Talbot and Roper leave Luton

Talbot, who turned 23 a couple of weeks ago, had a loan spell at Saltergate last season where he made 17 appearances for the Spireites, scoring two goals against Notts County and Grimsby. He also picked up one red card against Rotherham United last season for Chesterfield. He also made appearances for Luton last season, although he missed the very start of the season due to a recovery from a serious knee injury. In the 2007-08 season, Drew made 22 starts and 14 sub appearances for us, scoring in two League Cup games against Dagenham & Redbridge and Charlton. He also put in an impressive performance against Liverpool in the FA Cup 3rd Round, which led to one pundit describing him as 'the ginger Maradona'. Obviously the pundit in question had never seen Maradona play. The season before, in the Championship, Talbot scored 4 times in 15 matches for the Hatters after signing for £250,000 as a replacement for Rowan Vine. It's fair to say that he never quite turned into a replacement for Vine, but was a superior replacement to Warren Feeney. Despite his lack of goals his work-rate and effort were never in question, and I'd like to thank him for his efforts and wish him luck at Chesterfield. He joins former team mates Darren Currie and Alan Goodall at Chesterfield, and I'd like to thank Currie for absolutely nothing from his time here at Luton.

In addition, Ian Roper, 32, has signed a deal with Kettering Town after his Luton contract expired this summer. Roper had featured in some pre-season matches for Luton, but with the signings of Blackett and White, alongside players such as Pilkington, Keane and Beavan, he may have found himself surplus to requirements at Kenilworth Road this season. Roper made 23 appearances for the Hatters last season, scoring three goals including a last minute equaliser at Chesterfield. Roper had a very bad start to his Luton career after an awful showing in the first match of the season against Port Vale, but produced more assured performances later on in the season, despite his lack of pace being very evident. Good luck to Ian next season as well, and thanks for your efforts.