Simon Sluga left Luton Town for Ludogorets Razgrad in the January transfer window, and triggered an outpouring of appreciation from supporters and team-mates as a result. The 29-year-old had his fair share of ups and downs in goal for the Hatters, but won the supporters over unanimously in the end before departing six months from the end of his contract. Jed Steer, Alex Palmer and Harry Isted have taken the gloves since, all eventually making way for James Shea's to return to his position between the sticks. Shea explained his surprise at Sluga's exit and gave an insight into their relationship at the club when he spoke to Luton Today. He said: "It did to be honest (come as a shock). "I was driving in my car for the Blackburn game and got a text saying 'good luck today mate,' and I was thinking to myself, 'I’m going to see you in an hours time, what are you talking about?' "He said, 'no the club has accepted an offer for me I’m going to go and speak personal terms.' "It was a shock to me in that way, so as soon as that happens, you think, 'right he’s going to be going now,' which was a shame as I got on really well with Si. "I had a real good relationship, we both backed each other whoever played, and it’s just part and parcel of football, the club has got to look after themselves. "We’ve been messaging each other, so after games he’s messaged me saying 'well done on a clean sheet.' "When I got back into the team, we’ve had a message back and forth, but we worked together for three years, I consider Si a friend, so you don’t just stop talking to each other. "He was brilliant, absolutely brilliant he was and he was different Si. "How can I explain it, he had a dry sense of humour and he was a good laugh, I got on really well with him. "I can’t speak highly enough of the boy, I got on really, really well with him, he was a massive part of the goalkeeping union and it was really good." It seems more common for a friendship to be established between two players vying for the same position with goalkeepers, and it speaks to Sluga and Shea's character that that relationship blossomed even with the Croatian coming in and replacing Shea as the club's number one after winning the League One title in 2018/19. The Verdict

Shea has and continues to be a great servant to the club and that will continue in Sluga's absence as the club  compete at the top end of the Championship. The Hatters have been one of the season's surprise packages despite many seeing them as dark horses, and to have an outside chance of automatic promotion coming out the other side of the final international break speaks volumes to the job that Nathan Jones has done, since returning as manager with the club staring down the barrel of relegation back to League One in 2019/20. Sluga's role in keeping the club in the second tier and then consolidating their place there will not be forgotten if they do go on to achieve an incredible promotion this term.