Gray expected to make an impact against Grimsby

NEW signing Andre Gray is in line to make his Luton Town debut when they host Grimsby Town at Kenilworth Road this afternoon, writes Mike Simmonds.

The 20-year-old put pen to paper from Blue Square Bet North side Hinckley United on Thursday afternoon, after scoring 23 goals in all competitions for the Knitters this season.

He will be in the Hatters squad for tomorrow’s clash between two sides hoping to be in the play-offs this season, as Brabin said: “He’s certainly one for the future, but we’ve bought him here to make an impact for us.

“We know he’s capable of that. He’s 20 years of age and I think he can add something to the group of players, who I think are good enough to achieve promotion and will definitely give us a different dimension.

“We’re in a position now where we need someone to make an impact and there’s no better time than now.

“He will bring us some fresh impetus and I hope it gives the group a little bit of a lift, something different, another option and we can carry on where we left off a few weeks ago.”

The former Shrewsbury striker impressed for his former side in the two FA Trophy meetings between the sides this season, but Brabin hopes that there isn’t too much expectation on the youngster to kickstart Town’s stuttering season.

He continued: “He’s by no means the finished article. I don’t want to heap loads of pressure on Andre Gray to be our saviour, but he’s definitely come in and given us that raw hunger and desire that we need.

“He’s a goalscorer, he’s a strong lad, he’s willing, he’s quick and he’s got a raw hunger and desire to succeed. He’s had the disappointment of being released from a league club when he was younger.

“It’s a real testing time for the young kids when they have to go in non-league and to some not so attractive grounds. It certainly makes you a stronger character and a better player.”

Brabin confirmed he had been on the trail of Gray for quite a while and felt that with nine games to go, and other teams eying his signature, now was the right time to add him to the squad.

The boss said: “He’s a young player we’ve been looking at for a few months now. It was a coincidence we ended up drawing them in the cup, but we watched him a couple of times before that too.

“We monitored him ever since and he’s someone we’ve been impressed with and I thought it was a good time to bring him in.

“There has been a lot of interest from a few clubs, but we’ve got a good relationship with the manager there (at Hinckley). He kept us informed and in the end we thought it was the right time to strike.

“He’s not only to make an impact now but he’s a good investment for the club.”

Town have been suffering something of a goal drought recently, scoring just twice in their last five games but Brabin believes he has enough potency to fire them to promotion though the play-offs.

He said: “Andre has come in when we do seem a little bit low on confidence in front of goal.

“It seems a million miles away when our leading league goalscorer Amari Morgan-Smith scored his ninth league goal of the season, that was Ebbsfleet away (October 11).

“We’ve had a lot of the play this season and created lots, but I do think there’s been that ruthlessness in the box. We’ve been creating chances, but of late there has been a lack of belief that we’re taking them and scoring goals.

“We’ve certainly got the players to do that, and it’s easy for me to hide behind the fact that we’ve only had one for forward for those games.

“Crowy (Danny Crow) had a good vein of form over the Christmas period, but he’s been a little bit in and out of late. People are scoring goals all over the field, but something we have lacked is someone who can score goals consistently.

“We’ve got some good players here. We have got goals in us, we’ve got creativity, we’ve got winners here, all the ingredients to achieve our goals.”

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