FAN'S VIEW: Levelling up, the Luton Town FC way

Watching Luton Town FC since 1970 has always been a privilege for me but you have to learn fast that football is not for the faint hearted. If you stick with your club you can be rewarded with some fantastic highs but also you will go through some tough times too.

By 1975 the Hatters were on their uppers and I chipped in £5 from my student grant to help out and was given five supporter shares. I knew I was in for the long haul because I just loved the club but more than that I loved my home town.

I decided I would make a point of telling everyone who would listen that I was a Luton fan and proud of it - I even put it on job applications! And it worked - a Watford fan hired me in 1990 so he could have a laugh or so he said but I didn't care.

Fast forward through the 53 years to 2023 and it is almost like I am back in time at the start. OK the ground is all seater and there is a roof on the Kenilworth Road end but it is still virtually the same as in 1970. Luton were also in the second tier in 1970 but the big difference is that this time we got promoted to the top table, the Premier League!

For all Luton fans whether you were at Wembley, watching on the internet, listening on the radio or following the text on the BBC it was a classic Luton rollercoaster ride. All the emotions of my half century of support crammed into one warm Saturday afternoon and early evening crowned by promotion by beating Coventry on penalties.

Getting to that point did not happen by billionaire investment, accident or luck. Good people took over the club in 2008 and were rewarded for their efforts with a 30 point deduction that guaranteed falling out of the Football League. Starting from less than nothing they have created a story that will, I doubt, ever be repeated.

I will single out Gary Sweet and the board for singular praise because without them this could not have happened. Add in people like John Still and Nathan Jones who got us back into the league and on the move again - brilliant football people. Mick Harford came back and started recruiting players who were incedible value. Mick then took over and got us out of the third level, League 1 and a well deserved manager of the season for 2019. The pandemic came along and nearly scuppered plans for the new stadium which was central to not only the regeneration of Luton Town FC but the whole the town.

I am not an expert on the finances of the Hatters but I think Luton had to get promoted this year to keep up the momentum that has given us a rocket assisted ascent through the leagues.

Along came Rob Edwards who took the team to another level and instilled a belief in the players incredible talents plus a steely resolve to get that promotion. In the same way as Mick had delivered a promotion that was there to be lost Rob did the same which is the hardest thing to achieve. Throughout it all the players have been magnificent and Pelly has been there all the way, each one extremely talented footballers and real honest professionals.

I therefore thank, from the bottom of my heart, Gary, Mick and Rob for their leadership that got the job done and who are still writing more chapters in the ascent of Luton Town FC. Our town and people will benefit massively from the Premier League and boy does it deserve the good economic times because Luton Town FC is a community club for all the people.

Life had taught me that if you want something done well you generally had to make it happen yourself. Gary, Mick and Rob have taught me that when you get good people together, all pulling in the same direction really good things happen. Luton is a diverse and decent town filled with beautiful people and they get things sorted. It's levelling up the Luton Town FC way!

> The Luton News and Dunstable Gazette is publishing an 8-page special on Wednesday, June 7 to further celebrate Luton Town's promotion to the Premier League.

Following on from our 16-page special last week (which is still available to order on the link below), this time we've more reaction to the Hatters success at Wembley and the season as a whole, plus a look back at the last time Hatters won promotion to the top flight.

Pick up a copy in all good news outlets from June 7, or click on the link to order if you live further afield or your local shop sells out https://luton-news.eventbrite.co.uk