Editing Luton Town F.C. (section)

==History==
{{further|History of Luton Town F.C. (1885–1970)|History of Luton Town F.C. (1970–present)}}

===Formation and election to the Southern League (1885–1890)===
Luton Town Football Club was formed on 11 April 1885.<ref>{{cite book |first=Timothy |last=Collings |title=The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 |year=1985 |publisher=Luton Town F.C. |location=Luton |isbn=978-0-9510679-0-1 |pages=1–2}}</ref><ref name=Hayes55>{{cite book |first=Dean P. |last=Hayes |title=Completely Top Hatters! |year=2002 |publisher=Book Castle Publishing |location=Dunstable |isbn=978-1-903747-27-8 |page=55}}</ref> Before this there were many clubs in the town, the most prominent of which were Luton Wanderers and Luton Excelsior. A Wanderers player, George Deacon, came up with the idea of a 'Town' club which would include all the best players in Luton. Wanderers secretary Herbert Spratley seized upon Deacon's idea and arranged a secret meeting on 13 January 1885 at the St Matthews school rooms in [[High Town, Luton|High Town]]. The Wanderers committee resolved to rename the club Luton Town—which was not well received by the wider community. The local newspapers referred to the club as 'Luton Town (late Wanderers)'. When George Deacon and John Charles Lomax then arranged a public meeting with the purpose of forming a 'Luton Town Football Club', Spratley protested, saying there was already a Luton Town club; and the atmosphere was tense when the meeting convened in the town hall on 11 April 1885. The meeting, attended by most football lovers in the town, heard about Spratley's secret January meeting and voted down his objections. The motion to form a 'Luton Town Football Club', put forward by G&nbsp;H Small and seconded by E&nbsp;H Lomax, was carried. A club committee was elected by ballot and the team colours were agreed to be pink and dark blue shirts and caps.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chapter Six – 11th April 1885 |url=http://thestrawplaiters.com/chapter-6-11th-april-1885/ |work=Straw Plaiters: Luton Town Football Club in the Victorian era |publisher=Brian Webb |access-date=24 November 2018 |archive-date=22 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122215456/http://thestrawplaiters.com/chapter-6-11th-april-1885/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Luton Town F.C. (1898) (cropped).jpg|thumb|The Luton Town squad of 1897–98, which won the United League title|alt=A formative photograph of an association football team]]

Initially based at Excelsior's [[Dallow Lane]] ground,<ref name=Hayes55/> Luton Town began making payments to certain individual players in 1890. The following year, Luton became the first club in southern England to be fully professional.<ref name=TLTS3>{{cite book |first=Timothy |last=Collings |title=The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 |year=1985 |publisher=Luton Town F.C. |location=Luton |isbn=978-0-9510679-0-1 |pages=3–4}}</ref> The club was a founder member of the [[Southern Football League]] in the 1894–95 season and finished as runners-up in its first two seasons. It then left to help form the [[United League (football)|United League]] and came second in that league's inaugural season before joining [[English Football League|the Football League]] (then based mostly in northern and central England){{ref label|SouthernClubs|A|}} for [[1897–98 Football League|1897–98]],<ref name=FCHD>{{cite web |title=Luton Town |url=https://www.fchd.info/LUTONT.HTM |website=Football Club History Database |publisher=Richard Rundle |access-date=5 May 2019 |archive-date=2 July 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070702042114/http://www.fchd.info/LUTONT.HTM |url-status=live }}</ref> concurrently moving to a new ground at [[Dunstable Road]].<ref name=Hayes43>{{cite book |first=Dean P. |last=Hayes |title=Completely Top Hatters! |year=2002 |publisher=Book Castle Publishing |location=Dunstable |isbn=978-1-903747-27-8 |page=43}}</ref> The club continued to enter a team to the United League for two more seasons, winning the title in 1897–98.<ref name=FCHD/><ref name=TLTS11>{{cite book |first=Timothy |last=Collings |title=The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 |year=1985 |publisher=Luton Town F.C. |location=Luton |isbn=978-0-9510679-0-1 |pages=11–13}}</ref> Poor attendance, high wages, in addition to the high travel and accommodation costs that resulted from Luton's distance from the northern heartlands of the Football League crippled the club financially;<ref name=TLTS11/> it became too expensive to compete in that league.<ref name=TLTS11/> A return to the Southern League was therefore arranged for the [[1900–01 Southern Football League|1900–01 season]].<ref name=FCHD/><ref name=TLTS11/>

===Early 20th century (1900–1950)===
Eight years after arriving at Dunstable Road, Luton moved again, settling at their current ground, [[Kenilworth Road]], in 1905.<ref name=TLTS3/> [[Captain (association football)|Captain]] and [[Midfielder#Winger|left winger]] [[Robert Hawkes|Bob Hawkes]] became Luton's first international player when he was picked to play for [[England national football team|England]] against [[Ireland national football team (1882–1950)|Ireland]] on 16 February 1907.<ref name="England 1–0 Ireland">{{cite web |title=England 1–0 Ireland |url=http://englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=89 |publisher=England Stats |access-date=15 December 2016 |archive-date=20 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220112706/http://englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=89 |url-status=live }}</ref> A poor [[1911–12 Southern Football League|1911–12 season]] saw Luton relegated to the Southern League's Second Division; the club won promotion back two years later.<ref name=FCHD/><ref name=Hayes156>{{cite book |first=Dean P. |last=Hayes |title=Completely Top Hatters! |year=2002 |publisher=Book Castle Publishing |location=Dunstable |isbn=978-1-903747-27-8 |page=156}}</ref> After the [[World War I|First World War]] broke out, Luton took part in [[The Football Combination|The London Combination]] during [[1915–16 in English football|1915–16]], and afterwards filled each season with [[Exhibition game|friendly matches]].<ref>{{cite book |first=Timothy |last=Collings |title=The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 |year=1985 |publisher=Luton Town F.C. |location=Luton |isbn=978-0-9510679-0-1 |pages=22–26}}</ref><ref name=TDLTFC8>{{cite book |first1=Brian |last1=Ellis |first2=Alan |last2=Shury |first3=Steve |last3=Bailey |title=The Definitive Luton Town F.C. |year=1997 |publisher=Soccerdata |location=Nottingham |isbn=978-1-899468-10-2 |page=8}}</ref> A key player of the period was [[Ernie Simms]], a [[Forward (association football)|forward]]. Simms was invalided back to England after being wounded on the [[Italian Front (World War I)|Italian front]],<ref name=Hayes156/><ref name=TDLTFC8/> but recovered enough to regain his place in the Luton team and scored 40 goals during the [[1916–17 in English football|1916–17 season]].<ref name=Hayes156/>

[[File:Paynevbristolrovers.jpg|thumb|left|1936: [[Joe Payne (footballer, born 1914)|Joe Payne]] ''(white shirt, left)'' scores one of his record-breaking 10 goals in one match|alt=A black-and-white newspaper photograph: taken from behind the goalkeeper's left-hand goalpost, a football is pictured on the right-hand side, in the foreground; an association football player in a white shirt and black shorts is seen on the left-hand side.]]

The Luton side first played in the white and black colours which it has retained for much of its history during the [[1920–21 in English football|1920–21 season]], when the club rejoined the Football League;<ref>{{cite book |first=Timothy |last=Collings |title=The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 |year=1985 |publisher=Luton Town F.C. |location=Luton |isbn=978-0-9510679-0-1 |pages=26–27}}</ref> the players had previously worn an assortment of colour combinations, most permanently [[sky blue]] shirts with white shorts and navy socks.<ref name=HFK>{{cite web |url=http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Luton_Town/Luton_Town.htm |title=Luton Town |website=Historical Football Kits |publisher=Dave Moor |access-date=5 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140401045039/http://historicalkits.co.uk/Luton_Town/Luton_Town.htm |archive-date=1 April 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> Such was the quality of Luton's team at this time that despite playing in the third tier, a fixture between Ireland and England at [[Windsor Park]] on 22 October 1921 saw three Luton players on the pitch—[[Louis Bookman]] and [[Allan Mathieson]] for Ireland, and the club's top goalscorer, Simms, for England.<ref name="Ireland 1–1 England">{{cite web |title=Ireland 1–1 England |url=http://englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=127 |publisher=England Stats |access-date=15 December 2016 |archive-date=20 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220112611/http://englandstats.com/matches.php?mid=127 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=TLTS27>{{cite book |first=Timothy |last=Collings |title=The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 |year=1985 |publisher=Luton Town F.C. |location=Luton |isbn=978-0-9510679-0-1 |page=27}}</ref> However, after Luton finished fourth in the division, the squad was broken up as Simms, Bookman and Mathieson joined [[South Shields F.C. (1889)|South Shields]], [[Port Vale F.C.|Port Vale]] and [[Exeter City F.C.|Exeter City]] respectively.<ref name=TLTS27/><ref>{{cite book |first1=Brian |last1=Ellis |first2=Alan |last2=Shury |first3=Steve |last3=Bailey |title=The Definitive Luton Town F.C. |year=1997 |publisher=Soccerdata |location=Nottingham |isbn=978-1-899468-10-2 |pages=92–97}}</ref> Luton stayed in the [[Football League Third Division South|Third Division South]] until [[1936–37 in English football|1936–37]], when the team finished top and won promotion to the [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]], at that time the second tier of English football.<ref>{{cite book |first=Timothy |last=Collings |title=The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 |year=1985 |publisher=Luton Town F.C. |location=Luton |isbn=978-0-9510679-0-1 |pages=46–50}}</ref> During the promotion season, [[Forward (association football)|striker]] [[Joe Payne (footballer, born 1914)|Joe Payne]] scored 55 goals in 39 games; during the previous season he had scored 10 in one match against [[Bristol Rovers F.C.|Bristol Rovers]], which remains a Football League record today.<ref name="10goalsinagame">{{cite news |first=Simon |last=Burnton |title=The forgotten story of&nbsp;... the Football League's record scoring trio |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2011/oct/18/forgotten-story-football-league-record |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=18 October 2011 |access-date=14 February 2015 |archive-date=14 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214200815/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2011/oct/18/forgotten-story-football-league-record |url-status=live }}</ref> Towards the end on the 1936-37 season [[Eddie Parris]] became the first Black player to represent Luton when he made his debut on 13 March 1937 in a home game against [[Northampton Town]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hern |first1=Bill |last2=Gleave |first2=David |title=Football's Black Pioneers |date=2020 |publisher=Conker Editions |location=Leicester |isbn=9781999900854 |pages=168–169}}</ref>

===Success under Duncan and relegation (1950–1965)===
During the early 1950s, one of Luton's greatest sides<ref>{{cite book |first=Timothy |last=Collings |title=The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 |year=1985 |publisher=Luton Town F.C. |location=Luton |isbn=978-0-9510679-0-1 |pages=74–75}}</ref> emerged under manager [[Dally Duncan]].<ref>{{cite book |first=Dean P. |last=Hayes |title=Completely Top Hatters! |year=2002 |publisher=Book Castle Publishing |location=Dunstable |isbn=978-1-903747-27-8 |page=41}}</ref> The team included [[Gordon Turner]], who went on to become Luton's all-time top goalscorer,<ref>{{cite book |first=Dean P. |last=Hayes |title=Completely Top Hatters! |year=2002 |publisher=Book Castle Publishing |location=Dunstable |isbn=978-1-903747-27-8 |pages=176–177}}</ref> [[Bob Morton (footballer, born 1927)|Bob Morton]], who holds the record for the most club appearances,<ref>{{cite book |first=Dean P. |last=Hayes |title=Completely Top Hatters! |year=2002 |publisher=Book Castle Publishing |location=Dunstable |isbn=978-1-903747-27-8 |pages=114–115}}</ref> and [[Syd Owen]], an England international.<ref>{{cite book |first=Dean P. |last=Hayes |title=Completely Top Hatters! |year=2002 |publisher=Book Castle Publishing |location=Dunstable |isbn=978-1-903747-27-8 |page=130}}</ref> During this period, Luton sides also featured two England international goalkeepers, [[Ron Baynham]] and [[Bernard Streten]],<ref>{{cite book |first=Dean P. |last=Hayes |title=Completely Top Hatters! |year=2002 |publisher=Book Castle Publishing |location=Dunstable |isbn=978-1-903747-27-8 |pages=10–11}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=Dean P. |last=Hayes |title=Completely Top Hatters! |year=2002 |publisher=Book Castle Publishing |location=Dunstable |isbn=978-1-903747-27-8 |page=168}}</ref> as well as [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Irish internationals]] [[Seamus Dunne]],<ref>{{cite book |first=Dean P. |last=Hayes |title=Completely Top Hatters! |year=2002 |publisher=Book Castle Publishing |location=Dunstable |isbn=978-1-903747-27-8 |pages=41–42}}</ref> [[Tom Aherne]] and [[George Cummins (footballer)|George Cummins]].<ref>{{cite book |first=Dean P. |last=Hayes |title=Completely Top Hatters! |year=2002 |publisher=Book Castle Publishing |location=Dunstable |isbn=978-1-903747-27-8 |pages=1–2}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=Dean P. |last=Hayes |title=Completely Top Hatters! |year=2002 |publisher=Book Castle Publishing |location=Dunstable |isbn=978-1-903747-27-8 |page=31}}</ref> This team reached the [[Football League First Division|top flight]] for the first time in [[1955–56 in English football|1955–56]], after finishing the season in second place behind [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]] on [[goal average]].<ref name=TLTS70>{{cite book |first=Timothy |last=Collings |title=The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 |year=1985 |publisher=Luton Town F.C. |location=Luton |isbn=978-0-9510679-0-1 |pages=70–74}}</ref> A few years of success followed, including an [[FA Cup Final 1959|FA Cup Final appearance]] against [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]] in [[1958–59 in English football|1958–59]];<ref>{{cite book |first=Timothy |last=Collings |title=The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 |year=1985 |publisher=Luton Town F.C. |location=Luton |isbn=978-0-9510679-0-1 |pages=78–82}}</ref> at the end of the season, Owen was voted [[FWA Footballer of the Year]].<ref>{{cite web |title=England Player Honours&nbsp;– Football Writers' Association Footballers of the Year |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamHons/HonsFWAFbYr.html |publisher=England Football Online |date=19 June 2007 |access-date=13 May 2009 |archive-date=11 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311113454/http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamHons/HonsFWAFbYr.html |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the club was relegated the following season and, by [[1964–65 in English football|1964–65]], was playing in the [[Football League Fourth Division|fourth tier]].<ref>{{cite book |first=Timothy |last=Collings |title=The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 |year=1985 |publisher=Luton Town F.C. |location=Luton |isbn=978-0-9510679-0-1 |pages=95–98}}</ref>

[[File:Oak Road End at Kenilworth Road, 1980.jpg|thumb|A home match at [[Kenilworth Road]] in 1980|alt=A professional football match in progress, viewed from behind one of the goals. One team is in white and the other is in yellow.]]

===Back to the first tier and late century success (1965–1992)===
In [[yo-yo club]] fashion, Luton were to return. A team including [[Bruce Rioch]], [[John Moore (footballer, born December 1943)|John Moore]] and [[Graham French]] won the Fourth Division championship in [[1967–68 in English football|1967–68]] under the leadership of former player [[Allan Brown (footballer, born 1926)|Allan Brown]];<ref name=FCHD/> two years later [[Malcolm Macdonald]]'s goals helped them to another promotion,<ref name=TLTS108>{{cite book |first=Timothy |last=Collings |title=The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 |year=1985 |publisher=Luton Town F.C. |location=Luton |isbn=978-0-9510679-0-1 |pages=108–111}}</ref> while comedian [[Eric Morecambe]] became a director of the club.<ref name=TLTS108/> Luton Town won promotion back to the First Division in [[1973–74 Football League|1973–74]], but were relegated [[1974–75 Luton Town F.C. season|the following season]] by a solitary point.<ref name=FCHD/><ref>{{cite web |title=Luton Town 1974–1975 |url=http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/1974-1975 |publisher=Statto Organisation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901070948/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/1974-1975 |archive-date=1 September 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Former Luton player [[David Pleat]] was made manager in 1978, and by [[1982–83 in English football|1982–83]] the team was back in the top flight.<ref name=FCHD/> The team which Pleat assembled at Kenilworth Road was notable at the time for the number of [[black people|black]] players it included; during an era when many English squads were almost entirely white, Luton often fielded a mostly black team. Talented players such as [[Ricky Hill]], [[Brian Stein]] and [[Emeka Nwajiobi]] made key contributions to the club's success during this period,<ref>{{cite journal |title=Volume 114 |year=1985 |journal=The Listener |publisher=BBC Magazines |location=London |page=9 |quote=...&nbsp;Luton has an attractive team led by some of the finest black players in the country, such as Brian Stein, Ricky Hill and the exciting Nigerian Nwajobi. Sometimes half the Luton team has been black.}}</ref> causing it to accrue "a richer history of black stars than any in the country", in the words of journalist Gavin Willacy.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Gavin |last=Willacy |title=Opportunity knocked |url=http://www.wsc.co.uk/wsc-daily/942-October-2008/1130-opportunity-knocked |journal=When Saturday Comes |location=London |date=23 October 2008 |access-date=15 December 2016 |quote=It is perhaps most alarming that Ramsey's bitterest experience of what he considered racism came at Luton Town, a club who have had probably more black players and a richer history of black stars than any in the country, but who maintain an almost exclusively white fan base. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220123118/http://www.wsc.co.uk/wsc-daily/942-October-2008/1130-opportunity-knocked |archive-date=20 December 2016 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

On the last day of the 1982–83 season, the club's first back in the top tier, it narrowly escaped relegation: playing [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] at [[Maine Road]], Luton needed to win to stay up, while City could escape with a draw.<ref name="Classic matches at Maine Road">{{cite news |first=Chris |last=Bevan |title=Classic matches at Maine Road |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/3011383.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=3 May 2003 |access-date=24 May 2009 |archive-date=1 July 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040701001201/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/3011383.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> A late winner by [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavian]] substitute [[Radomir Antić|Raddy Antić]] saved the team and prompted Pleat to dance across the pitch performing a "jig of joy",<ref name="Classic matches at Maine Road"/> an image that has become [[icon]]ic.<ref>{{cite web |title=1974–1985 |url=http://www.lutontown.co.uk/club/history/ |publisher=Luton Town F.C. |date=2 August 2016 |access-date=15 December 2016 |quote=Visions of David Pleat skipping across the&nbsp;... turf&nbsp;... remain some of television's enduring images. |archive-date=15 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140115053832/http://www.lutontown.co.uk/club/history/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The club achieved its highest ever league position, seventh, under [[John Moore (footballer, born December 1943)|John Moore]] in [[1986–87 Luton Town F.C. season|1986–87]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Luton Town 1986–1987 |url=http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/1986-1987 |publisher=Statto Organisation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327122705/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/1986-1987 |archive-date=27 March 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and, managed by [[Ray Harford]], won the [[Football League Cup]] a year later with a [[1988 Football League Cup Final|3–2 win]] over [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]]. With ten minutes left on the clock and Arsenal 2–1 ahead, a penalty save from stand-in goalkeeper [[Andy Dibble]] sparked a late Luton rally: [[Danny Wilson (footballer, born 1960)|Danny Wilson]] equalised, before [[Brian Stein]] scored the winner with the last kick of the match.<ref name=FCHD/><ref>{{cite web |title=1985–1988 |url=http://www.lutontown.co.uk/club/history/ |publisher=Luton Town F.C. |date=2 August 2016 |access-date=15 December 2016 |quote=A last-minute strike from Brian Stein saw [Luton] Town finally overcome Arsenal 3–2 at Wembley in a see-saw thriller in which Arsenal, leading 2–1, were awarded a penalty, which was brilliantly saved by Andy Dibble, before [Luton] Town came storming back, leading to skipper Steve Foster lifting the Littlewoods Cup. |archive-date=15 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140115053832/http://www.lutontown.co.uk/club/history/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Tom |last=Lamont |title=Frozen in time |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/apr/06/newsstory.sport |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=6 April 2008 |access-date=24 June 2009 |quote=Arsenal led 2–1 with 10 minutes left when Andy Dibble, Luton's reserve keeper, saved a Nigel Winterburn penalty&nbsp;... This equaliser was scrambled in [when] Brian [Stein] hit the ball across the face of the box. Danny Wilson nodded it in. In the final minute, Brian Stein's close-range volley snatched victory. |archive-date=27 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227025245/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/apr/06/newsstory.sport |url-status=live }}</ref> The club reached the [[1989 Football League Cup Final|League Cup Final]] once more in [[1988–89 Luton Town F.C. season|1988–89]], but lost 3–1 to Nottingham Forest.<ref name=FCHD/>

[[File:Luton Town lift Conference championship trophy 2014.jpg|thumb|left|Luton Town players and staff celebrate winning the [[2013–14 Football Conference|Conference Premier]] title in 2014|alt=A crowd of men, some wearing grey suits and some wearing white shirts, navy shorts and white socks, celebrate raucously on a podium. An open bottle of champagne is visible in front of them, spiralling through the air as if somebody has thrown it]]

===Resurgence and fall to non-League (1992–2009)===
The club was relegated from the top division at the end of the [[1991–92 Luton Town F.C. season|1991–92 season]],<ref name=FCHD/> and sank to the third tier [[1995–96 Luton Town F.C. season|four years later]].<ref name=FCHD/><ref>{{cite news |title=Winners and losers |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/winners-and-losers-1345871.html |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=6 May 1996 |access-date=13 May 2009 |archive-date=1 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701043017/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/winners-and-losers-1345871.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Luton stayed in the third-tier Second Division until relegation at the end of the [[2000–01 Luton Town F.C. season|2000–01 season]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Trevor |last=Haylett |title=Rotherham on the rise as Luton fall |url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/132A8CA49E603AD8?p=AWNB |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |format=reprint |via=NewsBank |date=25 April 2001 |access-date=15 December 2016}} {{registration required}}</ref> Under the management of [[Joe Kinnear]], who had arrived halfway through the previous season,<ref>{{cite news |title=Kinnear: I'm the boss |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/luton_town/1160605.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=8 February 2001 |access-date=22 March 2012}}</ref> the team won promotion from the fourth tier at the first attempt.<ref name=FCHD/> "Controversial"<ref name="Trouble at the Top: Luton Kicks Off">{{cite web |title=Trouble at the Top: Luton Kicks Off |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/content/articles/2004/10/26/trouble_at_the_top_feature.shtml |publisher=BBC Three Counties |date=29 October 2004 |access-date=25 June 2009 |archive-date=29 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629064721/http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/content/articles/2004/10/26/trouble_at_the_top_feature.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> owner [[John Gurney (football chairman)|John Gurney]] unsettled the club in 2003,<ref name="Trouble at the Top: Luton Kicks Off"/> terminating Kinnear's contract on his arrival in May;<ref name="Trouble at the Top: Luton Kicks Off"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Luton ponder Dons merger |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/luton_town/2974650.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=9 May 2003 |access-date=22 March 2012 |archive-date=19 January 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040119102645/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/luton_town/2974650.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Gurney replaced Kinnear with [[Mike Newell (footballer)|Mike Newell]] before leaving Luton as the club entered [[Administration (law)|administration]].<ref name="Trouble at the Top: Luton Kicks Off"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Luton pick Newell |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2406488/Luton-pick-Newell.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2406488/Luton-pick-Newell.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=23 June 2003 |access-date=13 May 2009}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Newell's team finished as champions of the rebranded third-tier [[Football League One]] in [[2004–05 Luton Town F.C. season|2004–05]].<ref name=FCHD/><ref>{{cite news |first=Geoff |last=Brown |title=Round-up : Coventry end with demolition Derby |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/roundup--coventry-end-with-demolition-derby-489784.html |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=1 May 2005 |access-date=13 May 2009 |archive-date=26 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120126121139/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/roundup--coventry-end-with-demolition-derby-489784.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

While Newell's place was taken first by [[Kevin Blackwell]] and later former player [[Mick Harford]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Luton Town appoint new manager |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/content/articles/2007/03/27/luton_town_new_manager_feature.shtml |publisher=BBC Three Counties |date=2 April 2007 |access-date=13 May 2009 |archive-date=14 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114103611/http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/content/articles/2007/03/27/luton_town_new_manager_feature.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first1=Vicki |last1=Hodges |first2=Charlie |last2=Caroe |title=Mick Harford replaces Kevin Blackwell at Luton |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2289140/Mick-Harford-replaces-Kevin-Blackwell-at-Luton.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2289140/Mick-Harford-replaces-Kevin-Blackwell-at-Luton.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=16 January 2008 |access-date=29 April 2009}}{{cbignore}}</ref> the team was then relegated twice in a row, starting in [[2006–07 Luton Town F.C. season|2006–07]], and spent the latter part of the [[2007–08 Luton Town F.C. season|2007–08 season]] in administration, thus incurring a ten-point deduction from that season's total.<ref name=FCHD/><ref>{{cite web |title=Luton Town 2006–2007 |url=http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/2006-2007 |publisher=Statto Organisation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090906075044/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/2006-2007 |archive-date=6 September 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The club then had a total of 30 points docked from its [[2008–09 Luton Town F.C. season|2008–09]] record by [[the Football Association]] and the Football League for financial irregularities dating back several years.<ref>{{cite news |title=Luton lose appeal against points deduction |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/jul/15/lutontown.leaguetwofootball |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=15 July 2008 |access-date=22 March 2012 |archive-date=16 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916162521/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/jul/15/lutontown.leaguetwofootball |url-status=live }}</ref> These deductions proved to be too large an obstacle to overcome,<ref>{{cite news |title=Luton 0–0 Chesterfield |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/7979729.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=13 April 2009 |access-date=13 April 2009 |archive-date=15 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415104114/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/7979729.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> but Luton came from behind in the final of the [[Football League Trophy]] to win the competition for the first time.<ref>{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Fletcher |title=Luton 3–2 Scunthorpe (aet) |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7975143.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=5 April 2009 |access-date=6 April 2009 |archive-date=8 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090408040739/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7975143.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Non-league to Premier League (2009–2024)===
Relegation meant that [[2009–10 Luton Town F.C. season|2009–10]] saw Luton playing in the [[Conference Premier]], a competition in which the club had never before participated. The club unsuccessfully contested the promotion play-offs three times in four seasons during their time as a non-League club, employing five different managers. In the [[2012–13 FA Cup]] fourth round, Luton won their [[Norwich City F.C. 0–1 Luton Town F.C. (2013)|away tie]] against [[Premier League]] club [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]] 1–0 and, in doing so, became the first non-League team to beat a side from England's top division since 1989.<ref>{{cite news |first=Chris |last=Osborne |title=Norwich 0–1 Luton |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/21095990 |work=BBC Sport |date=26 January 2013 |access-date=15 December 2016 |archive-date=14 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414093724/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/21095990 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the [[2013–14 Luton Town F.C. season|2013–14 season]], under the management of [[John Still (footballer)|John Still]], Luton won the Conference Premier title with three games to spare, and thereby secured a return to the Football League from [[2014–15 Luton Town F.C. season|2014–15]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Luton Town win Conference Premier and Football League spot |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/26978690 |work=BBC Sport |date=15 April 2014 |access-date=15 December 2016 |archive-date=11 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411162928/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/26978690 |url-status=live }}</ref> After reaching the [[EFL League Two play-offs|League Two play-offs]] in [[2016–17 Luton Town F.C. season|2016–17]],<ref>{{cite news |first=Mike |last=Simmonds |title=Hatters hit four as they hammer Accrington |url=https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/sport/football/luton-town/hatters-hit-four-as-they-hammer-accrington-1-7939723 |newspaper=Luton Today |date=29 April 2017 |access-date=5 May 2019 |archive-date=5 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505153322/https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/sport/football/luton-town/hatters-hit-four-as-they-hammer-accrington-1-7939723 |url-status=live }}</ref> when they were beaten 6–5 [[Aggregate score|on aggregate]] by [[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]] in the semi-final,<ref>{{cite news |first=Brendon |last=Mitchell |title=Luton Town 3–3 Blackpool (agg: 5–6) |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39879758 |work=BBC Sport |date=18 May 2017 |access-date=5 May 2019 |archive-date=12 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412205223/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39879758 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Luton were promoted back to [[EFL League One|League One]] the [[2017–18 Luton Town F.C. season|following season]] as runners-up.<ref>{{cite news |first=Mike |last=Simmonds |title=Luton seal promotion to League One with Carlisle draw |url=https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/sport/football/luton-town/luton-seal-promotion-to-league-one-with-carlisle-draw-1-8470404 |newspaper=Luton Today |date=21 April 2018 |access-date=5 May 2019 |archive-date=17 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417132945/https://www.lutontoday.co.uk/sport/football/luton-town/luton-seal-promotion-to-league-one-with-carlisle-draw-1-8470404 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Luton Town 3–1 Forest Green Rovers |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43846878 |work=BBC Sport |date=28 April 2018 |access-date=5 May 2019 |archive-date=27 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427042141/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43846878 |url-status=live }}</ref> Luton achieved a second successive promotion in [[2018–19 Luton Town F.C. season|2018–19]], after they won the League One title, marking the club's return to the [[EFL Championship|Championship]] after a 12-year absence.<ref>{{cite news |title=League One promotion: Luton Town and Barnsley return to Championship for 2019–20 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48114557 |work=BBC Sport |date=30 April 2019 |access-date=5 May 2019 |archive-date=20 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920211301/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48114557 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=League One roundup: Luton seal title as Plymouth go down on goal difference |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/may/04/league-one-roundup-luton-title-plymouth-goal-difference |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=4 May 2019 |access-date=5 May 2019 |archive-date=5 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505045054/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/may/04/league-one-roundup-luton-title-plymouth-goal-difference |url-status=live }}</ref> Luton reached the [[2022 English Football League play-offs|Championship play-offs]] in [[2021–22 Luton Town F.C. season|2021–22]], where they were beaten 2–1 on aggregate by [[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|Huddersfield Town]] in the semi-final. 

At the end of the [[2022–23 Luton Town F.C. season|2022–23]] season, Luton Town secured a consecutive place in the Championship play-offs having finished in 3rd place.<ref>{{cite news |title=Report: Reading 1–1 Luton Town |url=https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2023/april/match-report-for-reading-vs-luton-town-on-19-apr-23/ |access-date=19 April 2023 |publisher=Sky Sports |date=19 April 2023 |archive-date=19 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419212314/https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2023/april/match-report-for-reading-vs-luton-town-on-19-apr-23/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Luton Town beat [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] 3–2 on aggregate in the play-off semi-finals to reach the play-off final against [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65529573 |title=Luton Town 2–0 Sunderland (Agg 3–2): Luton overpower Sunderland to reach play-off final |author=Paul Grunill |publisher=BBC Sport |date=16 May 2023 |access-date=26 November 2023}}</ref> They went on to beat Coventry City 6–5 on penalties after a tense 1–1 draw to secure promotion to the [[Premier League]] for the first time.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65654937 |title=Coventry City 1–1 Luton Town (5–6 pens) |author=Ged Scott |publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 May 2023 |access-date=26 November 2023}}</ref> After collecting one point in their first five matches of the season, Luton won their first Premier League game on 30 September 2023, beating [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] 2–1 away at [[Goodison Park]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66899184|title=Luton beat Everton to claim first Premier League win|publisher=[[BBC Sport]]|date=30 September 2023|access-date=1 October 2023|last=Hafez|first=Shamoon}}</ref> After a stable first half of the season, the club's form significantly regressed after January, winning one in seventeen matches before being relegated in May 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Luton relegated after defeat to Fulham |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/4016996 |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=www.premierleague.com |language=en}}</ref> 

===Back-to-back relegation to League One (2024–present)===
On 30 April 2025, the club announced that [[Limak Holding|Limak International]], who are currently redeveloping [[FC Barcelona|FC Barcelona's]] [[Camp Nou]], would lead construction of the 25,000-capacity, environmentally sustainable [[Power Court Stadium]], set to begin in summer 2025 and ready for the 2028–29 season.<ref>{{cite news |last=Fullbrook |first=Danny |date=30 April 2025 |title=Luton Town partner with FC Barcelona stadium team |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c24qm6v31d4o |work=[[BBC News]] |location=[[Bedfordshire]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250430163419/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c24qm6v31d4o |archive-date=30 April 2025 |access-date=30 April 2025}}</ref> On 3 May 2025, Luton were then relegated successively back to League One after losing 5–3 on the final day to [[West Bromwich Albion]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Town relegated after 5-3 defeat - Luton Town FC |url=https://www.lutontown.co.uk/en/news/town-relegated-to-league-one-after-defeat |access-date=2025-05-03 |website=www.lutontown.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> Despite compiling 49 points and equaling Hull City’s total, their inferior goal difference resulted in them finishing 22nd.<ref>{{Cite web |last=EFL |title=EFL Sky Bet Championship table, results, fixtures, stats |url=https://www.efl.com/competitions/efl-championship/ |access-date=2025-05-03 |website=EFL |language=en}}</ref>