The window is shut. The business is done.
The ins and outs are set in stone.
Now’s the time to turn attention to what we love best: watching 22 men kick a ball about on a small patch of grass in Bury Park. A place we call home.
It’s been a sanctuary of sorts, too. Nine home games unbeaten in League One, the Town aim to make it 10 without defeat as they take on Bradford on Saturday aiming to close the gap on the top six.
Seventeen games to go. 17 big ones. Let’s get into it.
Bantam weight
Sometimes there are moments from the past that still appear vividly when you close your eyes. Like that last Coventry penalty in the shootout at Wembley. You can still see the ball flying gloriously over the crossbar. Right? Knew it.
Bradford fans probably have something similar. Antoni Sarcevic’s 96th-minute winner against Fleetwood on 3rd May last year for instance. Winning promotion with the last kick of the game on home soil? We can only imagine the feeling. What way to go up.
Since the ecstasy of that afternoon, the adrenaline continues to course through their veins. Back-to-back promotions are well and truly on for our visitors under the guidance of former Hatter Graham Alexander.
Among the promotion chasers all season, the Bantams sit in fifth – helped largely by their terrific record at Valley Parade. At home they’ve won 10 of their 14 home games. Solid. Conversely, away from home, it’s a different story. Four wins from 14.
After a wonderful start to the campaign they’re very much a win some, lose some-kinda side. Since 1st November they’ve drawn just once in 17 games, winning seven and losing nine. And while it would be 100 per cent stupid of us to shout “the wheels are coming off” with the possibility that this preview’s stuck on the wall of the away dressing room, facts are facts: it’s four defeats in their last six League One games. Yet when you’re playing Cardiff, Lincoln and Huddersfield there’s certainly no disgrace there.
Haven’t we met before?
So, there’s this website. Hatters Heritage. You might have heard of it. Got information and line-ups of every single game we’ve ever played. Scans of every programme and photos of every player, too, including the legend that is John Moore. Did you know his last game for us as a player came against Lazio? No, we didn’t either. Anyway, what a man, what a website and what work from an unsung team of Hatters heroes.
Visiting their website will give you the complete record of all our meetings with the Bantams, which goes back to our first clash as recently as 1965.
History is certainly on the Hatters’ side. In the past seven meetings at Kenilworth Road, it’s five wins and two draws for the Town, scoring 22 and conceding just four in that time.
But Bradford’s win at Valley Parade earlier this season was their first against us, home or away, since 1968. It means a big percentage of the travelling City fans in the Oak on Saturday are yet to see their side win at Kenilworth Road.
Our memories are, of course, therefore, sweeter: not one but two 4-0 wins (3-0 up at half-time in both) and an Ahmet Brkovic bicycle kick. Re-live that glory below.
We won’t go into the 3-3 draw at our place in 2009. Our lawyers are on standby.
Played for both
On the front page of the Saturday’s programme are the faces of Paul Shower, Reece Burke, Paul McLaren, Andy Kiwomya, Chris Kamara and Stephen O’Leary. Six faces of players to play for both clubs.
Paul Showler! There’s a name from the past. A crowd favourite at Valley Parade where he scored 22 goals in three seasons, he came to Kenilworth Road in 1996.
Part of the Town side that came close to promotion in 1996/97, the winger won our hearts with goal at Vicarage Road and netted six times that season before a succession of serious injuries unfortunately curtailed his career.
After a lot of time on the treatment table, it made sense of him to get into physiotherapy and, after heading up the medical side at Peterborough, he set-up his own clinic.
In charge
Richard Eley takes charge of Saturday. Our sources, i.e. the internet, say it’s his second season with the whistle. So far this term he’s shown 82 yellow cards and two reds.
On this day
The less said about our last game on 7th February the better. Grimsby midweek, cup replay, 0-3.
Standout games in recent times are few and far between, though. Unless, of course, the 2-1 win at Kidderminster in the FA Trophy in 2012 holds particular significance for you.
On the face of it a 1-0 home victory over Colchester in 2004 doesn’t scream TELL ME MORE but it was Enoch Showunmi’s first league goal – not bad for a guy who came from playing from park football. A real cult hero if ever there was one.
Turning the clock back further, we beat Blackburn 3-1 in 1981 and bashed Burnley 6-2 in the top-flight in 1959 in front of almost 16,000 at Kenilworth Road. Good times.
Town team news
At his Friday meeting with the media, Jack Wilshere said:
He could see the hunger Devante Cole’s eyes
Patience is key with new signings Sverre Sandal and Davy van den Berg
Cohen Bramall’s out for a few weeks with an ankle knock picked up last week
And Liam Walsh is out after being ill and having sustained a shoulder injury
Jack’s presser
Watch the manager’s press conference on LTFC+ as he talks about the end of the transfer window, his new signings and team news. All 23 minutes and 56 seconds are here for all to see for free without any logging in faff. Enjoy.
12.31 for a reason
It’s an early kick-off because the game’s on the telly, but if we can be serious for a minute…
We’re joining the rest of the EFL this weekend to support the Every Minute Matters campaign which encourages supporters everywhere to learn CPR.
Obviously it’s something close to our, pardon the pun, hearts, with Tom Lockyer a British Heart Foundation ambassador.
We’re kicking off at 12.31 because when someone suffers a cardiac arrest, every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces their chance of survival by up to 10 per cent.
Read more about it all here.
Back at home
Not got a ticket yet and want to get down to Kenilworth Road? Click here. It couldn’t be easier.
Below’s the schedule of events in the lead-up to kick-off. And yes, you do read that right. Between 10.30 and 11 it’s 25 per cent off all drinks. Nice.
Those supporters whose regular pre-match routine is to head to Norm’s for a goat curry, you will need to head elsewhere as his stall will be closed this Saturday.
Tune in, turn on.
Simon Pitts will be, as ever, on the mic on LTFC+ to call this one with his partisan commentary echoing around the globe. Did you spot him pictured earlier in this preview? No? Scroll up!
If you’re overseas and want to watch, 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.
If you are an ex-pat overseas, take advantage of the half-season Global Hatters subscription which is now just £150. All the details are right here.
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.
What we’re liking this week
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UTT!
