Garth Crooks thought they’d be ‘down by Christmas‘, Paul Merson described them as ‘a cut below the rest’ and the bookmakers who installed them as relegation certainties tended to agree.
But Luton Town are defying their doubters and showing an impressive determination to extend their Premier League stay beyond just the one season.
Beat Burnley at Turf Moor on Friday night for their third win in four league games and the Hatters will move above Everton and out of the relegation zone.
Their manager Rob Edwards refuses to see Luton as ‘paupers’ in a division well-known for having plenty of cash sloshing around and the Tom Lockyer’s frightening on-field cardiac arrest has helped galvanise everybody at Kenilworth Road.
Having beaten Newcastle and Sheffield United over Christmas, if Luton can get a result against a Burnley side four points behind them they’ll enter the winter break truly believing they can stay up.
Andros Townsend celebrates his winning goal as Luton beat Newcastle before Christmas
Rob Edwards’ side are increasingly confident they can remain in the Premier League
Luton can move above Everton and out of the bottom three if they beat Burnley on Friday night
Although Vincent Kompany‘s side won 2-1 at ‘The Kenny’ back in early October, their poor home form augurs well for Luton.
Burnley are the first team in English top-flight history to lose nine of their first 10 home games from the start of a campaign, with rock bottom Sheffield United the only team to lose there.
While Luton hardly have the best away record – just two wins from nine this season – they will nonetheless fancy their chances, especially from set-pieces, where Burnley have conceded eight times so far.
It’s a little early to be using the term ‘six-pointer’ but the outcome of Friday night’s match will certainly set the mood for the next fortnight among those striving to escape relegation.
It may also determine whether Edwards delves into the transfer market between now and the end of the month.
In anticipation of a £100million windfall following promotion, Luton spent enormously by their standards but modestly compared to everyone else last summer.
It’s believed they spent around £20m on the likes of Ryan Giles, Mads Andersen, Tahith Chong, Tim Krul and Marvelous Nakamba.
But some money had to be kept back to make improvements to Kenilworth Road and also to bolster the kitty for the club’s proposed new 23,000-capacity stadium at Power Court.
Not many teams have enjoyed coming to Luton’s Kenilworth Road this season
Ross Barkley was washed up in the Premier League but has become instrumental for Luton
Edwards could have funds to spend this month, however, and he said ahead of the trip to Burnley: ‘We’ve got to do it in our way, so I don’t see us as paupers.
‘If, and it’s a big if, we can stay at this level, and keep competing for a longer period of time then we’ll be in a better position to keep growing and building.
‘It’s our first year in the Premier League, we’re never going to go out and be able to match a lot of the other clubs, but that doesn’t mean we can’t go out and sign good players.’
That much is evident from the revitalisation of two players – signed for nothing – who many considered to be washed up.
Ross Barkley, 30, was unwanted at Chelsea and spent a season in France with Nice before returning to the Premier League.
He has become one of the first names on Edwards’ teamsheet, the coach describing the midfielder’s contributions as ‘brilliant’ as he fielded questioned about a shock England recall four years after his 33rd cap.
Townsend, 32, spent part of pre-season on trial at Burnley as a free agent after leaving Everton but a proposed move there collapsed.
The winger had endured 18 months of injury hell but Luton were prepared to take a gamble on him. He’s certainly repaid them, with a winner against Newcastle the highlight so far.
The trauma of captain Tom Lockyer’s on-pitch cardiac arrest has galvanised the squad
Lockyer, 29, collapsed during his side’s match against Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium
After Luton gave Townsend a contract extension until 2026, the player tweeted it was ‘one of the easiest decision I’ve ever made’ to put pen to paper.
If any additional motivation was required in their mission to stay up, it was provided when captain Lockyer collapsed on the pitch at Bournemouth on December 16.
It could have been very different but for the quick response of paramedics and medical personnel from both clubs who saved his life.
It’s too early to tell whether Lockyer, 29, can return to football but his team-mates have certainly absorbed his fighting spirit.
They’ve beaten Crystal Palace, Newcastle and Sheffield United since the incident, the ‘Lockyer 4’ shirt kept pitchside for goal celebrations getting plenty of airing.
Luton’s indomitable spirit is seen in the fact 57 per cent of their goals this season have come after the 75th minute.
They are fighting right to the end and those who so readily wrote them off may be embraced yet.
