When Saturday Comes by When Saturday Comes

Author:When Saturday Comes
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780141927039
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2006-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Luton Town

Formed by the local council in 1885, Luton had three seasons in Division 2 at the turn of the century, but otherwise remained non-League until the creation of Division 3 in 1921. Five years after their formation, however, they had employed the the first professional player in the south of England, striker Frank Whitby being paid five shillings a week. The club soon gained the nickname of ‘The Hatters’ after the town’s hat industry. The Hatters became nearly-men until promotion thanks to Joe Payne’s 55 goals in 1936–37. The season before, Payne scored ten goals in Luton’s 12–0 win over Bristol Rovers, in the reserve centre-half’s first game up front. Luton later converted Malcolm Macdonald from defender to prolific striker, while 1960s goalkeeper Tony Read also enjoyed a season as a forward.

By 1955–56, Luton were in Division 1. The club’s only FA Cup Final came in 1959, a 2–1 defeat to Nottingham Forest. That season, player-manager Syd Owen became the only Luton man to win Footballer of the Year, but he was also 37, highlighting an ageing side. By 1965–66, Luton were in Division 4. Nine years later, they were back in Division 1, albeit for one season. In between, Graham French gave a new definition to ‘mercurial winger’ when he served two years in prison over a shooting outside a pub. Returning straight to the first team on his release in 1972, he was never the same player. The club were managed for part of this period by Alec Stock, the inspiration for Ron Manager. Stock, often in ill-health after having been hit in the back by a bazooka shell during the Second World War, summed up his attitude as ‘Train, play, laugh and never let those three mix.’

David Pleat, an injury-prone winger as a Luton player, guided the club to Division 1 by blooding youngsters such as Brian Stein and Ricky Hill. Both played for England and, in 1985, England’s strike force in a 2–0 defeat against France was Stein and Luton glamour boy Paul Walsh. After Pleat, Luton lost managers for the oddest reasons. John Moore got a record finish in Division 1 of 7th in his sole season, but didn’t like the attention. Ray Harford: won the Littlewoods Cup against Arsenal in 1988, sacked for not smiling enough. Jim Ryan: the last manager to keep the Hatters up, fired for being rude to the chairman’s wife.

That win over Arsenal had every cliché: Luton strolling into a 2–0 lead, pegged back to 2–2, young second-choice keeper Andy Dibble rounds off fine stops by saving a penalty, and Stein gets the winner in the final minute. But Arsenal were most neutrals’ favourites thanks to Luton’s plastic pitch and the ban on away fans at Kenilworth, imposed by chariman David Evans, who, despite being an arch Thatcherite MP, at least spent a lot of money on the team.

Relegated in the final season of the old Division 1, Luton’s record signing Lars Elstrup threatened in pre-season to retire unless he was allowed to go home to Denmark.

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