Clarke Carlisle signs for Luton on loan

Last updated : 02 March 2007 By Peter Bulkeley
Carlisle, 27, made 35 appearances for Watford last season, scoring 5 goals from defence and picking up six bookings and one red card. Carlisle has also played for Leeds, Queens Park Rangers and Blackpool in his career with well over 200 career appearances.

The move from Mike Newell will have more Luton fans moaning over whether we should be signing any Watford players, on loan or permanently such as Matthew Spring. The main concern about Carlisle for me is whether he is fit enough or good enough to be at Luton. He has a decent enough track record with QPR, Leeds and Watford to prove that he is good enough. However, he hasn't actually made any appearances for Watford in the Premiership this season, so obviously match fitness will be a worry. However, all we ever seem to do at Luton is sign players who aren't fit enough, so he should fit in well. The other question is, is a central defender actually what we need? We did have problems in this area before, but with Barnett and Heikkinen now fit, Coyney close to fitness and Keith Keane proving to be a more than capable replacement, wouldn't we be better off signing a midfielder or a goalkeeper, where we have struggled in recent weeks? Carlisle may have been brought in so that Heikkinen can move into midfield in a defensive position, but that probably isn't his best position at all. Whether Carlisle was a wise signing or not remains to be seen against Wolves tomorrow.