Luton Town Supporters’ Trust Media Officer Kevin Harper gives his view of the 3-3 draw with Middlesbrough and a special night under the lights at the Hatters’ home.
Despite the changes, the magic remains inside Kenilworth Road.
It was a gloriously sunny Friday evening which greeted Luton Town’s much-awaited return to Championship football, a night which will live long in the memory for many years to come.
The Hatters would feature in second tier action for the first time in more than a decade, with Middlesbrough, one of the biggest and, potentially, best sides in the division, providing the opposition to open up the campaign.
So much has changed at Kenilworth Road, both on and off the pitch, since we were last there for competitive action, to enjoy those amazing scenes as the League One title was lifted after the match against Oxford United back in May.
The stadium has undergone a number of changes (at a ridiculous cost considering those inside it do not benefit from them, although that might be for another column on another day!), with a new gantry for the TV cameras, new floodlights and a swanky electronic system to display advertisements and sponsorship opportunities to name just some of them.
On the pitch there are a bunch of new faces with six additions brought in over the summer, as well as the return of Kazenga LuaLua, while a different coaching staff is in place to guide us further up the football pyramid.
Despite all those changes however, one thing has remained a constant, and it was in evident throughout the 90 minutes on Friday, that is the special atmosphere that an evening game brings.
This is my 30th year of going to matches at Kenilworth Road and even now I get goosebumps when the floodlights are on and the noise levels naturally intensify.
That was very much the case on Friday, and what a spectacle it created. The match was littered with exciting end-to-end action, spectacular goals, crazy errors, poor decisions and fantastic football – it was a really special night on the pitch and in the stands, one which pulled on the emotions so much that I was jaded afterwards… and I had only watched it!
I’m not sure if I’m built to cope with another 45 of those this season, but one thing I do know is with the time beginning to tick down on our existence at Kenilworth Road, I will savour every time the old girl is rocking like it was against Middlesbrough, hoping there are still many more nights like that before we eventually depart.
There is a certain magic about the famous old ground, and it was at its enchanted best on Friday. It was truly a joy to be there to witness it.
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