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Rob Edwards in tears while giving emotional interview with Luton headed for the Championship

Rob Edwards was left in tears while giving an emotional interview with Luton Town headed for the Championship after defeat to West Ham.

West Ham beat the Hatters 3-1 at the London Stadium, Albert Sambi Lokonga putting the visitors in front; then second-half goals from James Ward-Prowse, Tomas Soucek and young sub George Earthy made it a comfortable victory for the hosts in David Moyes’s last home game with Luton now all but relegated.

The result left Luton three points behind fourth-bottom Nottingham Forest with just one game left to play but Edwards’ side have a significantly worse goal difference.

The Hatters’ relegation would be confirmed if Forest got a point against Chelsea in Saturday’s late kick-off at the City Ground.

Rob said when speaking with the club’s media: “I was emotional. Football is emotion sport, elite level sport. But there’s something about this club, what we’ve all built and the journey that we’ve been on.

“Just, yeah, the emotion then comes out, that’s me, and I’m not going to apologise for that. I feel disappointment for everybody and I feel responsible for that as well. And, you know, it hurts. But what our supporters just did out there is that I’m not sure you see that anywhere else in the world. And, yeah, it means everything to us that they stuck with us through really difficult moments, really challenging moments.

“And I’ve said to the players and to the staff in the dressing room that I thank them. They give me the best 18 months of my life and so have these supporters. So I’m really sorry, but it’s a huge thank you to them as well.”

When asked on how positive he felt on the first half performance, he replied: “Yeah, I mean, I liked a lot of what I saw, but there was. And, you know, we went one with a brilliant goal. The spaces were where we thought would be. We weren’t able to capitalise on one as much as I would have liked. But when we got things right and we got our structure right, we could see with a bit of a forward run, a forward run from Chongy, pockets of space opened up for Elijah. He was able to get turned.

“There was lots of stuff there that we knew that would hurt them, but we were a little bit loose in certain moments of turnovers as well, which allowed them back in it and gave them some pressure. You give teams like that, you know, a foothold again in the game to get a little bit of control. They’ve got brilliant players and, yeah, maybe they got a little bit more of it.

“It was a hot day, probably sapped the energy a little bit, but we were pleased to get in at 1-0, at a half time and we really believed then that we could push forward. But this has happened a number of times this year where maybe the opposition get, you know, a rollicking or whatever, or can shift things about or have a chance to reorganise. We feel that we’re able to sort of reset one or two things as well.

“But I think maybe today, some of the quality that they showed, maybe a little bit of pressure that we felt that we wanted to try and bring out the best in us, which I think it did at times in the first half, just didn’t in the second and ultimately we came up short.”

When asked how do we go into next week and give something the fans can cheer about against Fulham, he replied: “Well, look, we’ll take a couple of days to reset now. It’s going to be hard for everybody and then we’ve got a full week preparing. Obviously, the game’s on Sundays, we’ve got a full week to prepare and we want to try and go out on a high and try and reward our brilliant, amazing supporters with something. So that will be our aim. That’s what we will do. So we’ll try and make it as normal a week as possible. And that’s all I know how. And we want to try and go out on a high.”

Luton manager Rob Edwards to Match of the Day: “I was emotional at the end with the way our supporters reacted. I can only say thanks to the players, the staff and our fans. We haven’t got over the line but we’ve done it before and we can be back here again.

“It’s a world all about results but our fans have shown understanding, compassion and total support. There is a connection and a bond that you can see. That doesn’t happen very often.

“We have grown so much, this club is only going in one direction. The growth this team have shown makes me really proud. I do care about how we go about it and to show the competitive nature we have been able to bring to the league makes us all better.

“In the end it’s just been too much for us.”

SEE MORE: West Ham fans mock all-but-relegated Luton while Burnley join Sheffield United in going down

This is how fans reacted with Rob Edwards in tears while giving an emotional interview with Luton headed for the Championship…

@LTFCShirts: Back the manager, back 2020, back the team. Luton will be back 🟠⚪️

@KrobertsonKaren: We love you 🧡🧡🎩

@PRuddzBurner: Give Rob the backing he deserves and we’ll perform better when we bounce back up. No one would have thought that we would have been in this position 18 months ago. Thank you Rob.

@Mr_JLV_LTFC: Players stopped believing since Bournemouth sadly Thank you 2020. We will be back!

@Bell1991_: What a man 🎩🧡

@flybymike: What a guy, doubt you’ll see many managers feel like this. Thank you Rob Edwards, been a tough but enjoyable season to experience

@SammyDoDa_: I’ve only got respect for this man. Gave us the best 12 months of our lives. You can clearly see that he is Luton now.

@ltfc_ob6: He just gets it.

@AdamFountain14: Proud of the team. Very disappointed as believe we had what was needed to stay up but injuries ruined the season. Regardless, been an amazing season. Rob Edwards allowed me to live my dream of season Luton in the prem ..something I didn’t think would have ever been possible 🧡👒

@mayanourw: “they’ve given me the best 18 monthes of my life” 😭😭😭💔💔💔😭😭😭

@rebekkarnold: I’m here for you Rob, if you need a shoulder to cry on or anything else.

@BenSmar92018702: I’m a Wolves fan and I feel heartbroken. The entertainment you’ve given us against all the odds and all the injured players is incredible, Nobody gave you a chance. I so hope you come back up straight away and keep most of your players. Y’all are incredible, Thank you Luton

@pgillett2024: Whatever happens, Rob Edwards has been brilliant at @LutonTown… Firstly, to get them to the Premier League via the play offs with a small budget & to be fighting to the end to stay up with what’s happened to their captain & other injuries the squad.

@TimPatriot: I would eat a Lego sandwich with out of date mustard for this bloke. 🧡 He’s Luton

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