Derby County have signed defender Sonny Bradley on a free transfer following his release from Luton Town. What can the 31 year old bring to The Rams? We spoke with the Luton Town Supporters Trust, Oak Road Hatter, Luton Town International and Luton Block F to find out!
Derby have signed Sonny Bradley. What do you make of it?
Luton Town ST: I think it is a good move for Derby and a good one for him too. He is at the stage of his career where he will be desperate to be back in the Championship and I assume that is the aim for Derby too, so the move makes perfect sense.
Oak Road Hatter: I think it is a really good signing for Sonny and for a League One side who will be striving for automatic promotion. I think he would have been a respectable addition in the Championship but in the third tier, I have to say, it seems like a real coup.
Luton Town International: Sonny’s a very good signing that will help the team push on after missing the playoffs by a point last season. Also, with the loss of Curtis Davies to Cheltenham Town he’ll add experience and a leadership quality to the Derby defense.
He played 163 times in five seasons at Luton. How would you sum up his time with the Hatters?
Luton Town ST: There is no doubt Sonny was a huge success here. His physical presence in a back four was instrumental to taking us to the League One title and he was a colossus in both boxes in the Championship. I can't overstate the impact Sonny had here both on and off the pitch.
Oak Road Hatter: He has only known progress with Luton and every season he was at Kenilworth Road, we managed to climb higher up the pyramid than the year before. He was a integral part of the team that won League One during the 2018/2019 season and went on to establish himself as a Championship-quality defender.
Luton Town International: Well, it culminated in promotion to the Premier League so I would say his time at Luton was a massive success. While he didn’t play as much as he’d have liked in the last season due to several different reasons he always handled himself in the right way.
Would you consider his time at Luton a success?
Luton Town ST: Huge success. He was a massive part in us transitioning from a League One side to a top level Championship one. His leadership skills are second to none.
Oak Road Hatter: It has to be. He has kept pace with the electric growth of our club for a number of seasons and whilst it is the right time to wave goodbye, he leaves with a fantastic reputation and relationship with the fans.
Luton Town International: Definitely. With Tom Lockyer not able to raise the playoff trophy at Wembley I couldn’t think of a more suitable replacement than Sonny. He was a staple of the team that helped us get promotion from League One and helped keep us in the Championship during that first season.
Luton Block F: His time at Luton was a huge success. Plymouth fans said he was washed up and couldn't do it anymore. He annihilated League One1, lifted the trophy. Won a load of club awards, went to the Championship and made it his home. Scoring in play off semi finals, and making proven cCampionship players look non-league at times. He is a player who joined us while we looked to consolidate League One. He lifted the Championship Playoff trophy at Wembley in May.
Did Luton express any interest in re-signing him once is contract expired?
Luton Town ST: No we didn't. As a general rule we don't tend to offer contracts to players once they go beyond 30 unless they are indispensable but we are loaded in the CB position.
Oak Road Hatter: There were no signs that the club were interested in keeping Bradley and I think it was a natural time to part company. He dropped down the pecking order and with it being almost certain that we’d strengthen our defensive options, he would have known that game time would have been extremely limited.
Luton Town International: Not that I’m aware of. At 31 he more than likely wants (and deserves) to be playing week in, week out. That unfortunately wasn’t going to happen as he fell further down the pecking order at Kenilworth Road.
Luton Block F: Re-signing him, no. It was clear that with the younger options we have that he wouldn't be retained. Nothing against Sonny. If we were staying in the Championship and then we would have kept him but there was a belief we were going up and he made the decision to leave us knowing he was going to leave us by lifting a trophy at Wembley.
What are his strengths?
Luton Town ST: Dominant aerially and a superb leader. A threat in the opposition box and reliable in his own one.
Oak Road Hatter: He is a menace in the air and is just as aerially dominant in the defensive third as he is when sent forward for set-pieces. He is also strong in his field, very aware of what is going on around him and possesses very strong leadership qualities. He is a fantastic human being as well, which can only be seen as a positive within a side who have automatic promotion in their sights.
Luton Town International: Great in the air, a fantastic communicator, and as shown on the opening day of the 2019-2020 season against Middlesbrough he can certainly hit them when he wants.
Luton Block F: Strength on the ball and physicality off the ball. Set pieces. He scored a few for us too. His leadership is second to none, which is why he accelerated from new CB to captain, leader and inspiring link between fans and team especially when Nathan Jones left us the first time.
What are his weaknesses?
Luton Town ST: He isn't the quickest as you would expect for a man of his height. But he reads the game well to make up for it.
Oak Road Hatter: He does lack mobility and a turn of pace but when playing a certain way and having the right personnel around him (more athletic players), this will not materialise into a problem. During the latter stages of last season, there was a couple of times where he showed hesitancy on the ball and was subsequently dispossessed in areas you don’t want to be losing possession.
Luton Town International: He’s not going to beat most in a one-on-one race but his positional sense will often make up for it.
Luton Block F: Very few. But many would agree, he started to ball watch when a pass would come over the top and he would then act too late to press the runner. Evident in a few of the last games he played for us. Chuba Akpom and the lad from Coventry got him good.
As a centre-half, is he comfortable on the ball or is he more of an old-fashioned defender? What other elements to his game are there?
Luton Town ST: He's an old-fashioned defender but the longer he was here he definitely improved on the ball but put him up against a physical League One striker and he'll be in his element.
Oak Road Hatter: He is comfortable on the ball and is accurate in his short and progressive passing, whilst he also plays into channels well. When being pressed, he might make a couple of wrong decisions but ultimately, he can play.
Luton Town International: He’s very comfortable on the ball and has played in a back four and back three at Luton to much success. Saying that, he’s not one for taking chances and if he immediately doesn’t see anything on he’ll clear and ask questions later. Not an old-school centre-half by any means but he is tall and strong enough that he won’t be bullied off the ball. I think he meshes old school and new school with just the right balance and as a left footed center half he’s more than comfortable playing in the middle or to the left of a back three.
Luton Block F: He's comfy passing out from the back. He has great heading technique and he rallies those around him well. His press for set pieces draws attention makes a nuisance in the box and frees up space for the attackers.
Is he better playing in a back five or a back three?
Luton Town ST: He has played in a back three and a back four with us and didn't look out of place in either. I would say the centre of a back three would be the best for him now.
Oak Road Hatter: I think he is better in a back three where he is the middle and there are a couple of quicker wide centre-backs alongside him. This allows him to engage in duels and ensure he is not left in a foot race with a quicker forward.
Luton Town International: As I mentioned above he’ll ultimately find his footing in any formation you throw at him. He’s a smart player who reads the game very well. I honestly think if he was a little faster and a couple of years younger he’d be playing Premier League with us this year. Depending how attacking your full-backs/wing-backs are a back three might be more suitable to help cover his lack of pace.
Do you think that Sonny Bradley can be good player in League One for Derby?
Luton Town ST: Absolutely. He has all the attributes to be successful in League One again and as a naturally strong leader he should be able to command the defence to make Derby hard to beat.
Oak Road Hatter: I think he will be a very good addition and not only is he someone that could play a part in helping Derby back into the Championship, but he is also someone who will be able to help the Rams re-establish themselves in the second tier if they can secure promotion this time around.
Luton Town International: Most definitely and with a two-year deal I think he’d be more than serviceable in the Championship should you go up. Injuries play a part but if he stays free of the injury bug he’ll be a very important player for the Rams next season too. I think I speak for most, if not all, of Luton fans when I say that he’ll be missed at the club and we thank him for being a part of the team that got us to the Premier League.
Luton Block F: He'll be amazing. Steady head and his footballing knowledge of that league will be priceless. If he was a year or two younger - no doubt he would be in the Premier League with us. He embodies the club spirit, old fashioned grit and determination. He does so much off the ball. Which allows others to be the heroes. But his performances for us versus Pompey in League One in the snow and his ability to bully the opposition in their own backyard (Sunderland away) is impressive and vital. Also don't forget he can strike a ball (Boro at home, the wonder goal in our first game back in the Championship).
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