Luton was gripped by play-off final fever yesterday and while more than 36,000 fans packed into Wembley Stadium to savour the history-making efforts of their team, back home one of the town’s biggest parks was packed with Lutonians all celebrating the Hatters’ promotion to the Premier League.
Luton Council set up big screens in Wardown Park and the town turned out to watch as Town won a penalty shootout 6-5 in sudden death to book a place in the top flight, 31 years after they were last there.
Back then the Hatters voted for the creation of the Premier League but were relegated from the old First Division before the inaugural season. Since then the club has tasted despair with relegation to the non-league and almost going out of business entirely three times.
But the last nine years has seen unparalleled success and yesterday was their fourth promotion in nine years, making them the first ever club to go from the non-league to the Premier League.
Jordan Clark put Luton ahead at Wembley but Gus Hamer equalised for Coventry and after Town had three goals disallowed, one cruelly at the death in extra-time by VAR, it meant the contest went to a penalty shootout.
Both teams scored their allotted five and then in sudden death Dan Potts scored mean Coventry had to do likewise, but Fankaty Dabo missed his and that sent Wembley and Lutonians back home into wild celebrations.
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