Luton bring our season to an end

There has never been any danger of this Luton team being relegated though, and they spent a good deal of the first half of the season sat in a play of position, although they have now slipped to tenth.

But no one would have expected them to do that well, even taking into account their outstanding promotion campaign last season, and they have done it with not too much activity in the transfer market.

We were the first team to beat them at Kenilworth Road this season in one of those games that will live forever in the memory, no matter what happens this afternoon it surely cannot come close to matching that win, our last away from home, with no keeper (with apologies to John Spicer) and a stunning hat trick from the now departed Ade Akinbiyi.

The only permanent signing manager Mike Newell has made since then is to bring David Bell in from Rushden & Diamonds. He arrived in January but has started just two games. Otherwise it has been the same squad with the addition of one or two loan players.

It's time for us to get that home win against Luton, it would give us a double to go with the six points we took from Leicester, and will end the season with a win to take us into the summer break.

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

Newell, the former Blackburn player who has been less than complimentary towards the Clarets this week, can welcome back both Kevin Foley and Kevin Nicholls from injury but he's still struggling for defenders with Markus Heikkinen, Chris Coyne and Russell Perrett all ruled out. This could see striker Steve Howard continue at the back.

He will select from: Marlon Beresford, Keith Keane, Leon Barnett, Steve Howard, Carlos Edwards, Dean Morgan, Peter Holmes, Enoch Showunmi, Ahmet Brkovic, Rowan Vine, Warren Feeney, Kevin Foley, Kevin Nicholls, David Bell, Danny Stevens, Calvin Andrew, Dean Brill.

Click HERE to see the full Luton squad.

Steve Cotterill has defensive problems ahead of the game with both Phil Bardsley and John McGreal doubtful with ankle and back injuries respectively. This could see John Spicer playing at full back again as he did as a substitute at Millwall last week.

Chris McCann is also struggling with a hamstring strain and that could mean we start with the side that started the second half at the Den which was: Brian Jensen, John Spicer, Michael Duff, Frank Sinclair, Jon Harley, Alan Mahon, James O'Connor, Micah Hyde, Graham Branch, Michael Ricketts, Andy Gray. Subs: Duane Courtney, Danny Karbassiyoon, Garreth O'Connor, Wade Elliott, Kyle Lafferty.

It came just three days after Preston had won on the Turf and there was no change in fortune as White and Gray both netted for Luton in their 2-0 win. To read more of this and other home games against them see Time to end the eleven year wait which can be found in our look back section.

The teams for that game were,

Burnley: Paul Crichton, Mitchell Thomas, Ian Cox, Steve Davis, Graham Branch (Paul Smith 45), Glen Little, Micky Mellon (John Mullin 45), Lenny Johnrose, Paul Cook (Andy Payton 54), Andy Cooke, Ian Wright. Subs not used: Dean West, Ronnie Jepson.

Luton: Ben Roberts, Emmerson Boyce, Gavin McGowan, Julian Watts, Gary Doherty, Marvin Johnson, Phil Gray, Matthew Spring, Stuart Douglas (Andrew Fotiadis 87), Adam Locke, Alan White. Subs not used: Nathan Abbey, Liam George, Paul McLaren, Matthew Taylor.