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1182 FOREST GREEN I29 _SINGLE.indd 1 25/04/2018 14:51 1182 FOREST GREEN I29 _SINGLE.indd 2 25/04/2018 14:51 LUTON TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB 2020 LTD [WELCOME TO LUTON TOWN v FOREST GREEN ROVERS] Kenilworth Road Stadium, 1 Maple Road, Luton, Bedfordshire LU4 8AW Switchboard: 01582 411622 Ticket office: 01582 416976 [email protected] | www.lutontown.co.uk CLUB OFFICIALS CHAIRMAN: DAVID WILKINSON CHIEF EXECUTIVE: GARY SWEET DIRECTORS: PAUL BALLANTYNE, WELCOME BOB CURSON, MIKE HERRICK ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS: STEPHEN BROWNE, MICK PATTINSON FINANCE DIRECTOR: SIMON GIBB TO KENILWORTH ROAD VICE PRESIDENTS: RICHARD BANKS (HONORARY), BEN BANKS, EMMA BANKS, DOUG KNIGHT, CLIFF BASSETT, ROB STRINGER, JOHN BUTTLE (HONORARY), 4 8 GARY CHAMBERLAIN, IAN GAZELEY, NICK OWEN FIRST TEAM MANAGER: NATHAN JONES ASSISTANT MANAGER: PAUL HART FIRST-TEAM COACH: JOAQUIN GOMEZ GOALKEEPER COACH: KEVIN DEARDEN HEAD OF SPORTS SCIENCE: JARED ROBERTS-SMITH PERFORMANCE ANALYST: PETER BOOKER CHIEF RECRUITMENT OFFICER: MICK HARFORD NATHAN JONES FROM THE BOARDROOM PHYSIOTHERAPIST: SIMON PARSELL The boss looks back on Notes from every director including KIT MAN/MASSEUR: DARREN COOK a season to remember new chairman David Wilkinson! ACADEMY & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: ANDY AWFORD PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PHASE LEAD COACH: INIGO IDIAKEZ HEAD OF YOUTH OPERATIONS: 58 77 DAN WALDER SENIOR OPERATIONS MANAGER: KEVAN PLATT CLUB SECRETARY: CHRIS CLARK COMMERCIAL MANAGER: DAVID HOSKINS STADIUM MANAGER: PETER KEMP HEAD GROUNDSMAN: RICHARD BIRD MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER: ED SMITH MISSION COMPLETE! THE SEASON THAT WAS PRESS & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER: All the action and reaction Charlie Hanson charts a STUART HAMMONDS from a promotion winning day brilliant 2017-18 campaign HEAD OF RETAIL: SIOBHAN KOS-HODGE TICKET OFFICE MANAGER: MIKE HOOKER CATERING MANAGER: CRISTHIANO ANDRADE DA SILVA THANK-YOU! FINANCIAL CONTROLLER: TANIA BUONPANE SUPPORTER LIAISON OFFICER: JOHN MILLER What a season it has been to be involved Thoburn, Dave Hoskins and Simon Pitts; JUNIOR SUPPORTER LIAISON OFFICER: with Luton Town – and what a privilege it columnists Simon Parsell, Jared Roberts- JAMES WHITEHEAD SAFETY OFFICER: LEON BLACKBURN was to be on the pitch filming the players’ Smith, Andy Awford, Kevin Harper, CLUB DOCTOR: DR PAUL DEELEY celebrations when we made it over the Nathan, Scott and the directors; Gareth CLUB CHIROPRACTOR: DAVID LEU CLUB CHAPLAIN: REVD DAVID KESTERTON line at Carlisle last Saturday! Owen for his pictures; Heather Ellis for her great designs and flexibility to move things OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME The first of my final programme of the around at the last minute, and Raj Koyes Made in Luton. Printed by Bartham Press. season thank-yous has to go to Nathan, and his team at Barthams. Kevan Platt Edited by Stuart Hammonds, Paul, Joaquin, Kev and all the players for ([email protected]) and John Buttle offer me great guidance assisted by Charlie Hanson delivering such fantastic football for us and the benefit of their experience, and ([email protected]). to report on this season, and for always who could forget Roger Wash (I did last Design by Heather Ellis, Relish Design. co-operating with anything we ask of them Photography by Gareth Owen. year!) who contributes so much historical Additional pictures by: Rex Features, Forest media wise. Great people to be proud of. Green Rovers, Joe Dent/JMPUK and John content and is always on the end of the Walton/PA Images It’s a familiar roll call, but I have to say phone to confirm a Hatters fact. thank you to the following people without Thanks to contributors: Roger Wash, Ed Smith, Finally, hats off to you, the supporters, for Andy Awford, Kevin Harper, Kevin Thoburn, whose help it would not be possible to backing your club in such huge numbers Nikki Baker, Reuben Cowley and the media produce This Is Our Town every home department at Forest Green Rovers. this season. See you in League One! game: Charlie Hanson, Ed Smith, Viv Thoughts, feedback and announcements are welcome by post, phone or email #COYH Long, Ailish Gaughan, Siobhan Kos- The views in this programme are those of the Hodge, Bradley Dixon, Mike Hooker, Kevin STUART HAMMONDS – EDITOR contributors and not necessarily those of the editor and/or Luton Town. 1182 FOREST GREEN I29 _SINGLE.indd 3 25/04/2018 14:51 Nathan Jones is sponsored by: Thompsons Accountants and Country Properties (Hitchin) 01462 452951 THE NATHAN JONES MANAGER Good afternoon and welcome to Kenilworth Road for the final time this season – and what we can officially call a promotion party! We welcome Forest Green and their our play, and we did that. We believe The training ground we work in manager Mark Cooper, who I get on we are a wonderful side and we’ve every day has helped us create well with. Mark got them promoted tried to win every game and not been an environment of learning and last season from the Conference, negative in anything we’ve done. development, and I can’t understate which is a tough league to get out of, how important the facilities are I’d like to start by thanking the he’s kept them in League Two this that we have been provided with at board, who have supported me in year by doing it his way, which shows The Brache. They are the envy of that process – as they have from day bravery and courage. Championship clubs. one. I work closely with Gary Sweet He’s received backing from his on a daily basis, and I’m so pleased My staff have offered me unwavering chairman as well and they’ll be to have delivered what we hope is support. They have all been stronger for it next year. I wish only our first promotion together for magnificent, and you could see how everyone from Nailsworth an those people who saved the club ten much it meant to Paul Hart – he enjoyable afternoon, and most years ago. was in tears on Saturday because importantly, a safe journey back to the Cotswolds this evening. What an afternoon it was up at Carlisle last Saturday, where two years of hard work culminated with the news coming through to us from 350 miles away in Devon that Crawley had held Exeter to a 2-2 draw, five minutes before the end of our game. We learned from the disappointment of last year and we carried that feeling of total devastation from the Blackpool game, when we had all summer to think about it, with us all the way. We strengthened, we identified areas that we knew we needed to improve on, and that included certain parts of 1182 FOREST GREEN I29 _SINGLE.indd 4 25/04/2018 14:51 [THE MANAGER’S NOTES] ultimately, when you think of the through when I came, so I knew that last year, but it’s all the foundations fantastic career he’s had, it was his in taking on the job, you take on that for where we are now. first promotion. He’s spent most of responsibility of getting a club back to If we had gone up last year, I don’t it in the top-flight though, and it’s where it should be. We are one phase think we’d be in the position we are difficult to win promotion from there, into that and a lot of credit should go now to really impact on League One. so it was a massive thing for him. to John Still as well, because without Everything happens for a reason – it’s getting out of the Conference, we’d I’m not going to name individual all God’s will – and I’m immensely never have the opportunity to get into players, because every single one has proud to lead the club. I love the League One. been phenomenal for me this season. club. It’s in my blood. I’m immensely We’ve had five players in both EFL and From the moment I came in we’ve proud of everyone involved in the PFA teams of the year – six different acted like a Championship club club. players in total – and we could have in terms of how we’ve gone about PROUD had so many more, because there our training programme, our sports aren’t many from either of those science, our recruitment – and I’m the manager, but it’s about teams that I think would get in the we are now one step closer to the everyone involved and I’m proud Luton Town team. That is testament to Championship. when I watch my team, I’m proud what we have here. when I see our club getting accolades There is no perfect way to win and I’m proud when I see our club FAITH promotion, because when it happens get mentioned because we are a it is just the most amazing feeling. I want to thank my family and my special club. We have deserved it and our style fiancee, Laurie, because I’ve been a and how we’ve played has deserved This is the final home game and nightmare to live with for two years. it. It’s more difficult to do it our way. hopefully the final home game ever in My unparalleled desire and tunnel Wigan manager Paul Cook texted me League Two. It’s been a nice little pit- vision to get this club promoted, and and he said ‘It’s more difficult to do it stop for us in terms of development to be the best manager I can be for your way, and when you’re expected but, God willing, we’ll never be this club, has given us problems.