[themaclad]

Luton Town have named ex-Watford boss Rob Edwards as their new manager on a "minimum three-and-a-half year" deal.

The 39-year-old replaces Nathan Jones, who left the Championship club last week after being appointed by Premier League side Southampton.

Edwards was appointed by Watford in May and sacked on 26 September after only 11 games in charge, winning three.

"From the outside, looking in at Luton Town, you see such a well-run football club," he told the club website.

"You can see it's a club that puts its people and supporters first. I feel a lot of positivity around the place, and I'm really thankful to be given the chance to be part of it.

"Because of where I've just come from, it has probably added a difficulty to the decision for them, but I'm really pleased that they see past that and deem me as the right person to play a part in the next chapter of this club going forward."

Following a playing career that began at Aston Villa and included spells at Wolves, Blackpool and Barnsley, Edwards retired at the age of 30.

He had two games in charge of Wolves as interim boss in 2016 and a season as AFC Telford boss before becoming head coach of England's under-16 team.

Edwards was appointed by Forest Green Rovers in May 2021 and they went up as League Two champions last term, winning half of their 46 league games and losing only eight, prompting Watford to recruit him following relegation from the Premier League.

The two clubs are just 19 miles apart and their rivalry stretches back to 1921 when they faced each other in a league game for the first time.

'We understand supporters' concerns'
Edwards is only the second person to manage both clubs, and first for 84 years, after Neil McBain.

"We fully understand the concerns some supporters may have with his previous club, but the one action Watford did that impressed us in recent times was their appointment of Rob," Luton chief executive Gary Sweet said.

"From our lengthy conversations with him, he immediately bought into our values as a club, we had deep discussions about our culture, our opportunities, and he fully understands where we have come from to get to this point now.

"We're confident that with such a limited association with them, Rob will very quickly feel much more a member of our tight club here at Kenilworth Road."

Edwards' first match as Luton boss will be away to Middlesbrough on 10 December following the World Cup break.

His first home game comes eight days later against Millwall.

The Hatters are 10th in the table - six places below Watford, having lost 4-0 to them at Vicarage Road on 23 October - after reaching the play-offs under Jones last season.

Sweet said there had been "unprecedented interest" in the job and that Edwards' associated staff were likely to join him in the next few days.

'Short connection with Watford' - analysis
Geoff Doyle, BBC Three Counties Radio sports editor

The narrative is that Edwards becomes only the second person in history to manage both Watford and Luton - but I think the majority of Hatters fans won't be too bothered by that.

Edwards only managed 10 Championship games at Vicarage Road before being sacked and so there isn't that big a connection.

Luton supporters should care more about whether he can achieve at this level with his previous success having come in League Two with Forest Green.

He ticks a lot of boxes. He's well-regarded, is a young ambitious coach and strives for a good team-working ethos.

To his and the club's advantage, he now has three weeks to work with the players and get his principles across before the Championship resumes after the World Cup break.

[themaclad]

Luton Town manager Rob Edwards has signed a new four-year contract with the Hatters despite last season's relegation from the Premier League.

Edwards led Luton to promotion from the Championship in 2022-23 after being appointed three months into the season on a "minimum three-and-a-half-year" deal.

But the 41-year-old Welshman's new agreement at Kenilworth Road will now run until the end of the 2027-28 season.

"It's been the best 18 months of my professional career, we’ve had so much fun," Edwards told the club website., external

"It was never in doubt, but it's great that we are all on the same page here and we know where we want to be now we’ve all had a taste of it.

"We all know the Championship, what a challenge it is, and yes, it is going to be a really difficult year, but also a really exciting one. I'm just delighted."

[themaclad]

Top man will do a great job for someone else


Luton Town manager Rob Edwards has left the club following four straight defeats in the Championship.

The 42-year-old was appointed in November 2022 and steered The Hatters to promotion back to the top flight for the first time in over 30 years in 2023 when they beat Coventry City on penalties at Wembley.

He remained at the helm despite relegation from the Premier League after just a single season, but a run of four straight defeats has left them 20th in the Championship.

Monday's 2-1 defeat at Queens Park Rangers was their 10th in a row away from home and they are just two places and two points above the relegation places.

"It's been a privilege to manage Luton Town Football Club, but now is the right time for me to move on, for the club and me," the former Wales international said in a statement on the club website.

"I'm really proud of what we achieved, not only winning a play-off game which the club had struggled to do, but winning the final and gaining promotion to the Premier League at Wembley was the most amazing experience.

"I take with me some incredible memories, not just the victories against Watford or Sunderland in the semi-final, or Brighton, Newcastle, Palace or Everton.

"But the way we did it, how we played against Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Villa and Manchester United, we were brave and brilliant to watch, how the Kenny bounced and roared. That's what I'll remember."

His assistants, Richie Kyle and Paul Trollope will be in charge of the team for Sunday's FA Cup third-round tie at Nottingham Forest, along with club legend and former boss Mick Harford.

"The club is in great shape, financially, in a really strong position with an exciting new stadium on the horizon. I really hope I will be able to return as a fan," Edwards added.

Luton fans react to departure of boss Rob Edwards
'The right time for me to move on' - Edwards

A former Aston Villa, Wolves and Blackpool defender, Edwards began his coaching career at AFC Telford and had a spell in charge of England's under-16 side before guiding Forest Green Rovers to promotion from League Two in May 2022.

That earned him a move to Watford, but his tenure at Vicarage Road lasted just 11 matches before his contract was terminated and they turned to the more experienced Slaven Bilic.

He only had to wait two months for a fresh opportunity when he was given the Luton job following Nathan Jones' departure for Southampton.

Disappointment followed success with last season's relegation from the top flight, during which captain Tom Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest during a game against Bournemouth in December 2023.

But having been given a new four-year contract last summer, Edwards expressed confidence ahead of the current campaign that he had a squad capable of challenging for promotion again.

Their start was disrupted by injuries, but after only taking one point from their first four games, they managed back-to-back wins over Millwall and Sheffield Wednesday.

A 5-1 defeat at Middlesbrough on 9 November was their heaviest since losing back-to-back games by the same score against Manchester City and Brentford in the Premier League in April.


And Edwards - who won 32 of his 103 games in charge of Luton - subsequently admitted he had experienced self doubt as a result of their poor start to the campaign.

Asked about his position following the Middlesbrough game, he told BBC Three Counties Radio: "Whatever will be, will be, I'm not in control of that stuff. I love this football club, it's been one hell of a ride and we've achieved things probably non-one thought was possible.

"If that is it, we can hold our heads high, we've given everything - if it's not, then we continue to fight. The football club always comes first. I'm a big man and know how the game works. I've tried my best."

The board decided to stand by Edwards and although The Hatters won three of their next seven games, a 1-0 loss at Bristol City on Boxing Day began the run of defeats which brought his tenure to an end.

"Rob has given us some of our greatest days to celebrate as Hatters," chief executive Gary Sweet said.

"The play-off final at Wembley and our season in the Premier League will live with us forever and in doing so Rob has earned himself a legendary status.

"Results this season, especially away from home, have clearly not been acceptable and while we have supported Rob and his team in every possible way, we all felt that action was required to rectify this with 20 league matches still to play.

"It is typical of Rob's humility that he also recognised this himself and leaves not just as a former manager, but as a trusted friend who has left his mark on every player and member of staff."

Why have Luton lost their way this season?
With plans for a brand new stadium at Power Court moving forwards, things are looking positive off the pitch at Luton, but it has been a different story as far as results are concerned.

The loss of Tom Lockyer, who was working his way towards a comeback before damaging ankle ligaments last month, was exacebated at the start of the season by a series of injuries in Luton's defence.

The club brought in a number of players over the summer, including former Cardiff centre-back Mark McGuinness, but in large part, the squad was the same as that which won promotion under Edwards two years ago.

The Hatters have conceded 44 goals in the Championship - only bottom-of-the-table Plymouth have let in more.

During their 2022-23 promotion campaign, opposition teams only managed an average of 10.7 shots per game against them (not including play-off fixtures) - that total is 13.7 this season, suggesting that the pressing game has been less effective.

And they have conceded 34 goals from open play this term, compared to 24 in the the entire campaign when they were last in the Championship.

There have also been problems at the top end of the pitch where they have scored 27 goals in 26 games, the fifth lowest total in the division.

Captain Carlton Morris scored 20 times in 44 league appearances in 2022-23, a ratio of a goal every 2.2 games, but it is 3.2 this term for his seven in 23.

And although striker partner Elijah Adebayo's ratio is better than two seasons ago, 5.2 compared to 6.0, he has only found the net five times in 26 matches.

Luton's average shots on target per game is almost identical, 3.7 compared to 3.8 in 2022-23, but the goals per game rate has fallen from 1.2 to 1.04.