There are players who make an impact, and then there are those who become the very fabric of a football club. Fewer, still, become unicorns of the game with a record that may never be matched. So put some history on his name but Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu is leaving Luton Town — and with him go the “vibes” that defined the game’s greatest fairytale. Football? Completed it, mate.
After more than a decade, 412 appearances and four promotions peppered with patented “BANGERS” among his 23 strikes, today is the final day that the midfielder will be “moving and grooving” as a Hatters player. Tomorrow he’ll be a free agent.
His departure marks the end of a chapter that can only be described as miraculous — not just in the club’s history, but in the history of English football. From non-league to the Premier League in ten years, you’ll never sing that!
Realistically, we’ve known this day would come since he was loaned to Rotherham in January and then the news was confirmed when Town released their retained list last month. Then, for good measure, the tear-jerking feature-length send-off video that the club dropped over the weekend.
Who’d have thought it when he arrived at Kenilworth Road from West Ham United as a teenager in 2013 with raw potential? Though he freely admits he didn’t want to come to start with (the Ely Way training patch complete with dog walkers around the pockmarked pitch wasn’t quite the draw), what followed was nothing short of a daydream manifested: the first man in history to play for the same club in all top five divisions in England.
That kind of loyalty is rare enough. That kind of trajectory is unheard of. A once-in-a-generation presence.
In 2021, it looked like he’d gone after his contract expired, only for him to make a late but glorious return following a summer of rumoured interest from Championship rivals such as Middlesbrough, Blackburn Rovers and West Bromwich Albion. He said after penning that new deal: “I have a special relationship with the supporters here as we’ve been on a journey together right from the Conference, and I couldn’t leave without experiencing a packed Kenny again.”
Legend is an overused word, but there’s no question the moniker applies with Pelly. It’s fitting that his iconic, champagne-spraying Wembley image adorns the George II pub mural alongside a hero from another era, Mick Harford. Their likeness now greets travellers as they exit Luton Train Station heading into town and, in a few years, march to Power Court. Who knows, they may be artistic precursors to a set of statues at the new stadium?
That’s because, from his debut in the Conference to the mile-wide smiles under the Wembley arch in 2023, Pelly didn’t just witness the Hatters’ journey — he powered it. Whether it was April Fool’s Day gold in Dartford or Anfield under the lights, he was a midfield metronome that played with the same relentless energy (whilst deceptively looking knackered after five minutes), the same unmistakable stride, the same unshakable belief.
He had injury setbacks, form dips and the occasional suspension, but he always came back stronger. Every step up the pyramid, loaded with questions about whether Pelly could cut it — and he continually proved doubters wrong. His output mirrored what became the club’s identity: hard-working, resilient and fearless.
He’s not the most technical player. He’s not the flashiest. But he never needed to be. Pelly was the glue. The heartbeat. The man who made everyone around him play better, run harder and believe. And off the pitch, he was the life and soul. Loud and lively around the training ground, his voice often carried through The Brache before he ever came into view.
His magic moments are etched in the club’s history. You’ll have your favourites. Besides the bangers, I’ll see yours and raise you the watch-pointing celebration against Wycombe and being in the pre-play-off final press room when he reunited with John Still, the man who brought him to Luton. The smile that never dimmed, no matter the scoreline. And, of course, that quote after the play-off final win about completing football.
With that unique achievement, Pelly rose to the top became a symbol of what football can be — a game not just for superstars and billionaires, but for grafters and believers. His name went viral, his story told across newspapers, podcasts and football sites worldwide.
But for Luton fans, none of that was new. They’d known all along. They’d seen every tackle, every run, every grin. They’ve now chanted his name in stadiums from Accrington to Arsenal.
Others have sung his praises in different ways. Chief executive Gary Sweet called Pelly’s journey “unique, special, awe-inspiring”. Chairman David Wilkinson said: “It’s probably his presence that we’ll all remember most. A beacon of light everywhere he went.”
They’re right. Because Pelly will never be just another player. Even if, like me, you’ve never previously joined in with “retire the shirt” brigade, if there’s one man to make an exception for, it’s him. As his chant ascribes, he’s “Luton’s 17” and there’ll never be a man who could wear it as well. A legacy was built on blood, sweat and cheers in that jersey. A contribution that will never be forgotten.
For a generation of Hatters, Pelly was Luton. It’s all change now, in more ways than one. He personified the club’s resurgence — humble, hard-working, full of character and always underestimated until it was too late. His story became our story. A tale that told the world what loyalty, patience and belief can build. Rare commodities in any era of football.
He leaves now with folkloric status secured, a hero who should be sung about for years. Welcomed back forever. Hopefully not too long before a promised testimonial match is played out. “When the time is convenient for Pelly and his career” said a club statement. Name the time and the place and Hatters will be there for a send-off to savour.
Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu: Forever a Hatter. One of one. Luton Town? Completed it, mate.
