Luton Town – From League Two Relegation To Premier League Aspirations
Luton Town are having a remarkable season.
The club has a stadium capacity of just over 10,000 and one of the smallest budgets in the Championship. Yet they find themselves sixth in the league and challenging for a playoff spot. And tomorrow night they face Chelsea in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Their success is made all the more impressive when you consider where the club found itself 14 years ago.
Ahead of the 2008-2009 season Luton were on the receiving end of a 30 point deduction. 20 points were deducted by the Football League for the way the club came out of administration. Ten points were taken by the FA for financial irregularities when dealing with agents in the past.
The number of points deducted meant that the Hatters were facing relegation from League Two before a ball was even kicked that season, which fans struggled to accept.
“The feeling among the fan base was anger,” says Kevin Harper, the media director for the Luton Town Supporters Trust and a Luton fan for 33 years. “We thought an example was being made of us.
“The people involved at the time had left. They had just left the club basically to rot and go out of business. And the people that were trying to take over were the ones that were left to pick up the pieces.”
Luton’s Time In Non-League
Luton’s difficult decade reached its lowest point when their relegation to the Conference was confirmed. This came eight days after winning the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in front of 40,000 fans at Wembley.
It was the first time the club would play outside of the Football League in 89 years. But many fans expected the team to bounce back into the Football League quickly.
“It was arrogance probably rather than confidence,” says Harper. “As recently as 1992, Luton were playing in what is now the Premier League. Now we’re in non-league and we shouldn’t be here anyway.
“But we got a rude awakening in the Conference. It was harder than any of us thought it would be.”
Luton spent five seasons playing non-league football. But this time allowed the club to reset itself, and make sure that past events did not repeat themselves.
In 2007 the fan-backed Luton Town Football Club 2020 Consortium, led by Gary Sweet, purchased the club when it went into administration.
The Supporters Trust was then given 50,000 club shares by the new owners to ensure greater fan representation and input. The two entities then began to address the issues at the club to ensure long term stability.
“They had to clear out all of the issues they had inherited,” explains Harper. “The club off the pitch was having to do everything the right way. There were debts that they had to manage.
“But gradually, the ship steadied. We still had some days in the sun that made everyone realise that we could be a fantastic club again.”
The Luton Family
The time Luton spent in the Conference has brought those associated with the club closer together.
Not only are the Supporters Trust shareholders in the club, but fans have played an active role in keeping parts of the club running as it has recovered.
For example, supporters set up the Supporters of Luton Town Youth Development to help finance Luton’s academy after its funding was cut while the team played in the Conference.
This tight-knit community is something that has not weakened as Luton has ascended through the leagues.
“There’s always a team spirit at this club,” says Harper. “There’s always a Luton way of doing things. And everyone buys into it, whether they’re at the club or not.
“An example of that would be Leicester player Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. No ties to Luton at all. He was here on loan last season, but I’ve seen him three times in the crowd watching this season.
“You kind of fall in love with Luton. There’s a magic about it. Once you’re hooked on it, you can’t let go.”
Luton Excelling under Nathan Jones
Since Luton were promoted in 2014 after they won the Conference title under John Still, the team has gone from strength to strength.
Their rapid rise through the leagues included back-to-back promotions to return to the Championship in 2019.
Harper explains that there have been several developments that have allowed the club to make this push. All while having a clear wage structure that the club will not break.
He points out that building a state-of-the-art training ground has allowed the club to attract better players. The likes of Elijah Adebayo and Kal Naismith, who have both excelled for Luton in attack and defence this season.
He talks about the philosophy at the club which is now instilled from top to bottom. With the academy and the first team training in the same location, there are clear ideas at all levels of the club.
But his most significant praise is reserved for manager Nathan Jones and his coaching staff.
“Under Nathan, we’ve won promotion from League Two and we would have got promoted under him in League One, but he left to go to Stoke.
“When he came back, he would have been the only one who kept us in the Championship after the pandemic. We were going down. And he came back. He kept us up. And he’s built again.”
Jones’ second stint in charge has seen Luton make steady improvements every season. There is a real chance that a team that was battling against relegation two seasons ago could get promoted via the playoffs this season.
And those who watch them play Chelsea tomorrow will not see a team playing within themselves.
“Anyone who tunes in will see a team who look to be on the front foot,” says Harper. “They will press in the opposition half. They’ll spray the ball around. They have absolutely no fear.
“He’s got a style of play that suits the players that he’s got here, and you really can’t speak highly enough of Nathan Jones. What he’s done at this club, it’s legendary status.”
Previewing Luton’s Cup Clash with the European Champions
Although Luton know that they will have to be at their best to beat Chelsea tomorrow night, defying the odds in the FA Cup is something they have done before.
In 2013, they beat Norwich City 1-0 and became the first non-league team to beat a top-flight side since the Premier League era began.
And although Chelsea beat Luton 3-1 in the FA Cup last year, Harper believes that the fact Chelsea are playing at Kenilworth Road this time could make the difference.
“If you allow yourself to enjoy the old school, old football stadium delights, there’s a magical charm to Kenilworth Road.
“When you go in midweek under the floodlights, there’s a whole different level to it.
“The supporters are so close to the pitch that any big side hates coming here because they’re not used to it. They’re used to the luxury of the Premier League grounds whereas Kenilworth is the opposite end of the scale. It’s basic, it’s outdated.”
The intimidation of Kenilworth and Luton’s incredible season so far may not be enough to overcome the European champions.
But Luton have been one of the surprises of the season so far. And there is no reason to suggest that they cannot shock football fans yet again.
“We’ll have to play above ourselves, but it certainly did us no harm that Chelsea went to extra time against Liverpool on the weekend,” says Harper. “And the FA Cup is full of crazy upsets, isn’t it?
“Big boys have all lined up at Kenilworth Road and they’ve all been beaten at one time or another. So who is to know that Wednesday won’t be another one of those occasions.”
Click here to read more articles by the author.
