Since gaining promotion from the Blue Square Premier in the 2013/14 season and having a sustained growth in League 2 for 4 seasons, Luton Town are finally back where many people would agree, at the top of League 1 and look destined to join the big boys in the Championship.
2018/19 Season
August didn’t start as according to plan for the Hatters, losing on the opening day 1 – 0 to Portsmouth, exiting the league cup in the first round losing to the same score line against West Brom and not picking up the first win of the season until they beat Southend United 2 – 0. However, since September, Luton have really hit the ground running and sit deservedly at the top of League 1 whilst on a current 22 unbeaten streak of games in the league collecting a heroic 75 points from their 35 games this season whilst scoring a total of 69 goals, the best of League One so far.
Star Man
20 of these 69 goals have come from their Irish striking superstar, James Collins. Starting his career at Aston Villa, Collins moved North of the border to Hibs in the Scottish Premiership and is enduring his most successful stint with the Hatters. Scoring a total of 39 goals in 77 appearances over 2 seasons has made him a certain fan favourite. The inform striker has definitely got the Luton Town owners rubbing their hands especially after signing him on a free from Crawley Town who currently sit 18th in League Two.
Recent Form (WWDWW)
Since the start of February, the Hatters have scored 11 goals with 6 of these coming from two 3 – 0 wins against Shrewsbury Town and Wycombe Wanderers in a week with a battling draw coming against Coventry City on the 24th.
Nathan Jones departure and the remaining games left for caretaker boss Mick Harford
The opportunity to manage a Championship side in Stoke City was too good to turn down in the end, which came of a bit of a surprise for me personally but also left a sour taste in the mouths of the Luton faithful. With a record of 87 wins, 46 draws and 37 loses, saw his team under his reign score 301 times and conceding 174 goals. The Welshman however seems to be struggling at Stoke with only winning just 2 games so far and losing 5. Spiteful fans hope he may regret his move but we are yet to find out with only 10 games in charge and a summer transfer window coming up to get his tactical approach across. Despite this, the club looks like he never left and has carried on in the way that the players and the fans can be very proud of. Jones, who left the club in second position, was on a 13 game unbeaten run in which they took 33 points from a possible 39 and has ultimately paved the way for current caretaker manager Mick Harford to take over the reigns and steer his team to glory. With 11 games remaining in the season to which 7 of these games to be played against teams in the bottom half of the table, it appears on paper that their most toughest games left come against Charlton (5th), Doncaster (6th) and Blackpool (8th) which will all be pushing for those play-off positions. Luton Town will play Oxford United on the last day of the season at home who currently sit 19th and may find themselves trying to escape relegation on the last day.
But who else will join the Hatters in the Championship and how will they bode next season?
Written by Jordan Smart
24/7 Football 