Edwards hails ‘amazing story’ on anniversary of Luton’s dark day

Manager Rob Edwards has hailed the “amazing story” that now has Luton Town dreaming of the big time, 14 years to the day that the Hatters were relegated from the Football League.

Town are third in the Championship and looking favourites for at least a place in the play-offs, which will provide a shot at becoming the only club ever to have risen from the non-league to the Premier League. 

It was on Monday April 13, 2009, that their brave fight to maintain an 89-year stay in the Football League came to a crushing end. A stalemate at home to Chesterfield and victories elsewhere confirmed the inevitable after an insurmountable, and never-since topped, 30-point penalty dished out before a ball had even been kicked that term. 

It opened to trap door to five years in the non-league wilderness until John Still guided Luton to the Conference title in 2014. Since then, Town have finished in a higher league or position every season, which looks set to continue. 

Under Nathan Jones last year they finished sixth and reached the play-off semi-finals and now, under Edwards, they realistically need two more victories from their final five regular season games to book another place in the end-of-term lottery.

That will provide the mouthwatering chance of winning a place in the Premier League, which Luton helped found but never got to play in, having got relegated the season before its inaugural season in 1992.

“It’s an amazing turnaround from some really dark times and a lot of key figures have put in a heck of a lot of hard work in to turn the club around and help get it to the point where we’re in now,” said Edwards.

“We’ve only been in for 20 league games, so we are at the crest of that wave at the moment. We are extremely lucky and benefiting from all the hard work that everyone’s put in through some really dark times to turn things around. 

“And that’s everyone, whether that’s managers, Stilly (John Still), getting that promotion from the National League, which is arguably the most difficult one to do. 

“All the hard work and the promotions that Nathan and Mick (Harford) and everyone at board level and above has done as well.

“I need to make sure I recognise those people because we’re here at this moment right now we’re experiencing some really good times, it’s important that you recognise all of the people that put all of the ground working when the club was on its knees. They’ve helped turn it around and it’s an amazing story.”

Though he’s only been at the club since November, Edwards and his assistants Richie Kyle and Paul Trollope have been at the helm for the same amount of games as predecessor Jones, amassing five more victories (12) and fewer defeats (three), with the club currently unbeaten in nine Championship games. 

The manager said: “It’s obviously nicer than when you’re losing and everyone’s on you. It’s nice at the moment and we’ve got to try and enjoy the moment while we can.”

And though there is still hope that Town can still win automatic promotion to the top flight by hunting down second-placed Sheffield United – who are five points ahead with a game in hand – Edwards isn’t getting carried away. 

He said: “All we can do is try to win the next game and that’s it and that’s all we’re focused on. To be honest that is genuinely it that’s all we can do. 

“We are aware of where we are, and where everyone else is, even if other people don’t have us in third. It’s one to enjoy at the moment. Let’s look forward to the next game and keep going.”