With Luton yet to win in the Premier League this season, fans have explained how Luton’s spending is different to other promoted clubs, amid criticism from a BBC football pundit that the Hatters have only done the “bare minimum” in the transfer market.
Former Tottenham winger Garth Crooks has been criticised by the club for his “disrespectful” comments that he “can’t take them seriously”. The club revealed on Thursday they offered him a chance to come down to their training headquarters at The Brache, but that he had not responded to the invite at the time.
The 65-year-old has since doubled down on his view about Luton, writing on his BBC Sport website team of the week piece that, ‘To survive in the toughest and most successful league in the world requires significant investment in player recruitment and infrastructure. I look at Kenilworth Road and Luton’s summer signings and it’s clear there has been only the bare minimum.’
This is despite around £12million being spent on the the stadium to make it Premier League ready and an estimated £17million this summer on recruiting 12 new players.
Luton lost 1-0 at Fulham on Saturday as their failure to take the game’s best chances saw them lost a fourth straight game to remain pointless this term.
As part of the Luton Town Supporters’ Trust Podcast discussion about the game and the lack of goals, The Lutonian writer James Cunliffe said: “Killer instinct, it’s the same all over football, it costs you money. Even to the point that Luton were in for Cameron Archer and couldn’t get him. What did Sheffield United spend on him? £18million. That’s the entire summer transfer budget, give or take a million here or there for Luton. That’s just not what’s going to happen.
“I know there will be a certain section of fans that think that Luton should’ve spent the cash, but they’re the people that don’t see the bigger picture of where this club has come and, now, what this opportunity (promotion to the Premier League) has given the club as a whole.
“Results can wax and wane, you can get promoted or you can get relegated, but to have a football club in the first place is the main thing, and one that’s going to be sustainable.”
Watch the full episode below…
