Sonny Bradley insists his Luton Town connections will not change his approach when he leads Lincoln City out at Watford.
Lincoln City take on Watford at Vicarage Road on Tuesday evening, with Bradley captaining the visitors against the fierce rivals of his former club.
The centre-back spent five years at Luton and captained the Hatters, adding extra interest to his return to Hertfordshire.
Having also played for Plymouth, the current Imps captain received stick from Exeter supporters last season; he is familiar with the attention a player’s previous clubs can attract.
Bradley Plays Down Watford Reception
However, speaking in his pre-match press conference, Bradley said he does not believe the occasion will be any different from the other matches he has approached this season, regardless of the reception awaiting him.
“I wouldn’t expect anything. It might be a few boos, cheers, a few comments here and there. But that’s part of football. I’m mature enough to understand that if you’ve played for their rivals in the past, that that can happen.”
The Lincoln captain’s priority is securing an away victory rather than making a personal point to the home supporters.
“But for me, it’s just another match day. I’ll approach it in exactly the same way that I’ve approached any game this season. My only thought is helping my team-mates to get the three points.”
Bradley was unlikely to expect a hostile reception, as his visits to Luton were minimal. It’s a ground the big defender hasn’t had a lot of joy from: he lasted 45 minutes before being taken off due to illness as the Hatters lost 4-0 a couple of years ago, and he played 90 minutes for Derby during a 2-1 defeat prior to his move to Lincoln.
There will also be silverware on offer, with the clubs contesting the Graham Taylor Cup for the first time in recognition of the manager who enjoyed such success with both. Bradley might regard it as another matchday, but the sight of a former Luton captain lifting a trophy at Vicarage Road could still make for an interesting ending to the evening.
