It’s difficult, isn’t it? Looking at the league table.
Calculating, in your heads, perhaps on paper, what three points might do if results elsewhere go our way.
Yes, it’s Easter but with six games left, it’s also that time of year that you do things that you wouldn’t ordinarily do. Like looking at Plymouth’s or Reading’s run-in.
After making it three wins in four in League One matches with a win over Peterborough on Good Friday, the Town make the short trip to the capital to face AFC Wimbledon on Easter Monday aiming to close the gap on the top six even further.
Happy Easter. Let’s get into it.
The Wombles of Wimbledon
Having won promotion to the third tier via the League Two play-offs 11 months ago, many were tipping the Dons for an immediate return from whence they came.
A month ago, Johnnie Jackson’s side were above the Hatters after a 4-1 win over Blackpool and, all of a sudden, had eyes on the top six.
Yet they’ve taken one point from their next five games and now, such is the nature of League One this term, find themselves looking over their shoulders and lie seven points above the bottom four.
Admittedly they’ve had it tough in those past five, with trips to Stevenage, Stockport and, on Friday, at Stockport – but they’ll want to get that win they would go a long way to confirming their place in the division for another season.
Haven’t we met before?
The opening night of the EFL season kicked off at Kenilworth Road back in August when the Town welcomes Wimbledon to Kenilworth Road. Seems a long, long time ago, right?
The 1-0 win got us off to a winning start and continued the Hatters’ decent recent record against the Dons.
Of course we have plenty of history with the OG Wimbledon and their current incarnation. Just try not to remind yourself about Manchester in 2011 or White Hart Lane in 1988.
We won our last game away to AFC Wimbledon on our way to the League One title in October 2018 2-0 thanks to goals from Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu and Andrew Shinnie.
However, and we’re sure you all know this, this will be our first ever visit to the Dons’ new Plough Lane. One for those in the away end to tick-off. Only Bromley, Salford, Harrogate, Milton Keynes and Everton to go, right?
In charge
Carl Brook takes charge of Monday’s game. He oversaw our 1-0 win over Wigan back in August and has so far this term flashed 143 yellow and 15 reds.
OTD
The 6th April has a host of core memories – good and bad – in recent history. We’ll bullet point them instead of writing 1,000 words on each.
1991, a 3-3 draw at Chelsea having been 3-0 up (the attendance was just under 10,000 at Stamford Bridge, FYI)
2002, a 4-0 win in the sun at Hull to go top of Division Three with a Steve Howard hat-trick
2004, a gut-wrenching last-gasp defeat in a seven-goal thriller on a Tuesday night in Hartlepool
2013, our lowest point ever? A 5-1 defeat against Gateshead at Carlisle in front of a total crowd of 382 people
2024, 11 years after Gateshead we beat Bournemouth in the Premier League thanks to goals from Jordan Clark and Carlton Morris
Team news
Town boss Jack Wilshere may look to include midfielder Kasey Palmer and former Wimbledon striker Ali Al-Hamadi following their return from international duty last week.
Tickets, please?
Make sure you have yours on your device - the game is sold out and there will be none available on the day at Plough Lane.
Tune in, turn on.
Simon Pitts will be, as ever, on the mic on LTFC+ as he checks out the media facilities at Plough Lane for the first time.
If you’re overseas and want to watch the game, it’s £10. Just want audio? It’s available anywhere, and it’s just £2.50 for the pleasure. Clicking here gives you those possibilities.
You can also follow our social media channels for live updates as they happen, plus photos and behind-the-scenes content during the 90 minutes. Stay on lutontown.co.uk post-match for a full report, post-match reaction and the all-important highlights.
And finally...don’t be THAT fan.
A reminder to all supporters, no matter who you are, how old or who you’re supporting, to go about your day with respect. We continue to support the Love Football, Protect the Game campaign.
Luton Town Football Club has committed in its customer charter to providing safe match-day experiences for all supporters regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability or sexual orientation, and this applies equally to home and away fixtures.
In the event that any Luton supporters do make discriminatory chants, the Club will work with the police and football authorities to help identify such individuals. Any such fans would then face the strictest club sanctions, including football banning orders that would prevent them attending any matches, in addition to any criminal charges.
Furthermore, we would like to warn against pitch incursions and the use of pyrotechnics or missiles – including any type of object that is thrown onto the pitch during a match – which could lead to potential prosecution.
The Club can also be held responsible for the behaviour of its supporters, which could lead to substantial fines being imposed.
As a diverse and inclusive football club, we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our fellow EFL clubs in supporting the FA’s ‘Love Football. Protect the Game’ campaign and call on all fans to enjoy the game in a positive spirit.
If you are offended by any discriminatory abuse of any kind at any of our games, you can report it by clicking HERE, or by contacting your nearest steward immediately.
Alternatively, email myvoice@lutontown.co.uk, or report the incident via Kick it Out's free, confidential reporting app on the App Store and Google Play.
We're all Luton.
Come on Luton!
What we’re liking this week
Yes, Josh!
