Still warns Staines won’t be wiped away easily

Prepared Town are researching opponents Staines like any other team ahead of their FA Trophy first round tie at Wheatsheaf Park on Saturday, writes Mark Wood.
AFC Dunstable v Luton Town. Photos by Liam Smith. wk 46.AFC Dunstable v Luton Town. Photos by Liam Smith. wk 46.
AFC Dunstable v Luton Town. Photos by Liam Smith. wk 46.

Luton will have two match reports on their opponents as always and boss John Still’s wealth of knowledge and experience of the non-league game will also be invaluable.

However, with the unpredictability of cup football, Still believes that this will only count for so much.

Still said: “We do our job properly, we’ll have two match reports. You build up a knowledge of players so I know a few of their players anyway if I’m being honest.

“But you know what, this isn’t like playing in the league, this is cup football and whatever we say cup football is different. The best won team won the Premier League last year, but the best team didn’t win the FA Cup, that’s not knocking Wigan, it happens in the cups. Over the course of the season the best team wins the league, but not always the best team wins the FA Cup, I told that to David James when Portsmouth won it, they weren’t the best.

“So it’s cup football and it’s different. Whatever our reports may say people sometimes find a bit more, an extra bit of this, bit of that in the cups. Bit of magic.”

And although the experienced Luton chief knows plenty about the Swans, rarely has he ever actually faced off against them.

“Many times (I’ve been there), but I’ve only actually ever played there once,” he revealed.

“We played them in a pre-season friendly, I’ve never played them, I can’t remember having played Staines in a game. Looking back over the years I probably have done…

“I’ve seen loads of game there, I’ve been lots of times to watch Staines over the years, probably a dozen times and you know what, I love cup tie football as well.”

And with the Hatters still the biggest scalp available in the non-league game, Still is expecting Staines to be up for it.

He added: “Whatever Luton do, they’re going to make it a big game and that’s even more reason for the younger players to get into it and understand what it’s all about.

“As always, I look forward to the game so I look forward to it. It’s going to be a tough, tough game that’s for sure. And it’s a cup tie, so it will be a cup tie atmosphere, which I love and I want to see some of these young players really showing they’re ready to be pushed on. Some of them already are because they’ve been pushed on, but I want to see some of the others are ready to be pushed on.”