Harris apologises to Town fans after Gateshead debacle

Hatters assistant boss Terry Harris made a point of apologising to the Town fans who witnessed their side’s abject 5-1 thrashing at Gateshead yesterday, writes Mike Simmonds.

At the final whistle, Harris led Luton’s players over to the 126 Hatters fans who had made the trek to Carlisle United’s Brunton Park where the game was staged in front of the lowest crowd ever to watch a Town game.

They were met with angry remonstrations from the travelling faithful, but the assistant completely understood their reaction as he said: “I just wanted to show the supporters that came a long, long journey. That’s why I took the players right over to the touchline to thank them.

“I know they’re very, very disappointed and angry and rightly so. But I still thank them for the journey that they did.

“I’d have liked to stay longer (with the fans), but it’s probably right we didn’t stay too long.

“They voiced their displeasure, quite rightly so, because that performance from a John Still, Terry Harris side, a Luton Town side was certainly not good enough.”

On the game itself, Harris said: “It was very disappointing. We came with good heart and good intent, but the first half was totally unacceptable.

“We knew they were a good footballing side which they are and if you stand off them they’ll cause you problems, but that’s what we did from back to front.

“Second half we tried to pressurise them a little bit more on the ball, I think we had three or four chances to get a couple of goals back as Alex Wall put one past the post.

“But all over the park, we were way, way, way off the mark and if you stand off against Gateshead they will cut you to shreds, and that’s what they did.”

Manager John Still was absent due to a scouting exercise, but Harris refuted suggestions that had anything do with the humiliating outcome, adding: “No, I don’t buy into that mindset at all. The players knew what the situation was, that would only be used as an excuse and I don’t believe that at all.

“John’s away evaluating players, I’m here evaluating the players that are here and it wasn’t good enough.”

For all the latest Luton Town FC news, reports, stats, player profiles, live match updates, MOM poll, prediction table and a complete fixture list, visit our Hatters Microsite.

Related topics: