Summer signing Shandon Baptiste can’t wait for the new season to start after getting through the final friendly of the Hatters’ pre-season campaign against Celta Vigo.

Town went down 3-1 to the Spanish side, who finished 13th in La Liga last term, but were well in the game after Alfie Doughty’s second-half equaliser before two late goals came after a flurry of changes.

Baptiste, our new recruit from Brentford, supplied the assist for Doughty’s far-post volley with a beautiful curling cross, and said afterwards: “It was a good game. I think we controlled it well.

“Obviously with three goals conceded, when we look back at it we’ll probably see that we could have avoided them, but I feel like it was the last game of pre-season, everyone got a good run out and now we are looking forward to the start of the season.”

The 26-year-old went on: “You want to get the errors out of the way now so when the season starts, everything is good and everyone can move forward onto more positive things.

“I’m sure we will look back at it, see what we need to do better and take that into the first game.”

The former Oxford man is pleased with how his partnership with Jordan Clark in the middle of the park is developing.

“Yes,” the Grenadian international said when asked if he’s enjoying playing alongside the ex-Accrington Stanley man, “and I think just game time is going to get us more connected, building on that relationship more.

“The more games we play together, the more he’ll understand me and I’ll understand him.

“I feel like the two games I’ve played with him have been really good and hopefully we can just build on that.”

Baptiste praised the culture at the club for helping him settle, and having played here for the Bees as an opposition player, he is glad to now have Town fans on his side.

“It’s been great,” he said. “Everyone at the club has made me feel welcome, everyone has made me feel good so hopefully that can carry on and we can have a great start to the season.

“(It was) fantastic, all the fans cheering, all the fans bringing positive vibes is just so good to see. Just stick with us and hopefully first game of the season, we can hear them cheering again.”

And finally, on that opening night under the lights against Burnley on Monday week, he added: “I’m looking forward to it. I feel like it’s the start of a big season for us, so hopefully we can start off with three points.

“If not, we go again. But yes, we are going to be looking to start well and everyone is looking forward to it.”