'Zero' romance in FA Cup tie with Reading for Luton chief

Luton boss Nathan Jones has declared there is ‘zero romance’ in his side’s FA Cup third round tie against Reading.

The Hatters will take on their Championship opponents at Kenilworth Road on Saturday, January 9 at 3pm after the televised matches were confirmed yesterday.

Town will have only just visited Berkshire on Boxing Day, while they also faced Reading in the Carabao Cup back in September, winning 1-0 at the Madjeski Stadium.

Jones said: “It’s another Championship game, absolutely zero romance whatsoever.

“We would have loved a big tie or come up against different league just to have something different.

“To play Reading when we play them a week earlier on Boxing Day, it is zero romance whatsoever but that is the cup.

"Marine got Tottenham and that is a really romantic tie and then we are just the married couple for 100 years just ticking over, that’s our tie.

“I don’t want to be disrespectful to Reading in anyway, it’s an FA Cup draw, it will add spice to it anyway but three years ago, the thought would be that we really fancy taking a scalp.

“We still have the attitude to win the game but its just, again with the greatest of respect, we don’t regard Reading as a massive scalp now because we are on the same level as them.

"It’s going to be a hell of a difficult game.

"They will probably be slight favourites going into the game but is shows how far we have come that we are now seeing a Championship draw which is something less romantic than someone else, and that’s not being disrespectful to Reading."

It was the same for attacker Harry Cornick, who added: "It’s not one that the fans are going to be buzzing for, but it’s another game and a chance for us to progress.

"We’ve got to think, why not have a cup run this year?

"Win a few games in the cup and then maybe draw one of the big boys, who knows?

"You never know in the FA Cup, it's always a good competition, I do like the FA Cup."