Luton chief executive Gary Sweet says he understands supporters’ reactions to Town’s poor form, but had admitted it “hurt” the now ex-manager Rob Edwards when fans turned on him.
The Hatters are on a ten-game losing streak away from home, where some travelling fans had begun to voice their disapproval, but home form had been keeping the that proverbial wolf from the door.
But their last game at Kenilworth Road saw them slump to a 1-0 defeat to Norwich, which brought widespread booing, plus jeering of Edwards as he walked around the pitch, while some fans then directed their anger at Sweet and the board in the Main Stand, calling for change in the dugout.
It would prove to be the manager’s final game in charge on home soil as on Thursday the club parted ways with the man that had guided them to the Premier League for the first time ever.
Then, as a history-maker, he could do no wrong, but in this season following relegation from the top-flight, where little has gone right, the scenes at Kenilworth Road on New Year’s Day was a rare return of toxicity, the levels of which had not been seen since the legendary John Still’s last game in Decemeber 2015.
“I felt for him because I don’t think he deserved he deserved that,” said Sweet of the anger aimed at Edwards after the Norwich loss.
“I understand it. Obviously, I sat down there, stood down there during my life as a supporter and probably vented my spleen at times when I might not (have). Certainly, I particularly remember a couple of occasions on a linesmen or two, but I completely understand the reaction.
“Our supporters are going to be really disappointed, upset, maybe even angry at the at the end of a loss. “Rob takes on every emotion from everybody and it did hurt him. I can say that. It did hurt him. I could see that.
“Whilst that probably didn’t really affect his job so much, because he was very professional in recovering from that. I think it was something that was quite sad to see.”
Be the first to comment