Hatters boss Nathan Jones has confirmed tonight that last season’s top scorer Danny Hylton has undergone a minor operation this summer to clear up a lower leg injury he was carrying towards the end of last season.

Speaking to the media at tonight’s friendly at Hitchin, Jones explained why the 27-goal talisman had not started pre-season training yet.

“We’ve had to have a precautionary thing for Danny Hylton, which was a minor procedure, and we knew he was going to do that,” said the Welshman.

“He was playing through pain for the last month of the season and he’s recuperating. He had that done a little while back. We won’t rush him and his body probably needs a rest to be fair.

“He hasn’t been injured very often in his career and the work-rate and the distances he covers, it’s probably the only way you get him to sit still, so that’s what we’ve done.

“He just had a little thing in his lower leg. He was playing through pain and had an injection to play on. We didn’t think he’d play in the second leg of the play-off seim-final, but somehow he got out there and that’s credit to him, but it’s a minor thing.

“It’s not ideal but it’s not the end of the world. Danny is a fantastically fit player, he doesn’t stop working day in, day out. Even after he goes home he’s very energetic around his house.

“He’ll be playing catch-up slightly, but that won’t do him any harm with the quality we’ve brought in. It gives them an opportunity to stake an early claim and Danny will recover fully and we won’t push him.

“We’ll bring him back safely because it’s a long season. We want a fully fit Danny Hylton back and we want him back safely.”

The gaffer also confirmed that the Town will play an extra pre-season friendly when the team travel to Slovenia next week for a training camp. Slovenian second tier side NK Bravo will provide the opposition.