Luton Town manager Matt Bloomfield insists it is imperative his team avoid the ‘hangover’ of relegation as they gear up for life in League One.
The Hatters suffered heartbreak last month when they were relegated for the second successive season, one year after dropping out of the Premier League. Bloomfield replaced Rob Edwards in January and he looked to be guiding the club to safety following a run of two defeats in 11 games before the end of the season.
They entered their final day clash against West Bromwich Albion on the back of three successive wins and outside the bottom three. However, a 5-3 defeat coupled with Hull City’s 1-1 draw against Portsmouth saw them slip out of the division on goal difference.
“Have To Move Forward”
With the dust having settled on another disappointment at Kenilworth Road, Bloomfield insists that it is time to look forward, not backwards. Speaking to official club media, he said:
“There was obviously extreme disappointment the way the season finished.
“We’d been in really good form up until that point and to lose in the manner we did and get relegated, it hurt a lot.
“There’s no getting away from that. It took a little while to try and get over that, and I think it’s lingered a little while, but ultimately we have to move on.
“We have to move forward and we have to move forward in the way that we believe is right for our football club.
“We’re really excited about the season ahead. There’s no getting away from that. We have to be excited – but we have to let the past be the past. We have to move on quickly and we can’t carry the weight of what’s been gone.
“If we allow ourselves to have a hangover, that’s not going to be good for what’s coming ahead, so we have to let that go.
“While we acknowledge it and we accept it, we have to move on with excitement and with energy and with vigour.
“They’re only words right now, but I’m really excited to get back and really determined, hungry and energised to put this team out on the pitch for our football club.
“So whilst we acknowledge what’s been gone in the last couple of seasons, now our focus has to be looking forward – and I am determined to lead this football club looking forward, and I’m determined to make sure that we’re all hitting the new season with the energy that it needs.”
Writer’s View
Luton will start League One as one of the favourites to achieve promotion, especially after the financial riches they inherited from their brief stay in the Premier League. However, they also started last season as one of the favourites in the Championship. Bloomfield will know the pressure and the challenges that go alongside being the team to beat, but it’s difficult to envisage them struggling like they did in the second tier. He’s saying the right things, but it is will be interesting to see how that translates on the pitch come August.
