What a night it was here on Wednesday.
To come from behind against in a semi-final and book our place at Wembley showed tremendous character from Jack and the players. Falling behind early in a game like that is never ideal, but the response from the team made it a special evening.
Finals at Wembley are not something any club should ever take for granted. Opportunities like that do not come around every season, so everyone involved deserves enormous credit for getting us there.
Jack, his staff and the players stuck at the task when the game was not flowing our way and found a route through in the second half. The atmosphere played its part as well. Nights like Wednesday are a reminder of what this place can be like when everyone pulls together.
I know the players loved the support you gave them and they have delivered a message to everyone in these pages asking for that backing to be repeated between now and the end of the season, which everyone connected to Luton Town wants to end in success.
We now have a final to look forward to next month against the ‘other’ Hatters, Stockport County, under the arch. It promises to be a great occasion and, judging by the reaction on Wednesday night, we have no doubt you will travel in big numbers once again.
Ticket information was released this week and go on sale next week. Details can be found elsewhere in today’s programme and on our website and social media.
One thing I would highlight is the effort being made to ensure the day is accessible for families. All juniors aged 16 and under will be able to attend for £10. Wembley should be an experience shared across generations and we hope that pricing structure allows as many young Hatters as possible to be part of the day.
Whenever we speak about Wembley in this competition, it’s hard not to cast our minds back to 2009. That was our first visit to the national stadium as custodians and it remains a truly memorable day in our recent history.
The victory over Scunthorpe came in what was, as everyone will remember, an incredibly difficult season on and off the pitch. Yet 42,000 of you made the journey to support the team, and together we shared a moment that reminded everyone what this football club means to its supporters.
There have been two further visits since – and would have been a third had we not been sent to the Etihad in 2011 – but that day remains particularly special because of what it represented at the time. We hope next month will produce another memorable occasion, and another victory to celebrate together and give our younger supporters the opportunity to experience Wembley for the first time.
Before that, though, our full attention must remain on the league campaign. There are still plenty of points to play for and we go into today’s game six points off the play-off places with a game in hand. With 12 games remaining, that means there is everything still to play for.
Momentum can be a powerful thing in football and we hope that the confidence gained from reaching Wembley can provide a lift as we head into this important stretch of the season.
Today’s opponents, Reading, will provide a very stern test. They arrive here having lost only twice in their last 15 games and currently sit four points above us in the table.
It is also an opportunity to welcome back a familiar face in Jack Marriott. Jack had a spell here earlier in his career and it is good to see him enjoying a productive run of form in front of goal, although he has missed recent matches through injury. We wish him well for the remainder of the season – just not this afternoon.
As always, your support can make a huge difference. Kenilworth Road has a reputation for being a difficult place for visiting teams and we would love to see that atmosphere again today and for the remaining home games between now and the end of the season.
We also send our best wishes to Teden Mengi following the hamstring injury he suffered against Plymouth. Teden has undergone surgery and, unfortunately, will likely miss the remainder of the season. He has been an important part of the squad and we wish him a smooth recovery.
On a more positive note, it was great to see Elijah Adebayo back in action last week as he featured for the Under-21s against Cambridge, marking his return with a goal. We’re all hopeful he will be able to play a part in the run-in if his recovery continues to progress well.
Away from the pitch, on Thursday we hosted our annual Unity Iftar here at Kenilworth Road, welcoming members from the neighbouring Madinah Mosque and the wider local community to break their fast during Ramadan.
The evening brought people together to share a meal, conversation and reflection at an important time of year. Events like this reflect the diversity of the town we represent and the role the football club can play in bringing communities together. It was yet another thoroughly enjoyable and meaningful occasion for everyone involved.
Today is also our Unite for Access matchday, as clubs across the country come together to celebrate inclusion within football.
The campaign, led by Level Playing Field, continues to grow each year and serves as an important reminder that football should be a game for everyone. Every supporter should feel welcome and able to enjoy the matchday experience in a way that works for them.
As part of today’s coverage on LTFC+ and our in-ground audio descriptive commentary, our very own Simon Pitts will be joined by LTDSA committee member Steve Moore, who will share some of his own experiences of attending matches.
You will also see on the club website and social media channels, video interviews with two LTDSA members, Colin Hall and Tracy Camp – along with her wonderful assistance dog Milo – on their experiences of watching football at Kenilworth Road after becoming disabled later in life, which is the theme of this season’s campaign.
If you would like to learn more about the work of the Luton Town Disabled Supporters’ Association or get involved, further information is available through their website and elsewhere in today’s programme.
Finally, before Wednesday night’s win, our Under-18s also reached a final of their own with a hard-fought victory over Swansea in the PDL Cup semi-final. Many congratulations to Joe Deeney and his staff and players, and best of luck to the lads in the Under-17 semi-final on Tuesday against who else, but the northern Hatters we’ll be getting used to seeing over the coming weeks!
For now, though, the focus returns to this afternoon. There is plenty still to play for in the weeks ahead and, as ever, the players will need your support.
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller.
COYH
David
