JOY HATS
When Luton Town won the play-off final at Wembley last season to gain promotion to the Premier League, they instantly became favorites for the Whites only to fall just short. The brave Hatters had not played in the top flight since 1992, when they were relegated just a few months before Sky Sports invented football in England and records officially began, but on that fateful day at Wembley they became the first team in history to return. rose to the top tier of English football after numerous relegations to what is now known as the National League. Indeed, on Football Daily’s only trip to Kenilworth Road, just over 13 years ago, we saw them play Forest Green on a freezing night, in a match soundtracked in part by the chattering of our own teeth and the defiant chants of 14 (yes , we counted them) travel enthusiasts.
After witnessing Luton at their lowest ebb in the non-league wilderness, it was heartwarming to see them at one of their highest levels, putting in their standout performance of the season, scoring four goals without a reply from the Brighton side, with no reply to the brutal team. The hosts’ intensity was apparently inspired by the pre-match appearance of tearful captain Tom Lockyer, who made his first visit to the pitch since suffering a heart attack in a match at Bournemouth six weeks ago. “It was a really great night and I think we’ve been building that momentum for a very long time,” murmured Luton’s impossibly handsome manager Rob Edwards. “We know we will still have difficult moments and difficult times, but we are giving ourselves a chance.”
Being outside the relegation zone and having a chance of staying up at the semi was more than many Luton fans would have been willing to settle for before the season started, as much of the noise outside was focused on the fact that traveling fans had to get into Kenilworth Road. It flew into the distance, climbing through the bathroom window of an adjoining house, with various pundits predicting Derby County would struggle to come close to their record-low top-flight points tally of 11 in 2007–08. Already 19 in and with the same number of games left to play, this ever-evolving ragtag assortment of could-have-beens and might-have-been looks, at least to some extent, on track to hit the magic 40 points. This season they were at their best in matches against elite teams and they got nothing out of it. Although Brighton do not quite fit into this group, their manager Roberto De Zerbi has recently been named as a potential successor to Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool or Xavi at Barcelona. Judging by his team’s performances here, Edwards will be challenging to make Luton’s shortlist when he takes over at Anfield or Camp Nou.
And finally, a word for Elijah Adebayo, who last night became the first Luton Town player to score a hat-trick in the Premier League, the first since their Danish cult hero Lars Elstrup got his boots on against Norwich City in 1990 . that is, in a high-level game. In what could be a harbinger of things to come, Luton finished one place above the relegation zone that season, while Arsenal were top of the league.
LIVE ON MAJOR WEBSITE
Join Sarah Rendell at 17.45 GMT for MBM coverage of Lyon 3-1 Slavia Prague’s Women’s Major Cup, followed by hot Premier League action from 7.30pm: Niall McVeigh, Manchester City 5-0 Burnley and Tottenham 2′ -2 Brentford, Scott Murray is behind the wheel of Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea at 20.15.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The departure of the coach is absolutely unacceptable and we will discuss with him why this happened. “He has the right to express his point of view and then we will decide on the appropriate action” – this was Saudi Arabia coach Roberto Mancini’s early exit from the Asian Cup in more ways than one, prompting Football’s less-than-welcoming reaction. Federation chief Yasser al-Misehal.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
Your lead story about the Conti Cup nonsense (yesterday’s Football Daily) left me in a cold sweat as the previously buried memory of this Aston Villa-West Ham debacle came shudderingly back to my mind. After sitting out a freezing cold and incredibly tense quarter-final at Upton Park and eventually winning on penalties after extra time, you can imagine the small feeling of nausea that involuntarily filled my mouth the next day as I read about what the young player had brought. He made his loan appearance in the competition for Gillingham in the 113th minute. Frankly, I don’t need to tell you the result of the replay draw” – Michael Johns.
Answer: players find a safe way to pay tribute (yesterday’s Football Daily letters). When my cousin Sean (Clare) scored for Hearts, he made the A/W sign with his hands as a tribute to his aunt Wendy (my mother). She would take him to training with Charlton every week from the age of eight onwards. Flawless. When he does this, I immediately confess to tears. “Football can be great and often is” – David Johnson.
Since your News, Bits and Bobs section (full email edition) pointed me in the direction of a rebranding of the Yeovil club badge, I thought I’d take a look at what’s been changed before deciding on the graphic designer’s work. And what an acid trip of a badge they lost. St. John the Baptist, a medallion symbolizing his martyrdom, Empress Matilda’s crown, the pastoral scepters of 15th and 16th century religious institutions, and the Fierce Lions, who to my untrained eye looked like they were doing a daddy/spike dance. Everything was put aside for a ball, some gloves and some nonsense about ‘consistent brand identity’. “I know I’m getting old, but is this really progress?” -Colin Reed.
We agree with Steve Allen that the Football League structure does not resemble a pyramid, neither a ladder nor a pole… greasy or anything (yesterday’s letters). The first five sections resemble a staircase, but below that it expands further on a regional basis. I would say the most appropriate shape would be the Eiffel Tower, but with large semicircular holes at the bottom. Perhaps a better analogy would be wide-leg trousers (this season’s most wearable jeans, according to Big Website’s fashion gurus)” – John Caley.
Pyramids do not have to be physically like a pyramid. A pyramid is also something that decreases in number or amount of people as you go up the levels. Like a pyramid scheme or common sense in the Manchester United hierarchy” – Jimmy O’Brien.
Answer: yesterday’s Memory Lane (full email edition). Allow me to say that the location of the center circle lines is the least of concern, having encountered it in my youth in the Marshes on a Sunday morning after a busy Saturday night, and is just another flashing white light to avoid. Ground staff, you can sign your name, no one will notice but thank you for doing the important things” – Jeremy Foxon.
A member of Hackney Marshes ground staff walks into a bar and the bartender says…why so grumpy?” – Declan Houton.
Send a letter to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of the non-prize letter of the day is… Michael Johns.
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