Luton’s focus on scrap for survival and stadium move

That the club battled its way from non-league to the Premier League at a ground that has so often been the butt of jokes is even more of an achievement.

“There were quite a few times at Kenilworth Road last season where we were actually sniggering saying, ‘isn’t this funny, with Pep Guardiola sitting in the dugout across the way’,” says Sweet.

“But actually, quite a lot of time we were thinking ‘I wish we were at Power Court right now’. I genuinely think it could have been that small margin that could have enabled us to get another six months to survive.”

So where has it all gone wrong?

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire says Luton have been financially prudent after banking an extra £114m in 2023-24, mainly from the broadcasting deal, and have two years of parachute payments worth an extra £80m.

They haven’t overspent, far from it. Of the 13 players signed this season, many have been loans and free transfers. But fans argue cheaper players can be injury prone, exemplified by last summer’s signing from Brentford, midfielder Shandon Baptiste, who’s started just seven matches all season.

“If you look back in the history books at clubs that get relegated from the Premier League back down into the Championship, the first time is always a challenge. The most important thing is we learn from that,” says Sweet.

“If you look at the various attributes you look for, we’re never going to be able to afford the players with every single one. Some of those risks pay off, some of those gambles don’t.”

It might just have paid off with Baptiste – he scored a 90th-minute winner last weekend to put survival in the club’s hands. The last club to experience back-to-back relegation was Sunderland in 2018. In three years’ time Luton Town might have its halo, but the CEO is confident that on Saturday, they won’t need a guardian angel.

“I’m amazingly calm. I think you create your own luck, you create your own benefits in life. I do think we’ve got it in us to survive.”