Town’s deadline day double

LATE tonight Luton Town beat the transfer deadline to swoop for two strikers, writes Mark Wood.

Town paid League Two Hereford a significant five-figure sum for the services of Stuart Fleetwood and also signed Trinidad and Tobago international Collin Samuel until January.

Fleetwood, 25, scored 28 goals the last time he played at Conference level whilst with Forest Green Rovers and signed on the stroke of 11pm.

Town boss Gary Brabin said: “Stuart is a proven goalscorer at this level so I’m absolutely delighted to welcome him to Kenilworth Road.

“He’s got a great attitude, is a great pro, a poacher and he’s exactly one of the types of player I wanted here.”

Fleetwood, 5ft 6ins, started his career as a trainee at Cardiff City, and featured eight times for the Bluebirds between 2003 and 2006.

In January 2006, Fleetwood joined Hereford for the first time scoring eight times before he signed for Forest Green in June 2007.

There he plundered 32 league and cup goals in a season as the Gloucestershire side earned their highest league placing.

He turned down a new contract to sign for then Championship Charlton in June 2008, but failed to nail down a starting role and was loaned out to Cheltenham, Exeter and Brighton.

Fleetwood returned to Edgar Street last summer and scored 18 goals as he helped the Bulls avoid the drop.

Samuel, 30, has scored five goals in 24 appearances for his country and joins on a free transfer.

After impressing in the Caribbean, Samuel moved to Scotland in 2002, joining Falkirk, scoring 11 goals in 34 games in the First Division.

Premier League Dundee United paid £100,000 for his services in July 2003, and he has made well over 200 senior appearances including spells at Toronto FC and most recently St Johnstone.

He enjoyed five successful years at Tannadice, including winning a Scottish Cup runners-up medal in 2004-05. Samuel also helped St Johnstone win promotion to the Premier League in 2009-10 and has been handed the number 23 shirt. Brabin added: “I’m delighted to welcome Collin to the club. I’m looking forward to working with him. Collin has a good pedigree, is a strong, versatile player. He’s able to play anywhere across the attacking position, is an international and will give us a different dimension.”