Strikers were keen on move

STRIKERS Reece Styche and Jon Shaw were both desperate to come to Luton, according to boss Gary Brabin, writes Mark Wood.

The Hatters had bids for both turned down during the transfer window as it looked like the Hatters were set to draw a blank as the transfer market closes tonight.

Brabin said: “It’s been no secret. Reece Styche and Jon Shaw were desperate to come to the club.

“It was their clubs that didn’t want it to happen. It’s their club and their contracts and at the moment they don’t want to do anything. Both have shown an interest, they really want to come to the club.”

And while he was still looking to sign a striker after Tuesday night’s 2-2 draw at Hayes & Yeading, Brabin admitted he may well have to look to the loan market and short-term contracts.

He said: “It’s proving hard to get that type of player in but we know what we need. We focused on the summer (on recruitment). We haven’t put our eggs in one basket in terms of our targets.

“The one we’ve been chasing it’s been a long old haul and we haven’t got the one we are searching for.

“That doesn’t mean to say we won’t stop searching for that strikers. It’s windows of opportunity.

“As well as that we’ve only got to wait another week and the loan window opens as well. We’ve still got tomorrow and we will see what tomorrow brings. Some things are still open and not closed. I’ve got a good group of players and they are better than what we’ve produced today and got today. I rate all of the player here. We want this group of players fit. We are not a million miles away from being a side good enough to get out of this league.”

Both Styche and Shaw have been banging in the goals, with six and seven respectively so far this season, while Oxford’s James Constable has hit three in the division above.

Brabin mused: “At least we are identifying people who are scoring goals and they are all scoring goals and we can’t get them in for one reason or another.”

Shaw, 27, has netted in every game this season for the Tynesiders and admitted he would consider a move to Kenilworth Road if Gateshead decided to sell him.

He said: “The magnitude of Luton Town as a club is enough to turn anybody’s head. But I’m a Gateshead player for the foreseeable future.

“I’ll be here until the club don’t want me. I’m happy here. I moved here with my wife and child, I’ve got another child on the way, my mum’s up here and my family are around me. It’s a great area.

“There’s 22 teams in this division I wouldn’t join, there’s 24 teams in League Two I wouldn’t join.”

Forest Green Rovers chairman Dale Vince, meanwhile, has criticsed Town’s pursuit of 22-year-old Styche.

Although news of the bid didn’t come out from Kenilworth Road, Vince said: “The timing was poor from Luton, with an offer coming in a week before the start of the season. To then go public the day before we played them was just crass on their part, and unwelcome in any event. Thankfully it’s behind us now and Reece is committed to us for the next three years, which is great news.”

Striker Danny Crow was looking forward to Town bringing in another striker despite his and Amari Morgan-Smith’s recent good form.

He said: “We are doing well. Barnesy’s gone off on loan to Rochdale which is a good move for him. The gaffer is still after a target man and obviously knows we need one for something a bit different. You always want competition for places. When you’ve scored a few goals and Amari’s scored four in three and I’ve got two in three and you’ve got Aaron as well. When we were doing well last year Lloyd Owusu came in. It’s competition for places. We’ve got good players here, it’s a good club and players want to come here.

“It’s not a dent in your confidence. As a footballer you expect things like that.”

And midfielder Keith Keane also believes a new striker would be a good thing following all the speculation, adding: “There’s no secrets in Luton, I think it’s too small a place. We have got options to play up front. It makes the strikers work harder than they do already. They try and put in the gaffer’s mind he doesn’t need a striker.”

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