A year ago on the weekend, Luton Town claimed a 2-0 triumph against Rotherham United, solidifying their position at the championship’s third place, with only Burnley and Sheffield United ahead. Their standing drew little attention from the Premier League, often dismissed due to the relatively small capacity of their ground.
Fast forward twelve months, Luton Town is heading to Manchester City, emerging as a highlight of the Premier League season. Despite tough injuries and casualties, the Hatters have successfully leveraged their home ground, Kenilworth Road, and remain in contention for survival. Meanwhile, Burnley and Sheffield United, the clubs that finished higher than them last season, face an imminent relegation threat.
Today, Luton is set to make their debut appearance at the Etihad stadium, the turf of the European champions. Despite their current position in the relegation zone, they could potentially move up, given that the margin is only the goal difference. Luton, along with Nottingham Forest, Everton, Brentford, and Crystal Palace, are among the five clubs with a plausible goal of retaining their spot in the division by August. These clubs probably hadn’t foreseen being threatened by a team that won a Wembley penalty shoot-out play-off, and has been fairly resource-strapped with a stadium seating just 12,000.
The clubs that enjoyed mid-table luxury and subsequent robust income to bolster their squads were likely placated when Luton lost their first four games with a net score of 10-2. However, everything changed on the final day of September, when Luton celebrated a victory at Everton’s Goodison Park, offering other clubs a wake-up call. The Hatters, having been absent from the top tier since 1992, marked their first victory in the Premier League era.
Tom Lockyer, Luton’s skipper, scored the first goal that day. He was also responsible for scoring the decisive goal against Sunderland in the play-off semi-finals that led the Hatters to Wembley. This skilful centre-half, known for his aggressive play, wit, and pass rhythm, instilled a newfound belief in his team that their season could be more than just a fleeting visit.
Three days following their loss at home to Burnley, Luton’s manager Rob Edwards’ post-Everton statements about “learning, growing, adapting, evolving” seemed rather premature to some. Not many paid attention to them anymore.
By the time December rolled around, Luton could boast of another win and their first one at Kenilworth Road, which came against Palace. Nonetheless, when the current champions, City, arrived in Bedfordshire that December, Luton was only showing nine points after 15 matches and its Premier League survival seemed uncertain.
Surprisingly, it was Luton that broke the deadlock in the match against City, thanks to a goal from Elijah Adebayo. Although City later turned the match around with goals from Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish, Luton proved able to breach the defences of Pep Guardiola’s victorious Treble team.
The match was significant in its own right for marking the last major participation of star player Lockyer, before he collapsed post-Bournemouth, as had happened after only 12 minutes at Wembley. His cardiac arrest affected not only Lockyer himself but it also dealt a significant blow to his team, his coach and his club, with the loss of a key figure. Far from a simple personal injury, it sent shockwaves through the club.
In response, Luton pulled off a 1-0 win over Newcastle, went to Bramall Lane and managed to score three, boosting their points tally to 15 from 18 games. In spite of remaining in the relegation zone, the ratio revealed glimmers of hope.
As the club’s reputation began to alter, they secured a 4-0 victory against Brighton, including a hat-trick from Adebayo. Despite the challenges that followed – only one win in 11 games and a staggering 6-2 home loss to City in the FA Cup, during which Erling Haaland netted five – Luton are stepping up as true Premier League challengers. The statistics might suggest that their chances of winning are slim at 30/1, yet their having netted goals in their two encounters with City surely proves they are capable of at least that.
It’s also worth noting that three of Luton’s final five fixtures will be held at their beloved and noisy home ground; Brentford, Everton and Fulham are likely not looking forward to their visits there.
The bottom line is that Luton’s potential for retaining their place in the Premier League is palpable, and if achieved, their survival story could arguably rank as the most noteworthy in English football since Leicester City’s championship win in 2016.
It would be foolhardy to dismiss their accomplishments, but Leicester does boast established players such as Kasper Schmeichel, Wes Morgan, and Robert Huth. Also, they have premier signings like N’Golo Kanté and Riyad Mahrez, and a forward in Jamie Vardy who netted 24 times in 36 matches. Significantly, all managed to maintain their fitness.
Last week, Edwards reported that 11 players, inclusive of Chiedozie Ogbene, Adebayo, Amari’i Bell, Jacob Brown, and Lockyer, who had all partaken in the landmark Everton victory, were unavailable. This explains why Christian Chigozie, a 16-year-old still in school, was warming the bench at Arsenal a week a half ago.
Ross Barkley, with his prestigious Premier League experience, alongside Marvelous Nakamba and Sambi Lokonga have, however, contributed significantly, although the two latter are also sidelined. Considering these factors, on Saturday, it might be an equaliser for Rodri’s admission of being physically drained, along with other City players.
Rodri expressed this exhaustion understandably following the strenuous 3-3 draw against Real Madrid in the Champions League, a far cry from their upcoming match at Kenilworth Road fixtures.
It seems peculiar that City’s consecutive matches include Real Madrid, Luton Town followed by another against Real Madrid. However, Luton should be given due recognition. This ascent might seem surreal to Hatters fans, witnessing the team’s progress from the third tier at the start of the millennium to a downward tumble involving administration (2007), a staggering 30-point deduction (2008) and consequent loss of Football League status (2009). Even 2018 saw them in League Two.
Yet the commendable way they’ve handled their numerous adjustments this season is noteworthy. Edwards is certainly a contender for the Manager of the Year, while their leading striker, Carlton Morris, is presenting a strong case for Footballer of the Year. While he is unlikely to clinch the title, his performance has mirrored those of Neil Redfearn at Barnsley in the solo Premier League season of 1997-98 and Charlie Adam at Blackpool in 2010-11 (who were subsequently relegated with 39 points).
The unforgettable sights of English football back in the 1982-83 season promptly transport you to the thrilling tussle between Luton and Manchester City. On that eventful final day, Raddy Antic, the Yugoslavian powerhouse midfield maestro of Luton, pocketed a terrific winner in the 86th minute. This clinching goal not only guaranteed Luton’s survival, but also condemned City to relegation, prompting their manager, David Pleat, to joyously dart across the Maine Road– quite an unconventional spectacle of that era. During the ‘Match of the Day’ commentary, John Motson branded the occurrence as “an extraordinary feat of escapology.” A similar feat by Luton Town in 2024 will certainly warrant repetition.