Brighton and Hove Albion first team coach Nathan Jones is leaving the club to become the manager of Luton Town.
The club gave Jones permission to talk to the League Two club yesterday (Tuesday 5 January) about the vacancy at Kenilworth Road. Jones has agreed a contract until June 2018.
Albion chairman Tony Bloom said: “Nathan has been a great servant to the club, both as a player during the Withdean years, and more recently as part of the backroom team as assistant manager and first team coach.
“We understand that this is an opportunity he feels he must take to progress his career. On behalf of all at the club, I would like to thank him for his efforts and wish him very well for the future.”
Seagulls manager Chris Hughton said: “The club has been aware of Nathan’s ambition to become a manager for some time and we all would like to wish him well in his new role.
“Nathan has been an important member of my backroom team as first team coach during my tenure and, while I can only comment about the time I have been here, I am aware that he’s also been an important part of the coaching team in recent seasons.
“Since I arrived, he has been an enormous help to me in my first year in the job. And alongside Colin Calderwood, he has played a big part in our progress in the last 12 months. I think he has all the attributes to become a very good manager.”
Albion agreed compensation with Luton Town before giving Jones permission to speak to them about their manager’s job.
Jones was on the books at Luton as a youngster in the early part of his career, without making a first team appearance for the club, before moving to Spain with Numancia.
He returned from Spain to join Southend in 1997 and came to Albion in July 2000. He played 183 times during a five-year spell with the club, either at left-back or on the left side of midfield.
After leaving Albion he spent seven years at Yeovil Town where he was player assistant manager during the latter stages of his time there.
He moved to Charlton as under-21 coach in 2012 before rejoining Albion as assistant head coach in July 2013, initially under Oscar Garcia. He was assistant manager during Sami Hyypia’s time in charge.
Jones took caretaker charge of Albion at the end of 2014. He oversaw a two-game spell during which Albion picked up a vital draw with Reading and an important win at Fulham, before Hughton’s New Year’s Eve appointment as manager.
