Luton boss: There's no sterner test than PompeyÂ

And the Luton Town boss feels the Blues are strong contenders for promotion this campaign.

Kenny Jackett's troops host the Hatters for their League One curtain-raiser tomorrow (3pm).

Pompey missed out on a play-off spot last term, finishing eighth in the table.

However, reaching the Championship is the chief aim for Jackett's troops this time around.

Luton enter the division on the back of promotion from League Two, with many tipping them to challenge for a top-six berth once again.

Jones expects his side to have no tougher match than when his side make the trip to PO4 '“ and insists the Blues are one of the front-runners to go up.

The Hatters manager told Luton Today: 'Portsmouth are a very good club, Scunthorpe narrowly missed out last year, they'll be strong again.

'You've got Charlton who are a massive club at this level, Peterborough with a manager who's used to being at the top end and have bought 14, 15 players, so it's a real tough test to come in.

'There's no sterner test than Portsmouth, then Sunderland and even Peterborough, who have strengthened, so we know we're going to come up against different people.

'We know we're going to come up against slightly better sides, so we've had to step up a level, but hopefully we can handle the levels as we move along.'