Luton Town top notch again after 31 years

The traditional club Luton Town has managed to return to the first class after 31 years in football’s motherland England.

In the play-off final for the third and last promotion place in the Premier League, the club from the working class suburb of London won the “most valuable game in the world” at Wembley Stadium against Coventry City 6:5 on penalties. After 90 minutes and extra time, the match was 1-1 (1-1, 1-0).

Luton Town’s players showed better nerves in the penalty shoot-out. Daniel Potts’ goal in the sixth round meant the decision for team manager Rob Edwards’ side.

The value of promotion to the Premier League, which is considered the richest league in the world, is estimated at almost 200 million euros – sums that Luton Town and their opponents in the final round of the third to sixth-placed second division clubs could only dream of until recently.

“The clash at Wembley offers the biggest financial prize in the world of football in a single game,” said Zal Udwadia of Deloitte’s Sports Business Group.

Luton Town: Crash to fifth grade

Luton Town, which finished third in the second division last season behind promoted FC Burnley and Sheffield United, last played in England’s top division in 1992. In the same year, however, the club did not meet the criteria for the transition from the First Division to the then newly formed Premier League.

Luton Town’s promotion to the Premier League is all the more like a football fairy tale come true. The decline after missing out on a Premier League spot went down to the fifth tier and lasted until 2014. Even five years ago, the capital club was just fourth-rate.

The dilapidated stadium on Kenilworth Road holds just over 10,000 spectators. This would make the arena the smallest Premier League venue in league history.