Nathan Jones on a signing fee

Luton Town manager Nathan Jones adds three more players to his list of new signings, to make it six so far this summer.

Already in the close season Luton Town manager Nathan Jones had made the signings of Alan McCormack, Marek Stech and Jack Stacey to add to his squad.

On June 29 he added former Crawley Town striker James Collins, the fee undisclosed. Nathan Jones defines Collins as a “proven striker” and with his credentials is certainly a quality signing. Last season he scored twenty two goals for the Sussex club, who had to fight against possible relegation. Beginning his career as a junior at Aston Villa, where he gained International honours for the Republic of Ireland, making four appearances for the U19’sand scoring one goal before playing on twelve occasions for their U21 side, where he bagged three goals. All goals coming in a hat trick in their four goals to one victory over Liechtenstein, away at Eschen, in a European Championship qualifying game.

Whilst on the Villains books, James went out on loan to Darlington and Burton Albion before he moved to Shrewsbury Town, under the management of Graham Turner 2011 on a free transfer, where he played a total of seventy three appearances, scoring twenty four goals, in all competitions. The 2011-12 season he won promotion with the Shrews to League One. Although offered a new contract by Turner, he made the decision to move on to fellow promoted side, Paolo Di Canio. He stayed with the Robins for just one season, hitting the back of the net eighteen times in fifty one appearances. It was in this first season that he caught the eye of Scottish Premier League side Hibernian, who paid £197K for him in July 2013. He stayed at the Scottish side for one season scoring six in Forty showings. His stay was again just a season before Micky Mellon resigned him for the Shrews for an unknown figure, although his transfer value at the time was reputed to have been around the £225k mark. This time round he managed a total of eighty one appearances and netting a total of twenty four goals. In January 2016 he was put out on loan to Northampton Town, where he helped them to become League Two Champions scoring eight times from twenty one appearances. Whilst with the Cobblers in March 2016 he was photographed at the Cheltenham Festival along with other players causing a fracas when MK Dons player Samir Carruthers urinated into a beer glass before Collins spilled the contents over racegoers standing below them.  At the end of the season her returned to Shrewsbury, however he parted the company with them by mutual consent.

This prompted him to take up a contract with League two side Crawley Town in July of 2016. Again being amongst the goals, scoring twenty two in fifty one games. Twenty of those in League Two matches. Luton supporters have much to look forward to this coming season, especially if he is able to continue where he left off last season at Crawley.

Jones’ next accomplishment was to bring a Scottish International, Andrew Shinnie, on year’s loan from Birmingham City.

Shinnie has played for a number of clubs, the twenty seven year old commenced his career at Glasgow Rangers in 2007 when appearing for the U20’s side. Whilst at Rangers he went out on loan to Dundee, Cowdenbeath and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, with whom he signed for permanently in

2011 on a free transfer, making 187 first team appearances in all competitions, tallying eight goals.  In July 2013, Championship side Birmingham City manager Lee Clark offered him a contract. In 2016, he went out on loan at Rotherham, before going out on loan for a second time, returning to Scotland to appear for Hibernian. In November 2012, Shinnie gained his only full International cap in a friendly in Luxembourg, where he played the first seventy two minutes of the game, before being substituted for Leigh Griffiths. Scotland were 2-1 victors on that evening, with Shinnie assisting Jordan Rhodes for their second goal. Although not by any means a prolific goal scoring midfielder, he carries a reputation as being a player with much ability.

Andrew’s brother Graeme is a defender with Scottish Premiership side, Aberdeen.

The Hatters sixth signing of the close season, is that of former AFC Wimbledon goalkeeper, James Shea. The former Arsenal junior comes on a free transfer, being handed an initial one year contract. It could be an interesting season for the two new keepers, where Shea will be contending for the first choice along with Czech Marek Stech, who is initially named as the Town’s number one keeper. Shea helped AFC Wimbledon to promotion to League One, where he made one hundred and twelve appearances in his three years with the club. He also featured for Dagenham Redbridge during the 2011-12 season, under former Luton manager John Still.

Is this to be the completion of Nathan Jones signings before the first day of the new season? One can only wait and see.