TWO YEARS SINCE his spell as skipper of the club ended, Alan Sheehan has returned to Luton Town to join the Championship outfit’s backroom staff.

The former Ireland U21 international was today appointed first-team coach by the Kenilworth Road side, who are currently in 16th place in England’s second tier.

Luton also confirmed that Mick Harford is ready to resume his role as assistant manager after undergoing radiotherapy treatment for prostate cancer.

“We are delighted to welcome Sheez back,” Luton boss Nathan Jones said ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup third-round clash with Harrogate Town. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while and it’s something we like here, with the continuity.

“We’ve brought him in because we believe he’s a good coach and he’ll get even better. He’s hungry and wants to learn, and the most important thing is that he knows us, he knows our environment.”

Earlier this week, Sheehan announced his decision to call time on a playing career that saw him make over 450 professional appearances – the first of which came for Leicester City in 2005.

The left-back from Athlone went on to play for several clubs, including Leeds United, Swindon Town, Notts County and Bradford City, before joining Luton in 2016.

After captaining the Hatters to back-to-back promotions, which saw them leap from League Two to the Championship, he departed for Lincoln City in January 2019. The 35-year-old has since served in a player-coach capacity for Northampton Town and Oldham Athletic.

Jones added: “He’s earned the opportunity by being a wonderful player for us, a fantastic captain and also a fantastic human being, and we believe that with further learning – because he’s had about a year of being a first-team coach – he can be a fantastic asset to us.

“I know the fans will be excited because Sheez was so popular as a player and contributed so much to our success. It’s a real boost for everyone to have Mick and Sheez back to work alongside the outstanding coaches we already have.”