Luton Town FC have confirmed they rejected the Football Association’s request to remove fans’ ‘Betrayed by the FA’ flag ahead of last night’s England Under-21 match at Kenilworth Road and that the governing body’s “demand” of an unknowing member of staff to fold it up was “unauthorised” by the club.
Last night was the first time the Hatters’ home had hosted an England Under-21 fixture for 31 years, and the club had to hand over control of the stadium to The FA for the fixture, which saw the Young Lions beat Austria 4-1 in a friendly.
But the night was overshadowed for many Hatters when photos circulated of the huge flag, which has hung in the Main Stand for 15 years, with its ‘Betrayed by The FA 2008’ message covered up.
The flag is fans memorial to The FA slapping Luton with a 10-point penalty that, combined with a 20-point punishment from the Football League in the summer of 2008, effectively relegated Town out of the Football League after 89 years.
The Hatters have now revealed that an FA request to take down the flag was rejected as part of the deal to host England Under-21s, but that a further “demand” was made prior to kick-off and carried out by a member of staff that “didn’t appreciate the true significance of the action”.
The club maintain that had the folding request been made to a more senior member of staff that it would have again been declined.
Instead, after the match, Hatters fan groups said supporters were “dismayed” and “outraged” by the action, and Luton Town Supporters’ Trust this morning demand an apology from The Football Association and The Lutonian has contacted the governing body for a response but has not yet received a response.
But after the flag cover-up sparked a backlash from some sections of Luton’s fanbase the club has released a statement explaining what they have called the “unauthorised folding of the flag”.
The statement added: “The ‘Betrayed by the FA 2008’ message printed at the bottom section of the flag has a meaningful significance to our supporters and the Club, as it is a representation of the most poignant event in the Club’s history and is a symbolic relic of the largest points deduction the FA has issued any club.
“As time has passed, the Club’s relationship with the FA has arrived at a place where games such as last night’s England U21 international may be hosted at Kenilworth Road. Events such as these are positive for the Club’s local community – particularly for younger supporters in the area – and are events the Club wishes to conduct more of moving into Power Court.
“In agreeing to use Kenilworth Road for last night’s fixture, the Club was obliged to hand the operation of the fixture and the Club’s entire facility to the FA under their specification which included adding the application of England branding throughout the stadium. However, it was requested that the banner in question would remain in place, just as it did when Kenilworth Road played host to the FA Women’s National League Cup final on March 23rd.
“In the final build-up to the match, the FA asked for the flag to be taken down, a request that the Club rejected. Instead, the corner was folded, which meant the flag remained in place, but the full extent of its meaning was compromised. This action was demanded by the FA and carried out by a member of Club staff who didn’t appreciate the true significance of the action. Had the request been escalated it would have been declined.
“The Club understands the subsequent reaction from the fanbase and is extremely disappointed the FA felt the need to hide the message, which is also a poignant part of its own history. We will never forget what happened with the points deductions, and we apologise to any of our supporters who were offended by this action and to those who own the flag.
“Ultimately, it was not the Club’s decision but the FA’s very late insistence in their staging of the fixture. Finally, the Club would like to be able to offer Kenilworth Road as a hosting venue for similar fixtures in future but would only do so on assurance that the Club’s wishes to acknowledge its history are observed.”
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