celebration at St George’s Square afterwards.

With Bell out of contract at Kenilworth Road this summer, the defender has now penned a new deal to remain in Bedfordshire, as speaking to the club’s official website, he said: “It’s an opportunity that everyone wants to take, and I can’t wait for it.

“It was just a matter of time, but I’m so happy to get it done and now all I can think about is coming back and getting ready for the season ahead.

“Making my debut for Jamaica was amazing, but without the fans there it was dimmed down a little, so Wembley has to be the best moment of my career.

"That feeling of getting promoted was crazy.

"Earlier on today I was just looking at the videos and pictures of that moment, and it’s still giving me butterflies a month on!”

Bell is currently in America with the Jamaica squad as they prepare for their second Gold Cup match against Trinidad & Tobago on Thursday.

After confirming the injury that saw him carried off on a stretcher during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with the USA wasn’t serious, once Bell has returned from international duty, there will only be one thing on his mind.

He added: “The excitement, I don’t think words can describe it.

"I think all the boys were waiting for the fixture list to come out and when we saw it, the achievement sinks in.

“It’s definitely an opportunity that I’m going to grasp with both hands and make it count.

"We can all have a huge sense of pride that we’ve achieved something like this in our career.”