Rob Edwards has left his role as Luton boss by mutual consent with the Hatters chief executive Gary Sweet admitting results have “not been acceptable” but that guiding the club to the Premier League last year has earned the 42-year-old “legendary status”.
Relegation came after just one season in the top flight and on Monday night, Town lost 2-1 to Queens Park Rangers in the Championship, extending their away-day losing streak to 10 straight games, with four on the bounce and a division highest 15 defeats in total. It has left Luton two points above the Championship relegation zone and that is why the club has now acted to end his tenure after just two years in charge.
Rumours had emerged yesterday that it was the end of the road for Edwards and in confirming the decision, the club said in a statement: “The current campaign back in the Championship has clearly not progressed as anticipated, and after holding amicable talks following Monday’s defeat at QPR, the board and Rob have agreed to part with immediate effect.”
The statement added: “We could have not wished for a better man to understand what it takes to be manager of Luton Town, one who acted as an ambassador for the club and community in the glare of the world’s media spotlight.”
The task to appoint a new manager is now underway, but Edwards’ assistant managers Paul Trollope and Richie Kyle, aided by Mick Harford, will take charge of the Hatters for Saturday’s FA Cup third round tie at Nottingham Forest.
Luton CEO Gary Sweet said: “As with all decisions to part company with a manager, this has been a tough decision to arrive at, together with Rob, who has conducted himself with great professionalism and dignity throughout his two years at the club, and again this week as we have genuinely come to a mutual conclusion.
“Rob has given us some of our greatest days to celebrate as Hatters. Those two barnstorming derby victories at Kenilworth Road, the play-off final at Wembley and our season in the Premier League will live with us forever and in doing so Rob has earned himself a legendary status.
“Results this season, especially away from home, have clearly not been acceptable and while we have supported Rob and his team in every possible way, we all felt that action was required to rectify this with 20 league matches still to play.
“It is typical of Rob’s humility that he also recognised this himself and leaves not just as a former manager, but as a trusted friend who has left his mark on every player and member of staff.
“Rob and his family will always be welcome visitors to Kenilworth Road. The door is always open. On behalf of the board, I would like to give him our heartfelt thanks for two years of tireless work and so many memories, wishing him every success for his future career.”
Edwards became the first manager to guide the Hatters to the Premier League, which he did in his first season, after taking over from Nathan Jones in November 2023, having started that season as boss of arch-rivals Watford.
He guided Town to victory over the Hornets on their way to the Championship play-off final at Wembley, where Luton beat Coventry City on penalties to return to the top-flight after 31 years away. But that day also saw first of two heart issues that captain Tom Lockyer suffered on the pitch, with a traumatic heart attack then following at Bournemouth last December.
The club statement added: “On that day at the national stadium and then again four months into the Premier League campaign, at Bournemouth, Rob led with compassion and dignity in the wake of the two episodes which saw his captain, Tom Lockyer, collapse on a pitch with heart issues.”
Despite winning many admirers in the top-flight, Town’s stay was short and they were relegated back to the Championship after just one season.
This term, expectation levels had been set on a promotion push back to the big time, but an opening night 4-1 humbling at home to Burnley, who finished below Town in the Premier League, set the tone for a campaign that has gone from bad to worse.
After a 5-1 rout at Middlesbrough just before the international break in November, Edwards gave interviews in which he said he didn’t want to be a “divisive figure”, which many fans interpreted as a parting message. But the 42-year-old remained in charge and Luton won their first game back from the two-week break, 1-0 against Hull City.
Since then, however, Luton have only won twice, and have seen the home form, in which they’d gone six games unbeaten, end with a defeat to Norwich, which saw some fans inside Kenilworth Road turn against the man that they previously regaled with his “We’ve got super Robbie Edwards…” chant. In his post-match interviews, he said he wouldn’t step away and he reiterated that point after Monday night’s reverse at Loftus Road.
Asked about walking away from the club, while pitchside at QPR, Edwards said: “I want to work and we believe in this group. It’s not something I want to do. I love this club. We’ve had great times here. This is a really difficult period. And it’s really challenging. Continuing to get hit and we’re on the ropes and getting hit after hit after hit. But no one’s giving up and you can see that the fight is there.”
But Town will have to carry on that fight without him for the short term, until a replacement is found, with reports in Scotland yesterday already linking former Celtic boss Neil Lennon to the role.
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