Hatters net Neilson with second on the horizon

Having been released by Crawley, Luton were quick to move for the 25-year-old who has impressed while on loan at Conference rivals Grimsby Town.

The new signing tweeted: “Thanks for the messages, looking forward to another promotion! :-)”

And although he will not be able to play until New Year’s Day, boss Paul Buckle admitted he could be the first move in a busy January transfer window while hinting another deal was almost done.

Speaking before the deal was confirmed, Buckle said: “You never like to tempt fate, because it’s like buying a house. You can get gazumped in our country and it’s the same football.

“Until it’s actually signed and sealed and the player’s in the door, or players, you never like to disclose anything.

“Yes we’re quite a long way down the road with certainly one, maybe stroke two hopefully, and at the same time I’ve spoken to players at our club about their futures.

“They all want to play and, like I’ve said before, every player at the club has to have a realistic chance of getting in the first team.

“Unless they’re a real young one like an Ali Ann who has had a tough time with injury, or a 19-year-old.

“Everyone has to be realistically coming in every day with a chance of playing and improving all the time and wanting to improve because that’s the way I want to do things.

“If not then it’s probably not the place for them.”

Neilson was instrumental in Grimsby’s 4-1 win over the Town in September and has also played for Hertford, Ware, Cambridge City and League Two Bradford City.

He scored six goals in 31 games as the Red Devils won the Blue Square Bet Premier in 2010-11 and netted three times in 35 appearances last season as Crawley won promotion from League Two, including the all important promotion-clinching goal in the Sussex club’s 1-0 win at Accrington Stanley on the final day of the season.

Joint boss Paul Hurst admitted that Neilson had turned down the chance to stay with the Mariners.

He said: “I don’t think we’ll be seeing Scott in a Grimsby shirt again

“We thank him for his efforts and I think he appreciates the chance to come here and play, and to get his career back on track.

“But, as I’ve said, I can’t pick Grimsby up and move it. We’ve made Scott a good offer but I think he’ll be playing his football elsewhere.”

Luton are also known to be admirers of AFC Wimbledon wide man Christian Jolley, who also shone on-loan at Newport County as the Exiles thrashed Town 5-2 recently.

Buckle continued: “If a player’s contracted with another club, yes you have to wait for the window to open to actually play him and officially sign him.

“But you can talk to managers. If the manager gives permission to talk to a player yes you can cement things down ready.

“You can do that if a player is non-contract or out of contract, you can sign them now.

“You can do a bit of work now and whenever we can get ahead of ourselves we will do that.

“What you don’t want to do is be trying to fit it all in when you’ve got games as well.

“It’s a difficult time, I’ve got to tell you. You want to concentrate on the games, you have to, they’re so important.