Kenilworth Road became the venue with the least capacity in the English contest. The Hutters, who in 2010 were in the Conference League, had four promotions. In this line, one of his players became the first footballer to go from amateur football to the British elite with a single club.
In Luton, 51 kilometers north of London, they party . The town of just over 200,000, known for making hats and automobiles, is celebrating a royal feat. Today, the city’s humble side made history after beating Coventry City on penalties in the playoff final and climbing into English football’s top flight, the premier league .
With Britain’s most important contest already set, all eyes and reflectors were focused on setting the final promotion quota, and the showdown disappointed no one. Burnley and Sheffield United, respectively champion and vice-champion of the championship, already had their place assured. Coventry, who finished fifth in the tournament, beat Middlesborough to reach the final. Meanwhile, sixth and bottom-seeded Luton Town beat historic Sunderland. Eventually, Thanks to the maximum penalty, the incredible feat of a team that has a special history behind it has been defined.
The club was born on April 11, 1885 and was one of the founding clubs of the Southern League in 1894. He spent his first seven decades in the youth ranks until he joined the Primera División in 1955. but they were relegated after five seasons. In 1970 they had another adventure in the top flight of British football . The last? Between 1982 and 1992. During this decade, they obtained a sixth place (1987) and the League Cup (1988), after beating Arsenal 3-2 . Unfortunately, they weren’t able to play in the UEFA Cup after English clubs were sanctioned after the Heysel tragedy.
Premier’s smallest stadium
Kenilworth Road can only accommodate 10,356 spectators . True to the old British style, the sports complex has been home to Luton since 1905. It is located in the Bury Park area, one mile from the town centre. Now it has overtaken Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth (11,307) and has become the smallest in the Premier League.
The features don’t stop there.. The courtyard is in the middle of a complex of houses. These are on the other side of the Oak Stand, one of the stands. There, the Victorian aesthetic of the houses mixes with the small passages to access the place. . Indeed, the proximity is such that to enter you have to go through the houses.
About 15 blocks away, Luton has planned the construction of its new stadium. The Power Court will hold 24,000 spectators, more than double the current number. The project was approved in 2019, but the pandemic delayed it and work has yet to begin. This is why they will have to adapt Kenilworth Road to the requirements of the Premier League.
“It may be a bigger task than building a new stadium “, he pointed sweet gary , the club’s chief executive, in an interview with the BBC last month. He also explained that “rebuilding a stand in less than three months” would require an investment of around ten million pounds.
“We have to meet a set of requirements. We have no complaints as this is part of member inclusion. Our aim is to have a new ground in 2026, regardless of the club’s position in the league . It should also be borne in mind that the stadium will be accompanied by a new area in the town of Luton with 1,200 homes, entertainment, restaurants, bars and community space,” he said.
From the Fifth Division to the Prime Minister
The great moments of the old days are behind us. The Hutters suffered footballingly and administratively. In 2010, they were in the Conference League, the fifth category of English football. Now, 13 years later, they have gone from a semi-professional league to the biggest in the world.
Unquestionably, the feat is historic. It even takes on an even greater character if we speak of Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu . The midfielder, born in London and of Congolese origin, came to Luton ten years ago from West Ham . The 29-year-old midfielder enjoyed four promotions with the Hatters and rose from the fifth tier to the Premier League. After 367 games, he became the first footballer to come out of amateur football with the same team.
Track to El Deportivo
Source: Latercera
I’m Scott Moore, a professional writer and journalist based in the US. I’ve been writing for various publications for over 8 years now, and have been working as an author at athletistic for the past five years. My work has been featured by some of the leading sports websites and magazines across Europe.
