Town look to play their Cards right against Woking

The visit of the Cards starts an inviting run of eight league fixtures which could put the Hatters in a strong position come February.

But Buckle warned: “It’s dangerous ground for me. If I turn round and say let’s all face where we are, I sound a bit harsh and a bit hard, but that is the reality of it.

“These teams are at our level we’re at their level. There’s not a great deal of difference.

“It’s like in any league, everybody is in that division for a reason.

“So we find ourselves in the Conference. Yes we understand our heritage, I certainly do or else I wouldn’t have come to the club.

“But one thing you will never catch me do is underestimating any team, I can’t do that, or devalue them

“I think at times this is maybe why we’re still in the division. I can’t do it. We won’t get out of the league by devaluing anyone.

“I’m not going to do it because it gets you nowhere. What we’ve got to do it fight, stick together, dig in, all these things I first said when I came to the club.

“Because if we do that and stick together over a long season we’ve got a chance of getting out.

“If we don’t we’re going to struggle. Any team that comes to Kenilworth Road in the league will be a tough game I can promise you that.”

Buckle is unsure of how Woking will approach the encounter, but believes his side’s new signings are now finally getting to grips with playing for the Hatters.

He continued: “I don’t know what they’ll do. I think it will be the same as normal in terms of a team coming and looking forward to playing at Luton.

“They’ve got a really good history in the league. They are a Conference club in my opinion.

“They’ve got a good set-up, good catchment area, and they earnt the right to be in this division so they’ll be dangerous opposition as always when teams come to Kenilworth Road.

“And again it will be about what we do on the day. How we perform, how we start the game, how we take the game to them.

“It will be a positive approach from us and hopefully we can get a really good performance and a good win.

“I think what we have to do is make it very difficult for them and that’s what we’ll be trying to do.

“We’ve done that on the last couple of occasions at home, which has been really good.

“It was tough game against Alfreton at home but the players showed great character. I was prepared to go in 0-0 at half time, and ended up scoring three goals.

“So we always feel we can score goals, what we’ve got to try really, really hard not to do is concede goals and put pressure on ourselves.

“I feel the players now are getting used to the challenge. I think one of the things for the new players is getting used to the challenge of playing for Luton.

“There’s no doubt about that. It’s not like playing for any other club in the Conference in my opinion or maybe even League Two.

“The players we’ve signed, they’re finding their feet. You only have to look at Ronnie Henry.

“I think Ron’s a prime example of someone who is an experienced pro, won things, good player.

“Come in, faced a little bit of a tough time, so to speak, and come through it. That’s a real plus for me and now hopefully the boys now are learning to play at Kenilworth Road.”

Playing against Woking twice in quick succession, with the return game there sandwiched either side of Saturday’s visit of Ebbsfleet was also of little concern.

Buckle said: “That throws itself up in all of the divisions where teams play other teams local to them and play them twice in quick succession.

“We won’t look too far ahead, we’ll just focus on this game which is the most important game for us.

“The players will be really looking forward to the game. When you’ve not played for a bit, I know as a former player myself, if you haven’t played for a few weeks, or 10 days, you really look forward to these games.”

And the Hatters champing at the bit ahead of a busy festive period, with Buckle saying: “It’s exciting in and around Christmas, everyone’s in good mood and hopefully we can send our fans home after the Boxing Day game in good spirits.

“Everybody’s in the same boat. It’s jam-packed December. January’s jam-packed, you’ve got game-after-game in quick succession.

“You’ve got the window opening, it’s manic. It’s absolutely manic, but that’s English football for you, that’s what we do at Christmas we go potty over everything, everything’s crammed in.

“The key for me is to stay calm with things and stay focused on the next game.

“The next game’s the most important thing, prepare the players, train the players well, and then play the game, do the very best we can.

“We’ve got an idea what we want to do preparation-wise, but at the same time sometimes you have to improvise and you have to wait.

“If it’s a real heavy pitch, which I think it will be on Boxing Day, then we’ll have to look at the players’ legs towards the next game.

“I’m delighted with the players’ fitness levels. Our fitness levels are very good.

“I’m happy that a lot of the lads that haven’t been playing got 120 minutes at Arlesey, that will help.

“And the boys that have been in the first team have looked really sharp in the games and the training. Our fitness levels are really good. We haven’t had an awful lot of time off.

“But you do have to pay respect at Christmas that people have families and children.

“I feel we’ve got the balance right, I’ve done this before and we’ll come in nice and early on Boxing Day morning to prepare before the game like we’ve done before at home, certainly of late, which has served us well.”

On whether Town’s players would be in on Christmas Day, Buckle continued: “I don’t know yet, I haven’t told them yet, so I’m not going to tell you before them because they’ll wait for you by the back doors and get that out of you!

“We’ll keep them guessing and I’ll make my mind up with the staff this morning.”

Town have a near fully-fit squad for the encounter, but are still missing long-term casualties Danny Spiller and Garry Richards who are yet to make their debuts.

On their status, Buckle said: “It’s pretty much the same. I leave them with Simon and once Simon tells me they are fit they will come into the first team squad.

“Until then I just focus on the boys that are fit and able.”

For live match coverage follow me on Twitter @Tertiuswood.