As I pen this column on this, the 32nd anniversary of the greatest day in the history of Luton Town, the day Brian Stein put the ball in the Arsenal net back in 1988, I thought I would reflect on the high times this week has given us over the years.
No-one who was lucky enough to be at Wembley on that sunny April day 32 years ago, or who watched on TV, listening to the dulcet tones of Brian Moore and David Pleat describing the action, will ever forget that day and the joyous scenes that came with it, but that isn’t the only success this week has given us in the past.
As Luton fans, we are used to a lot of weeks providing disappointment, and at times despair, but that can’t really be said about this one. In fact, this must be one of the best we have.
If you allow your minds to wander forward 17 years from that famous Wembley showpiece, more than 2,000 Town fans headed to Wales to watch Luton face Wrexham.
St George’s Day in Wales was always likely to be a lively affair, but the Hatters were after the League One title, and under glorious Welsh sunshine, they left with what they went for, as a maiden goal from Curtis Davies, and a winning header from Chris Coyne, crowned an amazing season under the leadership of Mike Newell.
The scenes after the final whistle that day and a week later back at Kenilworth Road, when the title was lifted after a 4-2 win over Brentford, still live high in the memory.
The good times did not end there though. We move forward another nine years to 2014. The Town have had to endure five full seasons in non-league, but finally that nightmare has come to an end.
John Still’s side had stormed past all before them and had already wrapped up the title, but Ronnie Henry finally got his hands on the silverware after another majestic victory against Forest Green at Kenilworth Road. The scenes in the directors’ box after the game confirmed Luton were back.
Just four years later and it was escaping League Two which was the matter of attention. Nathan Jones took his Hatters side on the long journey to Cumbria to face Carlisle United on April 21st 2018, knowing that if they matched Exeter’s result elsewhere, that champagne would be popping under the spring sunshine as promotion would be confirmed.
News poured into the 1,500 or so Luton fans, who had got up before dawn had broken and braved the M6, that Exeter were drawing. After falling behind earlier in the game, Olly Lee was the Hatters hero as he converted from close range to draw the Town level. There were no more goals elsewhere and Luton were back in League One and set up for even more success.
This week has certainly been a wonderful one in the history of the club we all love. Hopefully when football is able to return we can create many more successful ones that we can look back on with equal fondness in the years to come!
