Jordan Clark has seen it all at Luton Town(Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

Jordan Clark vows to upset friend John Stones on way to completing Luton fairytale

Jordan Clark will come up against his friend John Stones when Luton play Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday - and he is confident the Hatters can win and stay up

by · The Mirror

Jordan Clark believes it would be a “massive fairytale” for the Premier League if Luton Town can stay up.

But perhaps an even more remarkable story is Clark’s own journey from playing non-league AGAINST Luton 10 years ago to facing Treble winners Manchester City this weekend. Clark, 30, was lining up for Hyde in the Conference on April 26, 2014, when they faced Luton – and his current team mate Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu – who were on their way back to being promoted to the Football League.

Fast forward to this Saturday and Clark has worked his own way up through the divisions to share a pitch with his former Barnsley academy teammate John Stones. That is what has made the Luton underdog story so special this season – from Conference to Premier League in nine years – and why Rob Edwards’ team have so much goodwill behind them.

It would be a sensational upset if Luton could thwart City’s push for the title and, after beating the odds so many times already, you can never write them off. Luton midfielder Clark said: “It’s funny how things come round and work out. For me and Pelly to play against each other in the Conference is a pinch me moment when you think about where we are now.

“I love watching City play and I’ve got a soft spot for them because of John. I speak to him a lot and we’re crossing paths these days! But even in the lower leagues, I was texting him when they won the title or last year when they won the Treble.

“He texted me when we got promoted. I’m so proud of what he’s done and I’m looking forward to seeing him on Saturday and hopefully we can get a good result against them. It would be a massive fairytale for the Premier League if we can stay up and get talked about for a long time to come.”

Clark is such a refreshing down-to-earth Yorkshire lad who started out at Barnsley, got loaned out to Chesterfield, Scunthorpe and Hyde before eventually being released in 2014. But he worked his way back up via Shrewsbury and Accrington before joining Luton four years ago and, having scored in their play-off final with Coventry last May, is now living the dream in the Premier League.

Jordan Clark scored twice vs Man City in the FA Cup( Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
He'll go up against John Stones on Saturday( Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Clark missed out on a chunk of the start of this season because of injury but has since announced himself on the big stage, not least by scoring twice against City in the FA Cup in February. City went 3-0 up, Clark’s double made it 3-2 and then City eventually won 6-2. But if ever a game summed up Luton’s spirit it was that. They never give up. They have become known for their late goals but go into every game believing they have a chance.

Clark said: “That’s probably our best attribute: our togetherness. We’re all like best mates, like a family and I think when you’re like that it rubs off on the pitch as well, especially this season when you are going to need it more than ever. We know we’re not going to have as much quality as other teams, but we’ve always said that not many of the others have got our team spirit which is why, I think, we’re still in the fight to stay up.

“The manager always says in games: ‘we’ve got to get the last goal.’ Even if we’re losing 3-0, we never give up, always push and I think you can see that in our performances. We never give up.”

Rob Edwards' side are only in the relegation zone on goal difference after beating Bournemouth last weekend( Image: Robin Jones/Getty Images)

HAVE YOUR SAY! Will Luton stay up? Comment below.

Clark is full of admiration for City and knows Luton face an almighty task. They currently sit in the relegation zone but, after seeing Everton and Nottingham Forest get docked points, they want to decide their own fate.

Clark added: “You just never want it to drag on until after the season. When we had a meeting about it, we were saying we had to focus on the table now, where we are and do our best to get out. I don’t want to be on my holidays and still be thinking: ‘are we going to get relegated?’ But the most important thing is that we believe we can stay up anyway.”

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