There are very few clubs who have experienced such high and lows like the Hatters have in the past 16 years. The club, who were non-league as little as seven years ago, has overcome numerous challenges and is now looking ahead to the biggest week in recent times. After an intense rollercoaster period for Luton Town, they are now focusing on consolidating themselves as an established Championship club.
The Hatters host Premier League giants Manchester United on Tuesday, before visiting their rivals Watford, in a game that will certainly mean a lot for both sets of fans.
Luton Town: The Rollercoaster Period Has a Light at the End of the Tunnel
A Rollercoaster Period That Started Positively for Luton Town
Financial battles were at the forefront of Luton’s start to the 2000s, but by 2004, their new owners put an end to that. That season, the Hatters were promoted to the Championship in emphatic style. Luton followed their promotion with a tenth-placed finish that season and were dreaming of making the play-offs the following campaign.
However, that season was as good as it got for the Hatters. Sadly for the club, finances dictated their immediate future and brought upon a major collapse at Kenilworth Road. To try and rectify their financial position, several players were sold and were inadequately replaced, leading to their relegation from the second tier.
Fall from Grace
Luton’s return to League One was a swift one. Despite the troubles the club already found themselves in, manager Kevin Blackwell signed eight new players. Although the Hatters got themselves off to a good start, with four wins in the first five games, the club fell into administration in November and were consequently docked 10 points. At this point, Luton’s rollercoaster period had only just started – but many feared the worst.
In January 2008, Luton found themselves in a desperate situation and had to sell several key individuals. An FA Cup replay at Anfield saw the Hatters earn much-needed money, but that was short-lived. A few weeks after, the administrator needed to cut the wage bill even more. This saw fans’ favourites such as Chris Coyne and Curtis Davies leave the club, and Luton were in a state turmoil.
2020 Consortium Deal, But Bad Times Remain on the Pitch
Before the clash with Liverpool, it was announced that a consortium headed by life-long Luton fan and TV presenter Nick Owen (2020) had taken the club over.
Relegation from League One was inevitably confirmed with a 2-1 home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in April. With the club still struggling financially, things got even worse for the Hatters. Ahead of the 2008/09 campaign, Luton were docked an initial 15 points for failure to agree with the CVA. However, because it was Luton’s third time in administration in nine years, they were deducted a further five points.
But there was still more to follow. The club was still under investigation over past financial irregularities, which subsequently docked another 10 points off the Hatters. This meant Luton started League two with -30 points, and only six players signed on. Relegation out of the Football League was confirmed by Easter, meaning the Hatters dropped out of the football league for the first time in 89 years. At this point, Luton had hit rock bottom.
John Still’s Immediate Success Pushed Forward by Nathan Jones
The Hatters spent five years in England’s fifth tier, suffering no less than three play-off heartbreaks, However, they then secured promotion in 2013/2014 under cult hero John Still. The turbulent decade-and-a-half started to improve for the Hatters again, with Luton being very thankful to Still. However, after a season-and-a-half of inconsistent performances and results, John Still was sacked. He was to be replaced by Nathan Jones.
The former Brighton coach won 11 of the last 21 games the season he joined, steering the Hatters away from relegation. In the 2016/17 season, the Welshman guided the Hatters into fourth place, before losing out to Blackpool in the semi-finals of the play-offs.
Back-to-Back Promotions
Yet another play-off defeat did not dishearten the Hatters, who managed to go one better and achieve promotion from League Two in the 2017/18 campaign. In that season, Luton scored eight against Yeovil, seven against both Stevenage and Cambridge United, and five away to Swindon Town. However, the Hatters were pipped to the post by Accrington Stanley, who won the league in emphatic fashion.
Promotion was met with optimistic Hatters, who believed that a top half finish was on the cards. However, the majority of fans agreed that staying in the division would be an achievement. But what Luton Town did next was nothing short of sensational, and it only added to the club’s rollercoaster period.
The Hatters finished the calendar year in second place, after an incredible start to the season saw the Hatters unbeaten at home. However, the success that Nathan Jones was getting with his Luton side was being monitored closely by a number of Championship teams. Subsequently, he controversially departed for Stoke City.
Under caretaker manager and club legend Mick Harford, the Hatters continued their amazing form into the new year. The Bedfordshire-based club eventually overtook Portsmouth at the top of the league with a 1-0 victory away to Southend United. No club could catch them from there.
Return to the Championship and the Appointment of Graeme Jones
After sealing the League One title with a 3-1 victory over Oxford United, the Town were back in the Championship. Ahead of the 2019/20, England’s second-tier was as competitive as ever, with the three promoted clubs from League One tipped to go straight back down.
Mick Harford loved being at the forefront of the Hatters clinching promotion to the Championship, but knew that it was time for Luton to appoint someone new. After a thorough search, the Town hired Graeme Jones, who was Roberto Martinez’s assistant at Everton. However, the 50-year-old’s perceived negative football left the Hatters at the foot of the table. Despite the Hatters picking up some form pre-lockdown, Jones was sacked, and a familiar face returned.
Jones for Jones
For much of the season, Luton looked certain to go down. However, the season coming to a forced hold, coupled with the returning Nathan Jones, gave Luton a fighting chance of survival.
With many still holding bitter feelings towards the Welshman, his appointment came as a big surprise. However, his results were instant. A draw with play-off hopefuls Preston North End and an away win at Swansea City got the Hatters believing that the great escape was on. Luton became an extremely difficult side to beat, and going into the last game of the season, had a big chance to survive. The Town ensured their Championship status with a 3-2 victory over Blackburn Rovers, and the majority of Luton fans forgave Nathan Jones.
Rollercoaster Period Continues for Luton Town
Luton have now started the season where they left off. Two league wins and two in the EFL Cup have helped them get off to the perfect start. The Hatters do not possess the same spending power as most other clubs in the league, but their recruitment has been smart.
The addition of Rhys Norrington-Davies provides an attacking alternative to their current options. Meanwhile, winger Jordan Clark has scored two and assisted a further three in less than 180 minutes of football. Luton have also re-signed right-back James Bree, but this time on a permanent deal from Aston Villa. Similar to Norrington-Davies, he poses a real threat going forward.
Tom Lockyer, formerly of Charlton Athletic, has also joined the Hatters, but the form of Luton’s current centre-back pairing has kept the Welsh international on the fringes thus far.
The Red Devils Are Up Next
To suggest Luton will keep up their form with a victory against Manchester United seems overly optimistic. However, they will relish the opportunity to play against some of the world’s best players.
It seems preposterous to say, but is undoubtedly true, that a game against Manchester United is not the biggest game of the week for the Town. Especially when Luton have not played a top six side in over a decade.
Watford is the Main Focus
It will be Luton’s clash with Watford on Saturday that will certainly be a bigger priority for those Luton fans. The two club’s recent histories have deeply contrasted from one another. Watford established themselves as a Premier League club in recent seasons before dropping to the Championship for the 2020/21 campaign. Luton, however, have rummaged through the lower leagues in hope of finding stability both on and off the pitch.
For Luton, the match on Saturday is more than just a game against their rivals. It represents the rollercoaster period the club have been on in the past 16 years and the ever-shifting emotions that the journey has had on fans.
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