Back on May 27th, Luton Town edged passed Coventry City in a penalty shootout to win what’s known as the “richest game in football”: the EFL Championship Playoff Final.
That is, admittedly, a funny nickname for a match that determines who places 3rd in the second division of English soccer. But I assure you, it’s an accurate title for the fixture.
Luton Town celebrating their promotion (Via iNews)
If you’re unfamiliar, it’s called the “richest game in football” because it determines which club will snatch the last of three promotion slots to the top division of the English footballing pyramid - the Premier League.
With such status comes dramatically increased revenues from TV deals, increased matchday earnings, and the vast commercial opportunities that come with rubbing shoulders with the true giants of the world’s game on what’s arguably the sport’s biggest stage.
But given three clubs are thrust into such wealth annually, why is Luton’s promotion so special?
In short, they’ve climbed up the pyramid faster than any club in recent memory, and have done so on an absolutely shoestring budget.
Luton Town, known as "The Hatters" for the the city's history of hat making (Via Paddy Power News)
Just 10 short years ago, Luton Town were playing in the National League. Which, for anyone who’s seen Welcome to Wrexham, is the division Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s Wrexham A.F.C found themselves in at the start on the show. It’s considered non-league football.
But, even without the injection of movie star money, Luton shot up the English footballing ladder. Here’s a visual on that progress:
Other than the minor blip in 2015/16, Luton have improved on their previous year’s performance every season since 2013/14. I can’t tell you how uncommon that type of linear growth is in the world of football - it’s just never that easy.
But, it’s not entirely unheard of either. Take RB Leipzig for example. In 2009, the famous energy drink company, Red Bull, purchased the lower-division German side, SSV Markranstädt, and transformed them into the top-flight Bundesliga powerhouse we know today.
Over the course of just eight seasons, Leipzig shot up from the 5th division of German football to ultimately finish 2nd place in the Bundesliga in 2016/17, and did so coming off the back of significant investment from the Red Bull takeover.
But impressively, Luton Town have achieved a similar climb without such financial backing. Even by Championship standards, they’ve been among the lowest spenders in the league over the course of the last few seasons.
Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, who's now represented Luton at every stage from non-league football to the Premier League (via The Times)
Instead, they’ve relied on good recruitment, intelligent spending, and great coaching. In a very Ted Lasso-ey way, much of this good play is as a result of what’s often cited as a remarkable togetherness in the squad.
Much of this club’s elite mentality could be attributed to former head coach Nathan Jones, who oversaw the low-budget squad for the majority of the club’s rise since 2016. Jones ultimately departed the club permanently in November 2022 to fill a coaching vacancy at then Premier League club, Southampton.
Jones’ successor, Rob Edwards, was able to guide the team over the line and through the playoffs into the Premier League since taking over last November, and was even able to do so in a fashion perhaps more convincing and visually appealing than his predecessor.
Current Luton manager, Rob Edwards (Via The Independent)
But, Edwards faces a monumental task as his side enters the mighty Premier League. His goal will simply be survival, which is only achieved about 50%-60% of the time under normal circumstances. But under Luton’s budget, that mountain to climb only feels higher.
If that wasn’t enough, Luton will embark on this uphill battle away from their home stadium. In what’s something of a caricature of the club itself, Luton Town’s Kenilworth road doesn’t look like a typical Premier League venue. In fact, it’s needed tens of millions of dollars in investment to even be considered eligible for Premier League play.
Kenilworth Road, Luton Town's home stadium (Via BBC)
Despite construction beginning literally hours after their promotion to the Premier League was guaranteed, the rush to meet Premier League requirements for basic things like hosting press, TV production, and VAR technology will not be completed in time for the start of the season. As such, their home-opener will have to wait until September 1st, when they’ll face West Ham United.
But in it’s own unique way, this Premier League unveiling will be must-see TV in my book. At just over 10,000 seat capacity, Kenilworth road will be the smallest venue in Premier League history. It fittingly boasts a ragged pitch, tight confines, and unique entrances that are quite literally built through neighboring backyards and townhouses.
Its a far cry from classic Premier League grounds like Old Trafford, The Emirates, or Anfield, and certainly doesn’t resemble any of the modern structures like Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, The Amex, or London Stadium, but the quirks and charm of Luton’s Kenilworth Road could very make it the most talked about Premier League ground next season.
One of the entrances to Kenilworth Road, passing through occupied townhomes (Via MyLondon)
In an era characterized by excessive transfer spending, soaring player wages, and a growing commercialization of the game, there’s just something really refreshing about Luton’s success.
The underdog story mixed with old-school charm is irresistible to the neutral to begin with, but chuck in a goofy-sounding name and a comedically small stadium and we could be looking at a fan favorite for next season.
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