Rob Edwards did not have long to dwell on the disappointment of falling victim in the autumn to Watford’s infamous impatience. His reputation as one of the brightest young managers in English football had survived his experience of working for the Pozzo family. After all Edwards had been in charge for only 10 league games before being fired and, given how abruptly things had ended at Vicarage Road, there was no reason for him to worry about inflaming local tensions when he received an offer from Watford’s fiercest rivals.
It was the right fit for Edwards. Luton Town had a vacancy after losing Nathan Jones to Southampton in November and were quick to capitalise on Watford’s folly. Everyone had seen the former Wales international’s potential when he led Forest Green Rovers to the League Two title last season. It was why Watford, bruised after relegation from the Premier League, went for him. They were crying out for fresh ideas after Roy Hodgson’s pointless tenure and, when Scott Duxbury, Watford’s chief executive, insisted that Edwards would be backed “come hell or high water”, it seemed that a club who have been known to burn through three managers in a single campaign were about to usher in an era of stability.
Yet it was an empty promise from Duxbury. Edwards was out before the end of September, fired after three wins, two defeats and five draws. Watford, who felt a talented squad was underperforming, expected better. They turned to Slaven Bilic in the belief that he would know how to handle the Championship after taking West Brom up in 2020. This time Watford were ready to wait. They gave Bilic 25 games. Then they sacked him and hired Chris Wilder last month.
So much for a different way of doing things. Watford had reverted to type and, in their defence, they have succeeded with this ruthless approach before. This season, though, the benefits are yet to materialise. Results have been indifferent and there is no guarantee that Watford, who are 10th, are going to make the playoffs.
The heat is on before a side five points off sixth place visit Luton on Saturday. Luton they have flourished since appointing Edwards, who has lifted them to fourth, and should not require much motivation. “It’s been a long time coming,” Edwards said. “It’s one there’s been a lot of talk about from the moment we stepped through the door.”
Revenge is in the air. Luton, who have a shot at automatic promotion, need to restore pride after losing 4-0 at Watford in October. Although Edwards insisted he was not thinking about the past, pointing out that both teams had changed managers since that game, the 40-year-old accepted he had a point to prove to his former team.
“It does feel different,” he said. “I can’t sit here and lie to you. I’ve never gone up against an old club before; it will be a new experience for me. But it’s hard to say. As a manager, the responsibility you feel, it’s hard to put it into words. You feel it for every game. It’s a local derby. It’s a unique situation, where I was their head coach earlier in the season. So all of those things do add to it. They add to that spice.”
The narrative cannot be downplayed. Only one manager has taken charge of both clubs before – Neil McBain, who left Watford in 1937, had a brief stint at Ayr United and joined Luton a year later (he had a second spell at Watford in the 50s). “It’s not Rob Edwards’s team now versus Rob Edwards’s old team,” Luton’s manager said, but it is hard to frame it differently.
The focus is inevitably on Edwards and it is a chance for him to underline his credentials. His impact has been impressive. Only Burnley and Middlesbrough have taken more points than Luton during Edwards’s time at the club. Promotion would be a magnificent achievement. Luton, whose ramshackle ground has a capacity of 10,356, have never been in the Premier League. They were relegated in May 1992, at the end of the season before its inception.
There have been some hard times since then. Luton were out of the Football League for five years after going down in 2009. It has been a remarkable rise. Luton have been shrewd in the transfer market, picking up bargains, and made it into the playoffs last season, only to lose to Huddersfield in the semi-finals.
They are a resilient club. Losing Jones has not affected them. Edwards has built on his predecessor’s work, installing a solid structure. Luton are a tough nut to crack: they have conceded 20 goals in 21 games under Edwards.
People around the club are impressed. The view is that Luton’s level has improved. Jones could be abrasive, as Southampton discovered, but Edwards is said to have built an excellent relationship with his players. He looks out for them.
There is a warmth to Edwards. But it is unlikely to be on show when Watford come to town. “I can’t say that it is just another game,” Edwards said. “I recognise it’s not. I know what it means.”
