Congrats Luton

Certainly not
If the pitch is within the rules it is within the rules and that is that.

I think the bigger issue with Luton is the general state of the stadium - have they gained advantage on the pitch by, over a number of years, diverting money from the stadium?

I think there should definitely be a minimum standard so those clubs who do invest and maintain good supporter facilities are not disadvantaged by those who don’t.

Well first, there is a minimum standard already. Every stand and stadium has to have a safety inspection each year, and if it doesn't reach the required standard, it's shut down. KR meets this standard.

Second, they've been struggling to build a new stadium for years with redevelopment of KR being unfeasible given its location. I believe they have planning permission and this is going ahead. Ass such, the issue of neglecting KR doesn't exists.

Finally, in terms of "gaining an advantage", their wage bill was less that half of ours this season. We'd have to hang our heads in shame if we really believed they'd gained some kind of advantage on us.
 
Certainly not


Well first, there is a minimum standard already. Every stand and stadium has to have a safety inspection each year, and if it doesn't reach the required standard, it's shut down. KR meets this standard.

Second, they've been struggling to build a new stadium for years with redevelopment of KR being unfeasible given its location. I believe they have planning permission and this is going ahead. Ass such, the issue of neglecting KR doesn't exists.

Finally, in terms of "gaining an advantage", their wage bill was less that half of ours this season. We'd have to hang our heads in shame if we really believed they'd gained some kind of advantage on us.
If KR meets the standard then the standard is too low, it’s a shack.

I lived in Luton for a while around 1986 and they were full of ‘new stadium’ then, I will believe their new one when I see it.

I’m a bit sceptical with regard to ‘wage bills’ I’m afraid, particularly in the murky world of football.
 
I'm sure i heard mentioned when they were playing the s'land game that they would have to spend 10m to bring it up to a certain standard for the prem if promoted.
 
I'm sure i heard mentioned when they were playing the s'land game that they would have to spend 10m to bring it up to a certain standard for the prem if promoted.
That’s not crowd safety standards, its 10m to ensure there is sufficient space for sky and international studios to present from KR and for media to watch and report live, plus an appropriate sized and kitted out press room for post match interviews. The prem doesn’t care particularly about fan experience and safety, although I’m sure an accident would change that purely for the damage to the brand.

I believe Luton are going to trash the ‘exec boxes’/l or row of Anglian conservatories to the left of the away end, and replace with a temporary structure to meet press requirements
 
I am intrigued as to who they will be able to sign - i'm almost expecting the PL to tell them they can't stage home games at KR.. esp if they fail to get the ground up to, minimum, standard by season kick off.. maybe they'll have to do a Cov.. & play games away from Luton until the upgrades are complete..

But it's who they will sign that will really shape their season... I can see their board looking at the Sky money & rightly looking to the future of the club & new stadium being #1 priority, with wise use of 3 possible parachute payments really being a base for which to build & do a Brentford.. I don't see them trying to land ANY names, more up & coming from lower leagues, reward the current squad with a bonus or incentivised contract & maybe a few PL free's on short deals..

Without any malice
I just can't see them having a good season, their standard of play - while hugely effective in the Championship - is just from decades past & after a couple of months battling, defending & chasing the ball I expect reality to sink in & heavy defeats to follow..

I think they are well set to break Derby's record of 11 points & -69 goal difference.. certainly the goal difference, I think they may scrape double figures points but could ship -100 goal difference, despite having the =2nd best defence this season..

 
I am intrigued as to who they will be able to sign - i'm almost expecting the PL to tell them they can't stage home games at KR.. esp if they fail to get the ground up to, minimum, standard by season kick off.. maybe they'll have to do a Cov.. & play games away from Luton until the upgrades are complete..

But it's who they will sign that will really shape their season... I can see their board looking at the Sky money & rightly looking to the future of the club & new stadium being #1 priority, with wise use of 3 possible parachute payments really being a base for which to build & do a Brentford.. I don't see them trying to land ANY names, more up & coming from lower leagues, reward the current squad with a bonus or incentivised contract & maybe a few PL free's on short deals..

Without any malice
I just can't see them having a good season, their standard of play - while hugely effective in the Championship - is just from decades past & after a couple of months battling, defending & chasing the ball I expect reality to sink in & heavy defeats to follow..

I think they are well set to break Derby's record of 11 points & -69 goal difference.. certainly the goal difference, I think they may scrape double figures points but could ship -100 goal difference, despite having the =2nd best defence this season..

I’d suggest their best course of action is to invest in quality young championship players with a promise to be a platform for their careers. They’re not going to be able to attract any established players without heavy baggage. They need to keep their team spirit and plucky underdog tag and make it work. They can’t really do that with established prem players or with an influx of non-Brits. They can’t change their style either so big strong and fast is the order of the day and try and do a Wimbledon and bully sides
 
All I’m trying to say is let them have their footy style, no problem BUT on a size of pitch that is the same as the riverside and they can play any style they like and I’ll bet we can outplay them
The pitch size is incredibly important
Luton won more games away from home than they did at home.
In fact the only team with a better away record were Burnley.
 
I don't think their style of play will stop them competing in the PL: it will help them.

Long ball is percentage football; admittedly, the percentage is never high enough to allow a longball team to compete at the top of the league, but it can certainly get a team into healthy upper midtable: Stoke and Bolton have had success doing it the PL era, and plenty of technically better sides have lost to longball teams.

Luton are better off going up and playing their style than going up and trying to pass the ball against sides who are better at it than them. There's no points for artistic interpretation.
 
Luton's record transfer fee is around £2M.
The players get £6-7k per week or less.
Pretty amazing to have got in to the Premier League.
When they play Man City, some of the City players will earn about as much in a week as the Luton players earn in a year!!
 
They were introduced because for the majority of clubs the season was done after December and it was boring.
Strictly speaking, they were introduced as a compromise between the first and second division clubs to get the necessary majority to vote through a reduction of the top flight to 20 in the 1980s.

The other points are unintended consequences that at most provided reasons why they were kept.
 
Strictly speaking, they were introduced as a compromise between the first and second division clubs to get the necessary majority to vote through a reduction of the top flight to 20 in the 1980s.

The other points are unintended consequences that at most provided reasons why they were kept.

Fair point, though the reason for the introduction was because attendance and interest in football was at an all time low.

Though that's obviously as much down to hooliganism as it is the matches themselves.
 
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