A new year has begun but while we wait for the first action of 2024 it feels like a good time to reflect on the previous 12 months, a year that, if you support Luton Town, you will never forget.
The club entered 2023 in a good place. Successive wins had finished off 2022 and those who went to Huddersfield on the first day of the year would have done so feeling good and dreaming of what would eventually unfold.
Even then though, if I had said the next 12 months would include a win over our rivals, an incredible night in a play-off semi-final, the most special day at Wembley, Premier League football for the first time, four excellent wins and countless other great moments, you would probably think I had been out for a sherbet or three too many on New Year’s Eve 2022!
Where do you really start with such a magical 12 months? I guess with the best day of them all, that wonderful afternoon on May 27 when almost 40,000 of us headed down to Wembley dreaming of securing Premier League football, which after the most dramatic few hours we were able to do. Whether you were at Wembley, with the many at Wardown Park or at home watching on TV the scenes after the penalty shootout will never be forgotten.
Of course, were it not for an incredible night at the Kenny where we showed the very best of Luton on and off the pitch there would have been no Wembley final. The scenes when Tom Lockyer put us in front in the tie against Sunderland were memorable and the celebrations at full time full of passion.
They were mirrored six weeks previously when Gabe Osho and the boss got their personal retribution and an Allan Campbell strike put that lot down the road in their place on an afternoon where the dream felt like it started to feel more real.
The second part of a brilliant 2023 was all about the Premier League. Of course it didn’t start how we wanted but wins over Everton, Crystal Palace, Newcastle and Sheffield United were all welcome as were highlight moments when we led Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City within the space of five weeks of each other.
No recap of 2023 could be complete without a mention for a special player we have all been privileged to watch. That is of course Ross Barkley, who, like the team, took a few games to get up to speed, but the longer the campaign has gone on he has flourished into an absolute joy to watch. Whatever happens in 2024, watching him do his thing will bring plenty of comfort to Hatters everywhere.
Two other men deserve a lot of praise as we look back on 2023. They are of course Rob Edwards and Tom Lockyer. The former was the mastermind behind all of these incredible moments that we enjoyed while the latter was the epitome of everything good about our club with his all-action, aggressive, strong and physical nature the characteristics we need in our leader. It goes without saying, after his cardiac arrest against Bournemouth, we all wish Tom the best of health as we move into 2024.
Quite simply, 2023 was the best year of my football supporting life. If 2024 is even half as good it will be another enjoyable 12 months.
Kevin and the Luton Town Supporters’ Trust Podcast team also looked back on 2023 in this podcast. Click on the video below to go straight to that chapter and listen to more takes on a year that will never be forgotten….
