“But it feels like home and that was a big, big thing to come back.”, Nathan Jones returns as manager of Luton Town with 'repaired differences'. At Stoke he failed to get results from the most expensively assembled squad in the division and yet, at Luton, he eked out every last sinew from each player, some of whom have struggled to reach the same heights since. “I had no other clothes on me,” he said. Luton boss Nathan Jones felt his side should have claimed all three points during their 1-1 draw against Birmingham in the Championship. An emotional, heart-on-the-sleeve character, Jones is determined to gain redemption and has another chance to make his mark. Luton are second-bottom of the Championship, six points from safety, with many second-tier clubs. Luton Town manager Nathan Jones was almost lost for words as he tried to sum up Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s performance against Birmingham City … Nathan Jones' departure went down sourly with Hatters fans and the club board. Luton are six points from safety with nine games remaining and, if they are to escape relegation Jones will need to, as Sweet put it, hit the ground sprinting. But he says the motivation to resume the journey and build on what he had achieved previously is now his focus. Jones led Luton to promotion from League Two in 2017-18, before departing in January 2019 when they were second in the League One table. “I either did it in a Stoke top or bare-chested and that was a naive mistake.”. “People say you shouldn’t do this, you shouldn’t do that but deep in my heart this feels right,” he says. Newly reappointed Luton boss Nathan Jones says he must regain the respect of fans after he "betrayed" them in the way he left for Stoke last year. Analysis and opinion from our chief football writer. in November after winning just six of his 38 matches with the club. Photo: James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Images. Manager Nathan Jones is relishing the opportunity to reacquaint himself with the Kenilworth Road faithful should permission be granted to allow 2,000 fans back into the ground. Jones’s exit cut so deep that, until not so long ago the club’s chief executive, Gary Sweet, ignored his calls and, at the time, the chairman, David Wilkinson, said the manager “showed he is not the man he professes to be”. But it was not just fans left with a sour taste when the Welshman moved on midway through a season that culminated in Luton being crowned League One champions. These are exceptional circumstances - the Hatters face severe financial consequences if relegated in these coronavirus times. Some supporters still have grievances with Jones for what they deemed a sly and sudden departure to Stoke, where he lasted seven months before being sacked in November with the club in the Championship relegation zone. “He’s man enough to admit he made a mistake,” says Harford, who will be the assistant manager under Jones. “I had just left a group [at Luton] that basically would have run over their granny for a win,” he said last year. But the Luton board has evidently forgiven. more than two months after the season was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic. The timing was poor and people felt left down by Jones, who had declared his love for the club so openly. How to get into football - the most popular sport in the world, with clubs and facilities throughout the UK. Nathan Jones is set to seal a return to Luton and be reappointed as the Championship side’s new manager on Thursday. Luton boss Nathan Jones told BBC Three Counties Radio: "It's a shame there's no fans here because I think it would be bouncing right now, the volume levels would be through the roof. Luton Town manager Nathan Jones was pleased with the second-half performance which secured the win over Rotherham United. “I was tested to the absolute maximum but I can guarantee you do learn far more about yourself through adversity than when things are hunky dory.”. Sweet cited Eddie Howe’s return to Bournemouth from Burnley as an example of how managers can successfully retraced their steps and there are others in the Football League who have had joy in going back for seconds, notably John Coleman at Accrington, the outgoing Nigel Clough at Burton and Mark Robins, who has led Coventry to the League One summit. The Hatters fell behind to Lukas Jutkiewicz’s penalty midway through the first half at Kenilworth Road but equalised … "I went against everything they'd [Luton supporters] given me," he said. Last updated on 28 May 202028 May 2020.From the section Luton. In an interview prior to … Jones told BBC Three Counties Radio: "I love the club and I wholeheartedly regret how those events came about because I could've handled that so much better. "I had a fantastic relationship with the fans - I betrayed that. “We believe we’ve got the manager who will not only get us out of trouble but move us forward.”. Read about our approach to external linking. “I’m a better manager now, ironically, than when I left,” Jones says. When I have peace, they are normally the right decisions.”. The former Brighton and Yeovil coach - who will be assisted by Hatters legend Mick Harford - was sacked by Stoke in November after winning just six of his 38 matches with the club. But there is no time to dwell on the past. The Welshman, 46, has signed a "long-term" deal to return to Kenilworth Road 16 months after choosing to leave. Nathan Jones says Joe Rothwell’s pre-match claim that Rovers should ‘expect to beat’ Luton was something his dressing room used as motivation. Graeme Jones, his successor and predecessor at Luton, switched tactics and personnel – Elliot Lee and George Moncur were pushed to the fringes, while only the captain, Sonny Bradley, Matthew Pearson, Pelly Ruddock and James Collins started both Luton’s last game against Wigan in March and Nathan Jones’s last league game in charge. But I had to earn that, let's not forget, because I wasn't embraced immediately and that's exactly what I intend to do again.". Luton Town manager Nathan Jones was almost lost for words as he tried to sum up Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s performance against Birmingham City … "Every observer knows exactly what we thought about Nathan when he left for Stoke and we could hardly hide that disappointment at the time," said chief executive Gary Sweet. hey say never go back but, 16 months on from an acrimonious exit. Luton are second-bottom of the Championship, six points from safety, with many second-tier clubs returning to training this week more than two months after the season was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic. Luton boss Nathan Jones felt his side should have claimed all three points during their 1-1 draw against Birmingham in the Championship. The latest rumours and stories from around the world of football. He has nothing to lose and not playing in front of supporters could bizarrely be a blessing for him in the early stages as he seeks to win fans around all over again. Get latest scores and headlines sent straight to your phone, sign-up to our newsletter and learn where to find us on online. "Let's put any of those differences behind us - one week of madness shouldn't detract from those three fantastic years that Nathan gave us before. He failed miserably at Stoke – he won six of 38 matches in charge – but has an opportunity to repair his reputation. “It’s like a scene from ET [at training] at the minute because of all the testing; the league protocols are all in place and it’s very surreal,” he says. Jones’ stock has fallen but he turned down several offers to return to management sooner and, via that sojourn at Stoke, he has an opportunity to continue what he started four years ago when he galvanised and energised a mid-table League Two team who were going nowhere fast. ‘Other decisions I’ve made, I haven’t’ he adds. ‘Other decisions I’ve made, I haven’t’ he adds.