Joe Worrall says his season-long stint in Scotland is the reason he is now flying at Nottingham Forest.
Defender Worrall spent last term with Rangers, making 32 appearances in a frantic loan spell.
Yet Worrall, 22, is back with the club he once supported from the City Ground terraces and helping their promotion push.
Worrall played his part in a masterful Forest performance as the visitors managed to largely silence the home crowd in the driving rain.
Goals in each half from Lewis Grabban and Sammy Ameobi looked to have put the game out of Luton’s reach, until an 87th-minute Callum McManaman strike caused a late siege on the visitors’ goal.
Worrall feels his time at Ibrox stood him in good stead, saying: “I was used to the rain last year. And backs-to-the-wall defending is second nature to me.
“We’ve got intelligent football players and lots of leaders out there, so we know we can pull through games like these.
“I thought I was the complete player last season. But then you realise that spending a year away from the demands of the Championship, you might need that time away to look at it like an outsider.
“But I enjoyed my time up there and I’ve come back a much better player. I couldn’t have got a better loan.
“Now I’m back where I belong, so I’m really happy at the moment.
“If any other lad gets an opportunity to go up there I’d recommend it – it’s crazy. Especially if you can get a loan to dip your toe into it then come back to your parent club.”
Forest manager Sabri Lamouchi’s game plan of letting the hosts dominate possession paid off as his side twice punished sloppy defending on the counter-attack.
Grabban gobbled up one of two presentable first half chances six minutes before the break, then Ameobi curled in from Joe Lolley’s cross just before the hour mark.
Luton are looking over their shoulders at the drop zone and crestfallen Hatters sub McManaman said: “We can’t be giving those goals away at this level. The lads are disappointed. There weren’t any good individual performances today.
“But we’re not talking about relegation, we just need to be a bit cleverer.”
