Luton – Miss-Hit-Hit-Miss And Jury Out

It has, in recent years, become common practise for clubs outside of the Premier League to use the loan system, even more so in the season that has just been completed.

The 2020/2021 season will always be remembered as the strangest season on record, with the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in most games being played behind-closed-doors.

For clubs such as ourselves, it became even more imperative to utilise the loan system to improve the squad, but it also became imperative to ensure the correct players were brought in to the club.

The Hatters, in utilising the loan system, brought in five players before or during the season:

• Sam Nombe
• Rhys Norrington-Davies
• Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
• Tom Ince
• Eunan O’Kane

But were they, in my opinion, a HIT or a MISS?

Starting at the top of the list with Sam Nombe, I think it is fair to say the striker, signed from MK Dons on a season-long loan deal with the option for Luton to make the deal permanent, was a MISS. Nombe only made 1 start in the Championship and did not look as if he could cut the mustard at this level. With regards to his future at the club, the writing was probably on the wall that it was not going to happen for the lad when, in the January transfer window, Nathan Jones signed the exciting young striker, Elijah Adebayo.

Continuing with Rhys Norrington-Davies, this defender was, I believe, a HIT. Signed on loan from Sheffield United, Rhys looked, despite his age, an accomplished defender and earned rave reviews from the Hatters support. I was probably not alone in admitting I was gutted when his parent club recalled him from his loan spell in January and even more gutted when they lent him to Stoke City of all clubs. The Welsh international made 16 Championship starts for Luton and I have no doubt that if he had remained with us, he would have been in contention for the Player of the Year award.

Moving on to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, what can we say? Signed from Leicester City, on a season-long loan, the midfielder can only be described as a HIT. In fact, his displays were so impressive he walked off with our – player-of-the-season-result – award. Dewsbury-Hall made such an impression, during his 36 Championship appearances that Nathan Jones has admitted he will do everything he can to get the 22-year-old back to Kenilworth Road for a second season. Kiernan’s play was, more than often, the springboard for our attacking play and if he is not allowed to return, on loan, for a second season by Brendan Rodgers then Nathan Jones has a huge hole to fill in his starting eleven.

The fourth player on our list, Tom Ince, arrived at Kenilworth Road, in January, for a loan spell that was supposed to last until the end of the season. The arrival of the former England U21 international, from Stoke City, was supposed to give the Hatters squad a huge boost for the season finale. Unfortunately, it never quite happened for Tom and his spell with us ended prematurely, after just 3 Championship starts, when he picked up an ankle injury. In my opinion, a MISS but could we see Ince back at Kenilworth Road next season? Stranger things have happened.

The last player on our list, Eunan O’Kane, is a baffling case. On loan from Leeds United, O’Kane did not make a single Championship appearance for the Hatters. Instead, the midfielder spent the entire season recovering from a bad injury. Quite what the future holds for the player remains to be seen. In this instance, let us just say the JURY IS OUT on this loan player.

But do you agree with my judgements of the five loan players, or do you beg to differ?

Please feel free to have your say in the comment facility beneath this article.

COYH’s