Luton Town manager Rob Edwards is backing his players to rise to the challenge of playing in the Premier League.
The Bedfordshire outfit were promoted to the Premier League for the first time back in May via the Championship play-offs, after defeated Coventry City on penalties.
Edwards, who two seasons ago was managing League Two side Forest Green Rovers, is excited by the prospect of going toe-to-toe with England’s elite.
“We’ve got a big season ahead,” he said. “We feel ready.
“I’m really proud. It’s hard because you don’t always think about it but in football it’s hard to take stock, in terms of achievements I’ve found it hard, but I’m extremely proud. The Premier League is the top.
“This is the highest level, it’s as good as it gets. It’s something I’m extremely proud of and it’s going to make us better, we deserve to be here.”
The Hatters have strengthened their squad with the arrivals of many top Championship players, as well as the surprise signing of former Chelsea and Everton midfielder Ross Barkley.
And this season Luton will be welcoming the likes of Arsenal and treble winners Manchester City to Kenilworth Road, with Edwards confident his side can hold their own in the top-flight, despite being odds on favourites to drop immediately back to the second tier.
He said: “Who knows. None of us have a crystal ball. I don’t know how it’s going to go and we can only control ourselves.
“I’m not offended by that, that’s the norm. It’s Luton Town’s first time in the Premier League and we came through the play-offs but we believe in ourselves. There wasn’t much chat about Luton but we were there all season.
“We are the smallest team in the league. We have an amazing fanbase and amazing people working here. We’re not going to shy away from it.
“We have to believe in this group of players, I did so last year and we were successful.”
Ten years on from playing in the National League, the Hatters face Roberto de Zerbi’s Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday in what has been a remarkable rise for Edwards’ men.
