Next up in our series previewing next season’s newest opponents in League One is Luton Town, who were relegated on the final day of the Championship season.
2024/25 Campaign
Following relegation from the Premier League after just one season, Luton were unable to stop the slide in 2024/25 as they struggled to pick up momentum in a fragmented campaign. They picked up just one point from their opening four Championship matches, though did win their next two to take them out of the relegation zone. Having won just seven of their first 22 matches of the campaign, and in the middle of a what would become an eleven match winless run, manager Rob Edwards, the man who masterminded their ascended to the Premier League, was sacked and replaced by Wycombe’s Matt Bloomfield. Bloomfield was unable to find the ‘new manager bounce’ as it took him nine attempts to register his first win with the Hatters, but did make changes in the transfer market, including signing our very own Millenic Alli, as he tried to rescue Luton’s season. Indeed, form picked up from March, losing just two of eleven before the final match of the season. Heading into the final day outside of the bottom three, they needed just one point to survive, but were beaten 5-3 by West Bromwich Albion while Hull City drew at Portsmouth to gain the point they needed.
The Manager
After leading Wycombe Wanderers into the automatic promotion spots in League One, Matt Bloomfield was poached by the Hatters in mid January following the sacking of Rob Edwards. A ‘one club man’ with Wanderers, he made almost 500 appearances before an injury enforced retirement before moving into management with Colchester in 2022. When the opportunity arose to manage Wanderers after the departure of Gareth Ainsworth to QPR, he returned in February 2023.
The Stadium
Kenilworth Road has been the home of Luton Town since 1905 and is best known for its iconic entrance to the Oak Road End, which is sandwiched between a row of houses. With a capacity of 12,000, it is one of the smallest grounds to ever host Premier League football and was upgraded in 2023 following the Hatters’ promotion to the top tier. To accommodate further seating, the singular row of executive boxes that made up the Bobbers Stand was replaced entirely to accommodate broadcast and media requirements at a cost of £10m. Luton are expected to leave Kenilworth Road ahead of the 2028/29 season, with construction underway on their new home at Power Court in the town centre.
Head to Head Record
Matches Played: 70
Exeter City wins: 18
Draws: 15
Luton Town wins: 37
First competitive match: November 14, 1908 | Exeter City 2-1 Luton Town | Southern League
Last competitive match: September 26, 2023 | Exeter City 1-0 Luton Town | Carabao Cup
Biggest Exeter City win: 5-1 (January 1965)
Biggest Luton Town win: 6-0 (April 1923)
Previous Fixture
September 26, 2023 | Exeter City 1-0 Luton Town | Carabao Cup
Demetri Mitchell smashed Exeter City into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup as the Grecians defeated top tier opposition for the first time since 1980.
City’s first appearance in the third round since 1989 welcomed Premier League side Luton Town to a packed-out St James Park for a Tuesday night clash under the lights and it was Mitchell's 83rd minute strike that secured victory.
Exeter City: Sinisalo, Jules, Aimson, Hartridge, Carroll, Mitchell, Scott (Wildschut), Watts (Cole), Taylor (Cox), Fitzwater (Sweeney), Harper (Kite).
Played for Both
As recently as January this year, Millenic Alli made the move from EX4 to LU4 for a significant transfer fee. Another striker, Admiral Muskwe made six appearances for the Grecians on loan from the Hatters, while Sam Parkin made the move to Kenilworth Road in 2006 from Ipswich, seven years before he would join the Grecians. Other names include Rowan Vine, Jim McNichol, Stuart Fleetwood and Steve Basham, who moved from City to Luton in 2009. Striker Craig McAllister, midfielder Robbie Willmott, Chiedozie Ogbene and defender Jack Stacey have also all worn the orange of Luton, while Sam Nombe had a loan spell there before joining the Grecians from MK Dons in 2021.
Did You Know?
Luton Town are traditionally associated with their vibrant orange kits, but they didn’t actually adopt the colour scheme until 1973, when they wore it for five seasons. Until them, they wore predominantly black and white. They returned to their white strips in 1979, this time with an orange trim, and have had a fully orange shirt since 2009, usually with a dark blue short.