Toon legend urges Justin to stay with Luton

The 51-year-old ex Charlton and Newcastle midfielder has been something of a regular at Luton matches since Justin broke into the team, watching his son Olly in action.

Top flight Leicester City were rumoured to be interested in the 19-year-old’s services over the summer, before Hatters confirmed last week they had rejected a bid reported to be seven figures from Nottingham Forest for the full back.

However, Lee believes that staying with Luton is the right option for now, as he said: “I like him, he’s come in and done extremely well.

“I don’t know him as a lad, but Olly says he’s a great boy and the best thing for him at the moment is to stay with Luton, learn his trade and get better and better.

“As I said to my lads, if you enjoy playing football then these things, moves, money, getting better, promotions, will all come along, that will happen for everybody.

“You only enjoy it when you’re winning and playing well and they’ve got the potential to do that.”

Lee also warned a move to the Premier League, despite the bigger wage packet it would command, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be for a youngster in only his second season as a full time pro.

He added: “If he went to a Premier League club he’s only going for money and money will come.

“If you play well and if you perform, if he has another season like he did last year then money will come eventually.

“But money will come when you’re playing as well, rather than sitting there.

“The problem with Premier League clubs is they grab a load of players, bring them all in, and they stick them out on loan somewhere, really just to stop other people getting them. For me, the FA should stop that.

“They should say you can only have a certain amount of players.

“I think Chelsea had 47 out on loan and okay young kids get money, but is that the best thing for them?

“For me, yes, you want to get the money later on but you want to be playing.

“It’s a short career, I’m saying to my boys, you want to be playing football.

“Elliot had a year out last year, where he hardly played and it’s horrible.

“Sitting on 10, 20, 30, 40 grand, it doesn’t matter.

“If you love the game and you’re not playing it, it’s a horrible feeling.”