news-engine

Town chief expects 'frustrated' ex-Hatter to have a point to prove Brown will face Luton this afternoon Luton boss Jack Wilshere is expecting his former charge, striker Jacob Brown, to have a point to prove against the Hatters when Town head to Reading for their League One opener tomorrow afternoon. The 28-year-old Scotland international had been at Kenilworth Road last term, as recovering from another injury that blighted his time in Bedfordshire, was finally fit enough to feature in the goalless draw against Rotherham United in November. However, Brown only went on to feature seven more times under Wilshere, the last on New Year's Day in the 1-0 defeat at Exeter, going on loan to Championship outfit Portsmouth in January. He made 15 appearances for Pompey, scoring once as the Fratton Park side survived relegation to League One, but was one of three released by Wilshere in the summer, along with Cohen Bramall and Zack Nelson, leaving Town with seven goals in 60 matches, including netting twice in the Premier League and against fierce rivals Watford in a brilliant 3-0 derby victory. Snapped up by the Royals, Brown headed to the Madejski Stadium in the summer and made his first start in the 1-1 Carabao Cup draw at Bromley on Saturday, Reading winning 5-4 on penalties. Asked if he feels Brown will have something to prove against his team, Wilshere said: “I think he will. I know Jacob, Jacob is a top guy. We had conversations in the January window when he left. "He was frustrated here, so I think that naturally, as a player, when you leave somewhere and it probably didn’t quite work out the way he saw it, you want to show them. He’ll think we were wrong for letting them go, so he’ll want to show that and it’s down to us to manage them. From a player’s perspective, yes, I think the defenders who are here when he was here will know what it’s like playing against him. That will also work the other way, he’ll know the defenders, so we know Jacob and we’ll be ready for that.” It isn’t just Brown that Luton will be looking out for, with another ex-Town forward, Jack Marriott who scored 16 goals in 24 league matches last term, including once against his old side in a 3-2 triumph in Berkshire, is fit again following a host of injuries, including a hamstring problem, coming off the bench last weekend. Manager Leam Richardson spent money on Colchester United’s attacker Kyreece Lisbie, who netted 11 times for the U’s in League Two, and also added ex-Burton Albion player Udoka Godwin-Malife too. Wilshere added: “They’re a good team, especially with the ball. They’ve got some good players who like to get on the ball and make things happen. They like to play, they’ve added Lisbie on the wing, who I think is a threat, a team that likes to dominate the ball, are organised, look like they’re well coached, but a game that excites us.”