Luton Town have enjoyed a historic season in the Championship, with Nathan Jones’ side making a real push for promotion as the Hatters clinched a play-off spot on the final day of the season.
The Bedfordshire club have not played top-flight football in 30 years, and given that Luton were a League Two side in 2018, it is quite incredible just how far they have come in five years.
As well as storming up the EFL, Luton have played host to some truly quality players over the years, and HITC Sport take a crack of a Hatters XI had the club decided to keep some of their biggest names.
GK – Simon Sluga
Goalkeepers have been something of an issue for Luton this season, and out of the entire selection to represent the club in recent years, Simon Sluga arguably stands out as the best the Hatters have seen.
A Croatian international currently playing for Bulgarian giants Ludogorets, Sluga spent three seasons at Luton before making the move back to eastern Europe, where the 29-year-old has continued to impress.
RB – Max Aarons
One of many defensive products from Luton’s academy, Max Aarons was once regarded as one of England’s most exciting fullback prospects after leaving the Hatters to move to Norwich City, where the right-back has flourished.
Now a reported £20m target for West Ham and Arsenal, Aarons looks set for a big move this summer, with Luton likely to pocket a decent chunk of the transfer fee Norwich receives for the England youth international.
CB – Cameron Carter-Vickers
The first of a handful of players who spent just a few months at Luton on loan, Cameron Carter-Vickers has long been seen as a potential superstar defender, and this season has seen the USA international finally show signs of this promise.
The on-loan Tottenham defender has been outstanding for the Hoops this season, and the Scotland giants look set to reclaim the Scottish Premiership title with Carter-Vickers manning the centre-back position for the majority of the campaign.
CB – Tom Lockyer
The only player in this XI to still be a Luton player, Tom Lockyer joined the club in 2020 from Charlton Athletic and has since developed into a quality Championship centre-back as well as a regular for Wales at international level.
At 27, Lockyer is in the prime of his career, and Luton fans will be hopeful that the former Cardiff City academy star will continue to ply his trade at Kenilworth Road in the coming seasons, especially with Premier League football becoming a growing possibility.
LB – James Justin
Another fullback talent from the academy, James Justin established himself as one of Luton’s most exciting prospects in the club’s League Two days back in 2016, and three years and two promotions later, the defender is now a regular with Leicester City.
A season-ending injury last year ruined the defender’s hopes of a potential England call-up, but with Justin now back to full fitness and in Brendan Rodgers’ starting XI, the 24-year-old fullback can now start to build some steam of a dream call from Gareth Southgate.
RM – Jack Stacey
Just like Justin, Jack Stacey was a key member for Luton in their promotions to both League One and the Championship, and a Premier League move came calling in 2019 to AFC Bournemouth, where the versatile wide player remains to this day.
A regular for Scott Parker this season in the Cherries Premier League-promotion side, Stacey will be hoping to play consistent minutes next campaign back in the top-flight, where Luton will be dreaming of joining Bournemouth via the play-offs.
CM – Jack Wilshere
A player who spent their developmental years at Luton before making the move to Arsenal, Jack Wilshere is arguably the biggest name to come from the Hatters in recent years, with the midfielder still an icon at the Emirates Stadium despite his misfortunes.
Now with Danish side Aarhus, Wilshere is making positive strides in getting his career back on track after being a free agent for most of the season, with the former England star’s last club being Championship side AFC Bournemouth before moving to Scandinavia.
CM – Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Not many Luton fans would have predicted Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to go on to become a Premier League regular, but football has its funny ways of working out, and the midfielder has this season established himself as a key player for Leicester.
A starter in both the Premier League and in Europe, Dewsbury-Hall played a key role for the Foxes in their run to the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-finals, and just like Justin, the midfielder will be dreaming of an England call-up in the coming months if his form continues.
LM – Jay DaSilva
A similar player to Wilshere, Jay DaSilva started his footballing career at Luton before Chelsea scooped up the talented winger at a young age and developed him into an exciting young wide player.
A regular for England at U-21 level and now a key member for Bristol City, DaSilva has developed into a fine Championship player, and the winger could be a useful signing for Luton in the summer should the Hatters look to re-sign their former academy star.
ST – Andre Gray
One of the shrewdest signings Luton have made in recent years, the Hatters plucked Andre Gray from non-league Hinckley United and set the Jamaican international on his way to becoming one of the most lethal strikers in recent years in the EFL.
55 goals in just over 100 Luton appearances saw Gray make the move to Brentford, where the striker once again impressed and won himself a move to Burnley, where the attacker became a regular in the Premier League before dropping back down to the Championship with Queens Park Rangers.
ST – James Collins
Justin and Stacey were stars for Luton in their promotions to League One and the Championship, but James Collins was hands down the Hatters’ MVP in their incredible rise up the English football pyramid.
72 goals in four seasons across three different divisions is an outstanding tally, and whilst Collins’ time with Luton ended in the striker rejecting a contract and moving to Cardiff City, the Republic of Ireland international remains a key member of the club’s recent history.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
