Jack Wilshere secured his first managerial trophy as Luton Town defeated Stockport County 3-1 in the EFL Trophy final.
Emilio Lawrence scored once while Nahki Wells netted a decisive double to secure the 3-1 victory. This triumph marks Jack Wilshere’s first silverware since taking charge of the League One club. T
The former England midfielder expressed immense pride in his squad during his post-match interview.
Right there… that sealed it 🤩 pic.twitter.com/PQgLVe1QWh
— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) April 12, 2026
Wilshere admitted that returning to Wembley as a manager felt significantly different from his playing days. “It’s definitely different,” the Luton boss said.
“This feels extra special because, yeah, my first time as a manager and really proud.” He described leading the club at such an iconic stadium as a huge honour.
Wilshere also revealed the advice he gave his players to handle the pressure of the occasion.
Wilshere leads Luton to EFL Trophy glory at Wembley
The manager encouraged his players to embrace the atmosphere rather than trying to ignore it.
“Whenever I played in a final, everyone said, ‘Don’t play the occasion.’ And I hated it,” Wilshere admitted.
He told his team to “go and use the support that we’ve got here today as energy.” He wanted them to show their improvements on a bigger stage.
Nahki Wells proved vital after passing a late fitness test to start the match. Wilshere described his inclusion as “massive” for the team’s leadership.
A first trophy as a manager for Jack Wilshere! 🏆#EFL | #VertuTrophyFinal pic.twitter.com/71pwfX749a
— Vertu Trophy (@VertuTrophy) April 12, 2026
“We wanted to wait until the last minute, which we did with him,” the manager explained. James Shea also retained his place in goal after playing throughout the competition.
Wilshere insisted that the goalkeeper “deserves it” and has “earned it” through his hard work all season.
This victory represents a positive step forward for a club that recently suffered successive relegations.
Wilshere remains focused on improving the team’s identity as they aim to climb the League One table. “It feels like a step,” he concluded. Luton now hope this Wembley success will spark a strong run in the league.
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