Former Don Mick Harford insists he will be taking nothing for granted when he brings his Luton Town side to Kingsmeadow for their Blue Square Premier opener against AFC Wimbledon on Saturday.

The Hatters head into the campaign as red-hot favourites to make an immediate return to the Football League, having been relegated by virtue of their 30-point deduction last season.

But the burly frontman of old has warned his charges not to take his old club lightly.

Harford said: “If we think we can just turn up and win every game this season then we are going to be in a lot of trouble.

“We have to have the right attitude and the right mentality.

“We need to approach each game in a professional manner and that starts with AFC Wimbledon.

“I had them watched against Fulham recently and we are well aware of their dangermen and how they like to play.

“They are going to be buzzing, there will be a great atmosphere and we have to be on our guard.”

The twice-capped England international made 82 appearances for Wimbledon between 1994 and 1998, notching 11 goals in that time.

And he is also well remembered by Dons fans for scoring Luton’s goal in Wimbledon’s 2-1 FA Cup semi-final win in 1988, an irony not lost on Harford himself.

The 50-year-old added: “To think that just over 20 years ago the two sides were playing each other in an FA Cup semi-final is bizarre to say the least.

“If you had told us then where we would be now nobody would have believed you.

“But I am delighted that AFC Wimbledon are finally making a comeback and rising through the football pyramid.

“I am totally delighted for the club and everyone that works there, but more importantly the fans.

“I only have good memories from my time at Wimbledon - it was a crazy place and without a doubt a unique place.

“But we were still a well-run professional club - people liked to go on about the whole ‘Crazy Gang’ thing but you would not achieve what we did without being organised.

”I do not regret a day I spent there and the time I had with Joe Kinnear has been invaluable to the rest of my career.”

Despite his obvious admiration for the Dons, Harford’s loyalties now firmly lie with Luton.

And he is as relieved as anyone that they are finally emerging from their nightmare 12 months.

He added: “Last season was what I would describe as a momentous one for the football club.

“We had the burden of that points deduction but in no way were the players losers.

“Everyone at the club learned an awful lot from that experience and the Johnstone’s Paints Trophy win at Wembley was a great way to sign off.

“We realised that we had reached the bottom and now the only way is up.”