Matt Bloomfield – the story so far Luton Town FC

Matt Bloomfield has become the ninth different permanent manager of the Hatters since Luton Town 2020 took control of the club in 2008.

Born in Felixstowe, Suffolk, Bloomfield began his career as a trainee with Ipswich in 2001. Despite representing England at under-18, under-19, and under-20 levels, he struggled for opportunities in a crowded midfield and made just one first-team appearance before joining Wycombe Wanderers in December 2003.

Bloomfield, then 19, made his debut for the Chairboys in a 2-0 loss to Rushden & Diamonds and scored his first goal for the club against Queens Park Rangers in March 2004.

He had skippered Gareth Ainsworth’s side to promotion from League Two alongside the Hatters in 2017/18, having already played in two Wanderers sides that went up from the third tier – first under Peter Taylor in 2008/09 and then under Gary Waddock in 2010/11.

Club captain at Adams Park for almost a decade, Bloomfield then led his team out at Wembley on the occasion of his biggest achievement, when Wycombe won promotion to the Championship in the Covid-interrupted 2019/20 campaign.

By the time of his retirement, following a concussion injury suffered in his first and only outing of the 2021/22 season in a League Cup tie at Exeter, Bloomfield had already moved onto the coaching staff at the Buckinghamshire club having made 558 appearances and scoring 42 goals – fourth in the Chairboys’ all-time appearance list.

Describing him as “one of, if not the best” professionals he had ever known, Ainsworth in Bloomfield’s retirement announcement said: “We could not have achieved everything that we have done without him, and above that, I wouldn’t have wanted to have gone on this journey without him.

“He has been such an inspiration to everyone at Wycombe Wanderers, on and off the pitch, and he has shown tremendous courage to take this step for him and his family. Wycombe Wanderers have been truly blessed with an extraordinary individual that has gone far, far beyond what he signed up to do.

“Matt Bloomfield is a Wycombe Wanderers legend, a guy you can rely on with anything, a guy who will be there for you through everything, and someone who has the respect of every other footballer in the game. To have seem him develop into the man he has become goes deeper than just football, and above all this he is, and always will be, one of my closest friends.”

It was then, in September 2022, that Bloomfield took his first steps in management when appointed head coach at Colchester United.

With the Essex side just two places above the League 2 dropzone, he helped staved off the threat of relegation and won the January 2023 manager of the month award with four wins and one draw from six games.

A month later, following Gareth Ainsworth’s departure to QPR, Wycombe were on the lookout for a new manager and they knew exactly who turn to and the lure of a return to familiar territory proved too strong.

Wycombe finished ninth that season and 10th last term, but their form since New Year’s Day 2024 has been promotion-winning stuff.

Collecting 91 points from 48 matches in that period is a promotion-challenging return, and this season the Chairboys have topped the League One table for several weeks, their 18-game unbeaten run in the league only coming to a halt in between Christmas and New Year.

With Bloomfield having completed his UEFA Pro Licence qualification in the summer, his side ran Premier League Aston Villa close in the Carabao Cup, before beating York, Wealdstone and Championship opposition in Portsmouth to progress to round four of the FA Cup.

He leaves behind a side second in League One only to big-spending Birmingham City, but ahead of Wrexham, Huddersfield, Barnsley and Reading in the promotion positions.

In a recent interview with Coaches’ Voice, Bloomfield explained how he likes his teams to play.

“I want my teams to play fast, convincing football, and not have possession for possession’s sake,” he said. “I want to know why we are moving the ball around the pitch. What is the purpose, and what is the move we are building towards?

“I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel, or be the cleverest manager in the Football League. What I am trying to do is what's right for my group at any given moment.”

With his credentials impressing the Kenilworth Road hierarchy, it gives us great pleasure to welcome Matt and his coaching staff for the next chapter in both the club and the manager’s story.