Reaching the Premier League 'means the world' to long-serving Luton defender

​​Town defender Dan Potts isn’t sure the magnitude of just what the Hatters have achieved by reaching the Premier League will fully sink in for a while, insisting the achievement ‘means the world’ to everyone at the club.

Luton earned a spot in the top flight by beating Coventry City 6-5 on penalties at Wembley last month, meaning they will now take their place amongst some of the best teams in world football once more next term for the first time in over 30 years.

They had gone close last term, losing out to Huddersfield in the semi-finals, but made no mistake this time, in front of almost 40,000 Hatters supporters at the home of English football.

Potts, who had been part of the Town team who also lost out to Blackpool in the League Two play-offs in 2017, was on target in the successful shoot-out, scoring the Hatters’ first attempt in sudden death.

He said at the Civic reception after the St George’s Square celebrations: “It means the world.

"You see the people out there, how much it means to them, but for myself, and I probably speak for everyone else at the club, it does mean the world.

“It's a big, big achievement and I do think that once we all zoom out and look at what's actually happened, we'll be super proud.

"It's been even better this time as we had the play-off heartbreak last year.

"I look back all the way when it happened in League Two as well, so it does make it a bit sweeter and everyone says it's (play-offs) the best way of doing it, and I think we agree.”

Potts, who joined Luton back in 2015 after being released by West Ham, has now earned three promotions since his move to Bedfordshire, playing over 200 games in that time too.

He never quite believed reaching the top flight was possible either, continuing: “No, you always try and have that end goal in life, whatever career you're in.

"It's always important to take the steps in between and thankfully at this club it’s happened and those steps have been pretty quick, but no, Premier League was a far, far cry from where we were at the time, but we're here now.”

Stepping up from the spot with the scores tied at 5-5 took some doing from Potts as well, the defender having never taken a penalty in his professional career before.

Where he succeeded, Coventry sub Fankaty Dabo then failed, sparking scenes of utter jubilation, as the centre half added: "We've been diligent over the last couple of weeks and doing everything we needed to have done for that to happen.

"We were all in the zone, I thought everyone who took penalties was brilliant.

"I had to check on my nan and grandad afterwards to make sure they were still alive, bless them, but we were all super confident going up to take a penalty.

"I said to the boys and then the manager said it, ‘no regrets, pick your spot and stick with it.’

"It's a horrible way for Coventry and the poor lad that missed, but super proud of the lads that took the penalties and happy for mine to hit the back of the net.”