19-year-old Jake Burger has drawn the curtain upon his eleven-year stay at Luton Town, leaving the club as the U21’s captain in order to secure a senior-level switch to National League promotion hopefuls, Rochdale.
Leaving Luton after 11 years was a ‘tricky decision’ for Burger
19-year-old creative midfielder, Burger, became part of Luton Town’s youth set-up over a decade ago with the promising midfielder rising through the club’s ranks, eventually signing a professional deal with The Hatters in September of last year.
Following a pre-season mainly with the U21’s side, Burger then decided that his future was perhaps best suited at a club such as Rochdale after the Manchester-based side came knocking.
When speaking about his departure from Luton, Jake explained, exclusively to Alfie Nicholson at The Deck:
‘Of course it was a really tricky decision, but one I felt like was the best thing for me. As a Luton Town fan myself it made it even harder, I don’t have a bad word to say about the club. Everyone there is like a family’.
Burger expressed gratitude for how Luton’s senior recruitment trickled down to positively help his own development, recalling ‘I have made so many amazing memories at the club and achieved some great things, from winning the youth alliance league to the Bed’s senior cup and going on an amazing FA Youth Cup run. Every game at Luton I loved, and I can’t thank anyone enough’.
Rochdale announced the signing of Burger at the end of July
To pull Burger away from Luton Town after so many years of service in orange was always going to be a tricky move, but Jake has credited Dale’s manager, Jim McNulty for how he convinced him on the move up north, explaining:
‘The move came about very out of the blue – I heard about the interest so then spoke to the club and the gaffer and it just turned out that it would work out to be better for my career to move on to Rochdale’.
‘They [Rochdale] are a massive club for the level, and I spoke to the manager who was a massive reason. He spoke to me about areas of my game he thinks he can improve and develop in me to make me achieve a lot and go higher’.
It’s clear to see why the National League side were desperate for Burger’s services. The 19-year-old has led The Hatters U21 side as captain for the past season, even helping Premier League veterans such as Andros Townsend to bed in when they initially arrived on trial with the club.
Jake has his eyes set on a big season in the National League
The ex-Luton midfielder is aspiring to achieve a statement first season in the National League, looking to build upon his performances at the level below last season where Burger recorded more touches in the opposition box per 90 than any other attacking midfielder in the league. (@Vanarama on X)
One thing that eluded Jake in the National League South was consistent goal contributions, something which he is determined to put right this season, analysing:
‘Having been here a week now I think we can achieve a lot this year as a collective. We have a lot of good quality players and I think if we can aim to be in and around the promotion/play-off places, who knows.’
‘Individually, I want to get as many games as possible under my belt and hopefully get into double figures for both goals and assists’.
Dale’s new project is one Burger ‘wanted to be a part of’
Rochdale were as high as League One back in 2021, however, the club had recently fallen upon hard times, finishing bottom of League Two in 2022/23, only to surmount an 11th place finish in the fifth tier the following year. But there are reasons for hope at the club, and Burger knows it.
The Ogden family officially acquired a share in the club back in May 2024, offering a new dawn for the side (Rochdale Online). An exciting future was something Jake wanted to be a part of, explaining ‘I also heard about the new project with the new board, and it was something I wanted to be a part of’.
Another factor in the move is the distance. The distance between Kenilworth Road and the Crown Oil Arena is 185 miles, some switch for a teenager who had spent while whole life at Luton.
A scenery change hasn’t seemed to waiver Burger’s enthusiasm and desire to succeed at Dale however as he revealed ‘the club have helped me massively. They have put me in a house with a couple other players, one I know from home very well, so it’s a bit like moving away with a mate which I think will make the switch easier. I think I will miss all my family, but I’ll still go home and see them a fair bit’.
Burger is Rochdale’s 10th signing of the window
Jake has penned a two-year-deal with The Dale but isn’t the only player whose been signed to bolster McNulty’s chances of promotion this campaign, with Jake bringing the club’s signing counter up to ten.
When asking Jake about the time it may take the group to gel, the 19-year-old was characteristically positive stating, ‘of course things will take time, people need to learn everybody’s games and build relationships on the pitch, but I think with the group of players we have and the personalities off the pitch. I don’t think that’ll take long to click’.
Jake and Rochdale will kick off their 2024/25 National League campaign on the 10th of August, away to Boston United, marking the start of one of the club’s most highly anticipated campaigns in years.