Topic: Bring Me Sunshine - the Luton Town '23-'24 Premier League Pointsometer (22)

[Riquende]

There are a few teams across the world I have soft spots for, often because I once managed them succesfully in a computer game somewhere. That's actually true of Luton Town in a 90s edition of Championship Manager, but it's reinforced somewhat by living in the suburbs there for about 15 years after Uni. I've watched Liverpool win the Champions League in a bar a stone's throw from the site of the new stadium at Power Court, and even got to Kenilworth Road once to see a 3-0 victory over Preston North End.

Plastic pitches aside, the club, ground and town itself might be a bit of laughing stock across the country, but the plucky Hatters now find themselves in the Premier League this coming season. Already tipped by many RAWKites to have the worst campaign ever, it's an open question as to just how many points they can muster, and whether it will be enough to overhaul Derby's unenviable record.

It's also apparently an open question as to whether the Premier League will allow Luton to play at Kenilworth, with its much-discussed away fan entrance. Given the talk of the ground as a 'secret weapon', no doubt there will be feverish work across the summer to get it up to standard.

[tubby]

Haven't seen any of them in the Championship, what sort of football do they play?  Usually, teams coming up play a more carefree game in the first few matches until the harsh reality sets in, so those first 10 matches or so will be crucial, the calendar may play a part.

We'll probably get them away first game.

[Chris~]

Haven't seen any of them in the Championship, what sort of football do they play?  Usually, teams coming up play a more carefree game in the first few matches until the harsh reality sets in, so those first 10 matches or so will be crucial, the calendar may play a part.

We'll probably get them away first game.

Pulis-ball

[So… Howard Philips]

Haven't seen any of them in the Championship, what sort of football do they play?  Usually, teams coming up play a more carefree game in the first few matches until the harsh reality sets in, so those first 10 matches or so will be crucial, the calendar may play a part.

We'll probably get them away first game.

It’ll be Burnley, at an unseasonably cold, wet and windy Turf Moor.

[tubby]

Pulis-ball

Uh oh.

[I've been a good boy]

Going straight back down.

[rafathegaffa83]

Going straight back down.

If they were smart, they'd avoid the Lingard to Forest type of move and realize they're going straight back down, bank all the money and use it for their new stadium. Guaranteed they'll face a 'Big Six' side at home to kick off the season

[SouthDerryLaggo]

13 points

[Kopenhagen]

If they were smart, they'd avoid the Lingard to Forest type of move and realize they're going straight back down, bank all the money and use it for their new stadium. Guaranteed they'll face a 'Big Six' side at home to kick off the season

It'll be us.

[Red-Soldier]

Came very highly in our 'worst places to live' thread.  Been there once, knew a few people from there.

Memories of Les Sealey and plastic pitches.

[redgriffin73]

It’ll be Burnley, at an unseasonably cold, wet and windy Turf Moor.

City will get them early on for the big Vincent Kompany love-in. Followed by 5 nil to City as usual.

[Andy82lfc]

Never liked Luton at all from experience of us playing them in the 00's, can't remember finer details (maybe others on here will) but when we played them in a cup comp I remember their fans giving pelters to players and Gerrard and him making comments after the game about them, that's how bad they must have been.

As I say maybe someone else can refresh my memory on that but unless their fans have changed I don't think they're the nicest bunch, but then again who is I suppose.

[redgriffin73]

13 points

4 of which will be from us

[Crosby Nick]

Never liked Luton at all from experience of us playing them in the 00's, can't remember finer details (maybe others on here will) but when we played them in a cup comp I remember their fans giving pelters to players and Gerrard and him making comments after the game about them, that's how bad they must have been.

As I say maybe someone else can refresh my memory on that but unless their fans have changed I don't think they're the nicest bunch, but then again who is I suppose.

We played them in that mad 5-3 game where Xabi scored from our half in 2006. But we also played them away in the cup in 2008 (I think) when they were down a league or two. It finished as a draw. Vaguely remember Carra confronting the crowd after than game, and their being a bit of a hullabaloo about it all. We beat them about 5-0 in the replay, think it was Gerrard or Carragher’s 500th game for us. All getting a bit hazy now!

[RJH]

We played them in that mad 5-3 game where Xabi scored from our half in 2006. But we also played them away in the cup in 2008 (I think) when they were down a league or two. It finished as a draw. Vaguely remember Carra confronting the crowd after than game, and their being a bit of a hullabaloo about it all. We beat them about 5-0 in the replay, think it was Gerrard or Carragher’s 500th game for us. All getting a bit hazy now!

I remember there being an issue with Carragher climbing into the stands during a warm down to confront fans. Was that Luton? I know it was a lower league club.

[Terry de Niro]

We played them in that mad 5-3 game where Xabi scored from our half in 2006. But we also played them away in the cup in 2008 (I think) when they were down a league or two. It finished as a draw. Vaguely remember Carra confronting the crowd after than game, and their being a bit of a hullabaloo about it all. We beat them about 5-0 in the replay, think it was Gerrard or Carragher’s 500th game for us. All getting a bit hazy now!

Your memory is not as bad as you think. https://www.lfchistory.net/SeasonArchive/Game/5101

[slaphead]

Bit surreal seeing Luton in the Prem. I pass by the stadium few times a year when going past to visit friends, and I'll never ever forget the sight of the 2 at it outside it one Monday about 2pm. For that reason alone, good luck to them. The lad up front, Adebayo?  In them few games I watched lately he looks a handfull. Doesn't look clinical as such but he looks like he'd be difficult to play against

[Riquende]

Your memory is not as bad as you think. https://www.lfchistory.net/SeasonArchive/Game/5101

Bloody hell, Don Hutchison was playing?

I remember the 5-3 game very clearly, there was a huge buzz in the town when the draw was made (there are a fair amount of youngster who support PL teams, mostly Arsenal I think but Liverpool decently represented. I even saw a lad in an Everton shirt in my then-local Sainsburys once). I was working in retail at the time and some lad in the store swore he was going to get everyone tickets... not sure he even made it there himself.

The game was mad though, as well as Xabi hitting one from our own half you had one of the Luton forwards stamping on Carson and winning a penalty for it, think that made it 3-1 to Luton.

[Andy82lfc]

We played them in that mad 5-3 game where Xabi scored from our half in 2006. But we also played them away in the cup in 2008 (I think) when they were down a league or two. It finished as a draw. Vaguely remember Carra confronting the crowd after than game, and their being a bit of a hullabaloo about it all. We beat them about 5-0 in the replay, think it was Gerrard or Carragher’s 500th game for us. All getting a bit hazy now!

Maybe that's what I remember, but yeah always left a bad association with Luton fans after that. Doubt they'll have changed.

[Lusty]

4 of which will be from us

Pretty sure Sunderland did something like that to us once.  Took 4 points off us and ended up on 18 overall or something.

[Statto Red]

I remember the crazy 5-3 match Alonzo from the halfway line, Gerrard going mad at him when he takes the shot on, then celebrating with him when the ball rolls into the net, that came about after their keeper went up for a Luton corner, we managed to clear the ball & get a quick break away 

Not sure when Luton had that plastic pitch installed, sometime during the summer of 85 or 86, they were forced to rip it up summer 91 when plastic pitches were banned, looking at the archives, we had couple of wins, couple of draws, & a couple of losses, i remember the FA cup tie against them in 87 which went to 2 replays, we lost the 2nd replay on their plastic pitch.

[Crosby Nick]

Pretty sure Sunderland did something like that to us once.  Took 4 points off us and ended up on 18 overall or something.

02/03! Drew 0-0 at Anfield with their reserve keeper having a worldie. They didn’t have a shot all game. Then beat us 2-1 at their place. Think Kirkland saved a penalty.

[Lusty]

02/03! Drew 0-0 at Anfield with their reserve keeper having a worldie. They didn’t have a shot all game. Then beat us 2-1 at their place. Think Kirkland saved a penalty.

Yeah that would have been about right.  Not long after my first game at Anfield.

Watching a Houllier team try and break down a low block was always a painful experience!

[Red Beret]

Saw this from Joe on FB 

[storkfoot]

Luton Town brings back memories. The genius of Paul Walsh playing for them at Anfield in a 3-3 draw.

Also waking up on a Saturday morning in the mid ‘80s and deciding on a whim to go to Luton away. Merseyrail to Lime Street, bought a Special ticket and then paid in the away end which was open in those days. It was freezing but we won 3-1 with, I think, Souness scoring two.

Imagine doing that these days.

[LuverlyRita]

Not sure when Luton had that plastic pitch installed, sometime during the summer of 85 or 86, they were forced to rip it up summer 91 when plastic pitches were banned, looking at the archives, we had couple of wins, couple of draws, & a couple of losses, i remember the FA cup tie against them in 87 which went to 2 replays, we lost the 2nd replay on their plastic pitch.

The plastic pitch definitely disrupted our game and contributed to my negative feelings toward the club - made worse by their (at the time) loathsome Tory MP chairman

[Red Beret]

The plastic pitch definitely disrupted our game and contributed to my negative feelings toward the club - made worse by their (at the time) loathsome Tory MP chairman

He was a complete scumbag. A bit of an auld racist cnut as I recall?

[Alisson Wonderland]

I'm going against the grain and saying I think they'll stay up against the odds.  They are a well run club and have, what looks like, a good young manager.  Their home form will be key though.

[Fortneef]

Yeah i dont think they will do any worse than the usual playoff winners.
Chance of staying up about 40%

[Skeeve]

If they were smart, they'd avoid the Lingard to Forest type of move and realize they're going straight back down, bank all the money and use it for their new stadium. Guaranteed they'll face a 'Big Six' side at home to kick off the season

Haven't they got some upgrades to make to their existing stadium to be approved by the PL and will thus be after an away game for their opener just in case?

[reddebs]

I have a lot of links to Luton.

My dad grew up there, my grandparents lived on Cromwell Hill not far from Kenilworth Rd and I remember playing in Wardown Park as a kid.

My grandad was a Hatter as in he had a hat factory on Clarendon Road which I remember visiting as a child.  The factory is now apartments/flats but is part of the tourist trail and hat making history route with a plaque outside.

I still have family around the area.  Ampthill,  Barton le Clay, Clophill, Flitwick and Markyate.

[redtel]

The plastic pitch definitely disrupted our game and contributed to my negative feelings toward the club - made worse by their (at the time) loathsome Tory MP chairman

Yep.

To those of us who watched football in the '80s, before it was fashionable to do so, Luton Town will always be the club that gave us the loathsome David Evans, Tory MP and club chairman, whose ban on away fans inspired Margaret Thatcher's despised ID card scheme.

For those who don't remember, this was a scheme which would have seen anyone who wanted to watch football stigmatised as a second-class citizen and it was only abandoned after Hillsborough - when the Taylor Report brought an end to the practice of caging us like animals.

Add on that horrible plastic pitch and they wouldn’t have been the favourites of any of our players who faced them let alone our fans.

Going down next season. Ale house football.

I watched the play off from when Luton equalised on 66mins to the penalties. It was the worst game I watched all season including some in the Cheshire Football League. The ball was turned over every few seconds as they failed to find a teammate. Big guy up front, so get it into the mixer. They realise they have to spend £8-10 million to satisfy the PL the ground is up the PL standard by August before moving in 2025.

[S]

Haven't they got some upgrades to make to their existing stadium to be approved by the PL and will thus be after an away game for their opener just in case?

Aren’t we doing that too? That would mean we can’t face each other on the opening day. Either that or it would have to be played somewhere else.

[FiSh77]

I remember the crazy 5-3 match Alonzo from the halfway line, Gerrard going mad at him when he takes the shot on, then celebrating with him when the ball rolls into the net, that came about after their keeper went up for a Luton corner, we managed to clear the ball & get a quick break away 

Not sure when Luton had that plastic pitch installed, sometime during the summer of 85 or 86, they were forced to rip it up summer 91 when plastic pitches were banned, looking at the archives, we had couple of wins, couple of draws, & a couple of losses, i remember the FA cup tie against them in 87 which went to 2 replays, we lost the 2nd replay on their plastic pitch.

Didn't they get the first replay (which should've been at Anfield) called off cos they were snowed in or some bollocks then the re-arranged replay where they beat us was back at their shithole?

[Skeeve]

Aren’t we doing that too? That would mean we can’t face each other on the opening day. Either that or it would have to be played somewhere else.

In our case, that will obviously mean that we end up away at one of the other promoted sides.

[Skeeve]

Didn't they get the first replay (which should've been at Anfield) called off cos they were snowed in or some bollocks then the re-arranged replay where they beat us was back at their shithole?

That just sounds so mental if that's what happened, surely if a replay was postponed then you'd still play it at the scheduled venue when it was rearranged.

[Boston always unofficial]

Always get a bit of tick v good for this...
 

[FiSh77]

That just sounds so mental if that's what happened, surely if a replay was postponed then you'd still play it at the scheduled venue when it was rearranged.

Just looked it up and they did re-arrange the game to played at Anfield which finished 0-0

Cup holders Liverpool were given the unenviable task of beginning their cup defence at Luton, although their supporters were boosted when the BBC chose to screen the match live on the Sunday. The 0-0 draw gained by a defensive Liverpool looked to have done the job for Dalglish's team, but his post-match declaration that Luton's playing surface should be ripped up indicated his growing feeling of disgust against artificial pitches. It wouldn't be Dalglish's last gripe during the tie.

Despite the country being in the midst of a cold snap, Liverpool managed to get their pitch in a fit state for the replay. The only problem was that Luton were stranded down south, their decision to travel up on the day of the match backfiring, with Luton airport closed, and their flight from Heathrow grounded due to air traffic congestion. Police advised Luton against travelling by coach - although many of their own supporters made the journey by car - and Liverpool officials were understandably furious that their opponents had not taken extra precautions in travelling up the night before.

The mistrust between the clubs continued prior to the rearranged replay. Luton rejected the FA's suggestion of a neutral venue should a second replay be required, and when Luton won the toss before the Anfield replay, Dalglish questioned why the coin flip was not performed after the match. Knowing that a draw would mean a return to Kenilworth Road, Luton parked the bus, a fine 0-0 meaning the two teams had to do it all again on the dreaded plastic pitch.

Luton easily won the second replay 3-0, Brian Stein's opener breaking the stalemate after over four hours of football, meaning Liverpool had exited the competition at the third round stage for the first time since 1978. But the row continued, particularly over the original Anfield cancellation. "If you can't turn up for a match you shouldn't be in the competition," bemoaned a peeved Dalglish, during a rare trophyless season for the Red Machine.

[Eeyore]

As well as the ID cards they had a total ban on away fans.

[Barneylfc∗]

1st home game postponed as can't guarantee the ground will be ready