Back at Luton after six years

They came straight back up under the management of Joe Kinnear and then three years on they run away with the first ever League One title, finishing the season twelve points clear of Hull.

The latest success came two years after Mike Newell took over as manager in the most farcical of circumstances. The club was in turmoil, Joe Kinnear was sacked by an employee of Northampton Town, and Newell apparently won a fans’ vote to select the new boss. Newell had lost his job at Hartlepool after just a few months but the former Luton player has helped turn things round at Kenilworth Road.

They started the new season like a house on fire and it is only a couple of poor away results this week has seen them lose third place in the league to close rivals Watford, and yet this was done without wholesale changes to the squad that won promotion, Newell has brought in just four players since the end of last season whilst losing one of his players to Premiership club West Brom.

Carlos Edwards was the first signing, the Trinidadian midfielder came in on a Bosman signing from Wrexham and he was quickly followed by Portsmouth forward Rowan Vine who cost Luton a quarter of a million. Vine had spent the previous season with them on a long term loan, scoring nine goals in their promotion season, but hasn’t made a start this season.

Finnish defender Markus Heikkinen and Dean Morgan were both signed on free transfers from Aberdeen and Reading respectively and that completed the transfer business before the start of the season.

Newell has made no further signings since, and they have no loan players at the club. The only transfer activity since the season got underway involved the sale of highly rated young defender Curtis Davis who moved to West Brom on transfer deadline day for £3 million.

Their home form has been good this season, they are one of only three clubs in the division who remain unbeaten at home. Their last home defeat was back in March when they were beaten 3-1 by Barnsley.

They do though go into the game on the back of a draw and two defeats and are now just six points clear of the Clarets.

Click HERE to see all Luton’s results this season.

There will certainly be one familiar face in the Luton side tomorrow, Marlon Beresford is the first choice keeper at Luton and has been since signing a permanent deal with them in the summer of 2004.

He will definitely play but Sol Davis is ruled out with a knee injury that is expected to sideline him for up to four weeks. There is good news for Luton, both Kevin Nicholls and former Preston midfielder Steve Robinson are expected to return to the squad via the subs bench having recovered from foot injuries and Paul Underwood came through the game at Sheffield United on Tuesday with no problems having been out with a hamstring problem.

The expected Luton team is: Marlon Beresford, Kevin Foley, Chris Coyne, Paul Underwood, Markus Heikkinen, Carlos Edwards, Ahmet Brkovic, Peter Holmes, Leon Barnett, Warren Feeney, Steve Howard. Subs from: Dean Brill, Keith Keane, Steve Robinson, Kevin Nicholls, Enoch Showunmi, Rowan Vine, Dean Morgan.

Click HERE to see the full Luton squad.

There was good news for Burnley yesterday when James O’Connor’s red card was overturned on appeal and this means he’s able to take his place in the side as is Frank Sinclair whose one match suspension for five yellow cards will come in the next game against Leicester.

It is almost certain to be the same squad as the one that played against Millwall with neither Graham Branch nor John McGreal expected to be fit. There is certainly some concern amongst fans with Johnny Mac’s injury with no information whatsoever having been given out by the club.

The only decision left for Steve Cotterill will be whether to change the starting line up and there have been suggestions that Nathan Dyer could get his first start at the expense of John Spicer. If that’s the case expect Burnley to line up:

Brian Jensen, Michael Duff, Keith Lowe, Frank Sinclair, Jon Harley, Wade Elliott, Garreth O’Connor, Micah Hyde, James O’Connor, Nathan Dyer, Ade Akinbiyi. Subs: Duane Courtney, Chris McCann, John Spicer, Danny Karbassiyoon, Gifton Noel-Williams.

Just six years ago a run of three consecutive wins came to an end with Luton running out winners by two goals to one. Luton had Ipswich striker Neil Midgley on loan and he scored both their goals.

The first of them came just after half time but straight from the kick off Andy Cooke was on hand to turn in a cross from Glen Little to bring the Clarets level. However, Midgley got his second with just over twenty minutes to go after a mistake by Chris Brass.

The teams were,

Luton: Nathan Abbey, Gary Doherty, Julian Watts, Marvin Johnson, Emmerson Boyce, Matthew Spring, Paul McLaren (Adam Locke 79), Matthew Taylor, Liam George, Neil Midgley (Tresor Kandol 88), Stuart Douglas (Michael McIndoe 73). Subs not used: Scott Ward, Efe Sodje.

Burnley: Paul Crichton, Chris Brass (Ronnie Jepson 72), Mitchell Thomas, Steve Davis, Gordon Armstrong (Alan Lee 86), Glen Little, John Mullin, Micky Mellon, Paul Cook, Andy Cooke, Andy Payton (Graham Branch 78). Subs not used: Mark Robertson, Paul Weller.