Marcus Richards
Luton Town has been on a rapid rise over the past decade, going from non-league soccer all the way to the English Premier League in just ten years. Staying in England’s top division is the priority, but does Luton have what it takes to avoid an instant return to the EFL Championship?
Hatters Set for a Relegation Battle
Luton is likely to be in a relegation scrap in the EPL this season. Before the 2023-24 campaign began, Town was many people’s favorite for the drop, and Rob Edwards’ men have had a tough start. In the football betting odds market, Luton is available at just -450 to be relegated. Looking at other English Premier League relegation odds, you can get Sheffield United at -300, while Burnley is priced at +230.
All three were promoted from the Championship last term. Burnley won the league with Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany at the helm, while Sheffield United took second place. Luton went up via the Championship playoffs, seeing off Coventry City in the playoff final at Wembley Stadium in London.
Remarkable Rise Through the Divisions
Luton’s rise through the English divisions has been nothing short of extraordinary. The club from Bedfordshire was playing non-league soccer just ten years ago.
They won promotion to the English Football League in 2015 and were promoted to EFL League One in 2019. They had just four seasons in the Championship before winning promotion to the promise land.
Luton reached the play-offs under Nathan Jones in the 2021-22 season but missed out in the semi-finals. Jones left early in the 2022-23 campaign, with Edwards, who was just sacked at Watford, taking over last November.
The boss. ✊ pic.twitter.com/H1WD77EQPU
— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) September 12, 2023
The club kicked on even further under Edwards, going on to secure a third-place finish. They missed out on automatic promotion, but Town saw off Sunderland and Coventry in the play-offs.
Can the Hatters Adapt to Premier League Life?
The step up from the Championship to the Premier League is enormous. Although the second tier is a competitive division, the top league in England houses several of Europe’s elite clubs. This season, Luton will be playing the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool.
The Hatters went into the first international break of the season in 19th place. They picked up zero points from their opening three Premier League matches, conceding nine goals along the way.
Luton was hammered 4-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion in the opening game before suffering a 3-0 loss at Chelsea on matchday two. Kenilworth Road hosted its first-ever EPL game when West Ham United visited in early September. Unfortunately for Luton Town, The Hammers emerged as winners in a close 2-1 game in front of just under 11,000 fans.
Fit and ready for Saturday! 🎩👊🏼 pic.twitter.com/B0bKDS4Syo
— We Are Luton Town (@wearelutontown) September 14, 2023
With games coming thick and fast, Luton must quickly adapt to Premier League soccer. It will be a tough campaign for the Hatters, but the Luton faithful will enjoy every minute of Premier League life. Can they defy the odds and avoid an instant return to the Championship?
