Luton Town

Luton boss Jack Wilshere says Saturday's away game at League One leaders Cardiff City will be a good "marker" to assess the team's progress since his appointment in October.

The Hatters have won 11 of Wilshere's 24 games in charge, losing seven, and are seventh in the table, but away results have not matched those at Kenilworth Road.

"It's a game that excites me," he told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"We've struggled away from home with teams that are direct and put balls in the box - I'm not saying they [Cardiff] won't put balls in our box but they'll try and do it in a different way, which we have to be ready for.

"It's a good challenge for us, a good marker to see how far we've come since I've come in and for us to test ourselves against the top of the league."

He continued: "Our challenge is to go there and try to make them defend for long periods and try and limit the time we have to defend."

Wilshere believes the transfer-window arrival of striker Devante Cole from Port Vale will give the Luton attack an added dimension.

He added: "I like our balance of striker, I like what Nahki (Wells) has brought to us, Ali (Al-Hamadi) is on his way back and Devante has just come into the team and is starting to work out how we play.

"We know what Devante brings and we need to help him understand the moments to run in behind, but he definitely gives us something different."

Image source, Shutterstock

Luton Town midfielder Jake Richards says the Hatters do not fear anyone with a trip to League One leaders Cardiff City looming at the weekend.

The 18-year-old scored from 20 yards in Saturday's 2-1 home win against Bradford City, but their past two away games have ended in single-goal defeats by Plymouth Argyle and Huddersfield Town.

Luton are seventh in the table, four points off the play-off places.

"They're in good form at the top of the table but we believe we can beat anyone with the players we've got," Richards said of the challenge at Cardiff.

"We brought in really hungry players (during the transfer window), boys that really want to get promoted and I think that's the whole group collective (mindset) now, to push to get into that top six and try to get promoted."

Richards now has three goals from 12 league appearances after joining from Exeter City last summer and is enjoying playing alongside vastly more experienced team-mates like Jordan Clark and more recent arrival Kasey Palmer.

"Every opportunity you get under this manager [Jack Wilshere], you've got to take," he said.

"I've done that a few times but I've just got to keep humble, keep working, keep trying to impress in training and hopefully they'll come.

"They [Palmer and Clark] are top players and I can learn a lot from them. Having that quality next to you, you can trust them on the ball, you know they'll find you and it's a brilliant midfield to play with."

Sheffield Wednesday are hoping to complete a deal for Luton's Zimbabwe international midfielder Marvellous Nakamba, 32. (Sheffield Star, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip column here.

Oxford United boss Matt Bloomfield wants to sign Congolese defender Christ Makosso, 21, from former club Luton. (Football Insider, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip column here.

Rob Staton
BBC Radio Sheffield reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Sheffield Wednesday are hoping to complete the signing of Luton Town striker Jerry Yates before the weekend.

The Owls, who need EFL approval for any signing made while they remain in administration, would be adding the 29-year-old on loan.

Yates, who only joined the Hatters last August for a reported seven-figure fee, will be looking to bolster Wednesday's attack, with the club failing to score a goal in their past seven games.

Earlier this, week club captain Barry Bannan moved to Millwall.

Meanwhile, Wednesday also rejected a bid from the Lions for striker Bailey Cadamarteri. Blackburn Rovers also had an offer turned down for the 20-year-old.

There's strong interest in midfielder Svante Ingelsson, with Portsmouth said to be among his admirers.

Luton Town boss Jack Wilshere insists he has enough "leaders" in his squad despite back-to-back defeats which have checked their push for a play-off spot.

The Hatters were beaten at Huddersfield Town on Tuesday evening, their second consecutive single-goal defeat, and have only taken one point from their last three games.

"We weren't good enough - it's hard to take," former England midfielder Wilshere told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"I don't think it's a leadership problem, especially in the playing group. Football is different now to when I played, demanding a different type of leader - we have a leader like that in Kal (Naismith), he's that guy, it's a quality thing.

"We don't trust ourselves enough to risk the ball in the final third which you have to do. We didn't create enough clear-cut opportunities. We have to be better - when we did create those moments, there weren't enough bodies in the box."

Luton are now ninth in League One, six points adrift of Huddersfield who are sixth following Ryan Ledson's winner, scored from his own half.

"It's on me - it's my job to make the players better, to make sure they know how to create those clear-cut opportunities," Wilshere added.

"There's 18 games left, I want to see more ambition, I want to see us believe in that ambition, away from home especially."

Image source, EFL

A new initiative highlighting the work of football club charities has been launched by the English Football League (EFL).

'Scan to Smile' will be rolled out in stadiums across the EFL from Friday until the end of January, with supporters invited to scan QR codes on posters displayed around grounds.

Each scan will unlock a short, uplifting story from a person whose life has been positively impacted by the support of their local club charity.

The subjects tackled include mental health support, combating loneliness, improving physical wellbeing, employability and confidence.

The EFL said it hoped the initiative would use "the reach and influence of football to offer fans a moment of positivity on matchday".

Trevor Birch, chief executive at the EFL, said: "Behind every club are people whose lives have been positively changed through the work and dedication of their local EFL club charity.

"This initiative gives supporters the chance to see that impact first-hand and reminds us that football truly is a force for good."