2018–19 Luton Town F.C. season

Luton Town F.C.
2018–19 season
Owner Luton Town Football Club 2020 Limited
Chairman David Wilkinson
Manager Nathan Jones
Stadium Kenilworth Road
League One 10th (as of match played 13 October 2018)
EFL Cup First round
(eliminated by West Bromwich Albion)
EFL Trophy Second round
Top goalscorer League: James Collins
Elliot Lee (4)

All: James Collins
Elliot Lee (4)
Highest home attendance 10,059 vs Sunderland, League One, 11 August 2018
Lowest home attendance 875 vs Milton Keynes Dons, EFL Trophy, 9 October 2018
Average home league attendance 9,126[1]
Home colours
Away colours
Third colours

The 2018–19 season is the 133rd in the history of Luton Town Football Club, a professional association football club based in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. Their promotion from League Two in 2017–18 means it is the club's first season in League One after a 10-year absence and 93rd season in the English Football League. The season runs from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019.

Background and pre-season

The 2017–18 season was Nathan Jones' second full season as manager of Luton Town, having been appointed in January 2016.[2] Luton began the season with an 8–2 victory over Yeovil Town, the club's biggest Football League victory since December 1996.[3][4] Inconsistent results in their first six league matches left the club in mid-table,[5][6] but seven wins from their next nine league matches, including a 7–1 win over Stevenage, saw Luton return to the top of the table.[5][7] The club's first defeat in 10 league matches meant they lost first place once more,[8][9] but they soon regained it three matches later,[10] during which time they became the first team in the history of the Football League to score seven or more goals on three occasions before Christmas, after defeating Cambridge United 7–0.[11] By early December, Luton were the highest-scoring team in the country with 63 goals in all competitions.[12] However, their FA Cup third round exit at the hands of Newcastle United in January was followed up with a run of four wins from 12 league matches, which meant they relinquished first position once again in March.[5] Luton finished the season in second place and were promoted to League One after a 10-year absence.[13][14]

Pre-season match details
Date Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A
Scorers Attendance Ref.
6 July 2018 Hitchin TownA W6–2Collins 22', Lee 39', Cornick 53', Jervis 70' pen., Gambin (2) 85', 90' 788 [15]
13 July 2018 HNK RijekaN L0–2 [16]
17 July 2018 Oxford CityA L0–3 [17]
18 July 2018 Chesham UnitedA W5–1Jervis 30', Grant (2) 65', 80', Hylton 84', Pearson 87' [18]
21 July 2018 St Albans CityA W6–3Hylton (3) 5', 43', 45+3', Grant 16', Read 63', Collins 76' 1,044 [19]
25 July 2018 Norwich CityH L1–3Gambin 56' 2,957 [20]
28 July 2018 Notts CountyH W2–0Grant 49', Lee 63' 2,301 [21]
31 July 2018 Bedford TownA W2–0Tomlinson (2) 22', 75' 762 [22]

Review

August

Luton started the season with a 1–0 away defeat to Portsmouth on their return to League One, with Jamal Lowe scoring the winning goal in the 16th minute.[23] The team recorded their first point of the season after drawing 1–1 at home to Sunderland, who took the lead shortly before half-time through Josh Maja with a shot into the bottom corner, before Matty Pearson equalised on 68 minutes from Alan Sheehan's cross.[24] This was followed by a 1–0 away defeat to West Bromwich Albion in the first round of the EFL Cup, after Oliver Burke scored for the Championship team in the 62nd minute.[25] Luton were beaten 3–1 away to Peterborough United, who were three goals up by half-time with two goals from Jason Cummings and one from Siriki Dembélé, before Danny Hylton scored a consolation goal for Luton from Andrew Shinnie's cross 12 minutes from time.[26] Their first win of the season came after a 2–0 home victory over Southend United, in which Elliot Lee scored from seven yards to give Luton a second-minute lead after a shot from Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu deflected into his path.[27] Hylton finished the scoring on 33 minutes with a penalty after Lee was fouled by Elvis Bwomono in the penalty area.[27] Luton recorded a second successive home win after beating Shrewsbury Town 3–2, the away team taking the lead through a 23rd-minute penalty scored by Shaun Whalley.[28] Jorge Grant levelled the score early into the second half with a free kick from 20 yards, before Lee Angol restored Shrewsbury's lead 15 minutes later after capitalising on a mistake by James Shea.[28] Jack Stacey equalised from close range in the 73rd minute, and Lee scored the winning goal with a deflected 22-yard free kick three minutes later.[28] Leeds United midfielder Eunan O'Kane was signed on loan until 10 January 2019,[29] while Jake Jervis and Luke Gambin were loaned to AFC Wimbledon and Crawley Town respectively until the end of the season.[30][31]

September

Luton went behind away to Wycombe Wanderers when Joe Jacobson scored a penalty in the 15th minute, who had another penalty saved by Shea in the second half, before Pearson equalised with a 68th-minute header, meaning the match ended in a 1–1 draw.[32] Forward Josh Neufville signed a two-year professional contract with the club.[33] Aaron Jarvis scored with a powerful shot into the bottom corner from six yards to give Luton a fifth-minute lead at home to Brighton & Hove Albion U21 in their opening EFL Trophy group stage match, and Grant scored on 79 minutes with a deflected shot to make the score 2–0.[34] However, Brighton scored a consolation goal through Aaron Connolly with a header in the 86th minute, and the match finished as a 2–1 victory.[34] Assistant manager Paul Hart was released from his contract to allow him to join Notts County as technical director.[35] A 2–1 defeat away to Doncaster Rovers saw Luton's four-match unbeaten run come to an end, with the home team taking the lead in the sixth minute through Matty Blair.[36][37] Lee equalised with a header shortly before half-time, and Ben Whiteman scored the winner for Doncaster less than a minute into the second half with a deflected 20-yard shot.[36] Shinnie scored Luton's only goal in a 1–0 home win over Bristol Rovers with a low shot in the 62nd minute.[38] Luton then drew 0–0 away to Blackpool.[39] Free agent winger Kazenga LuaLua was signed on a contract until the end of the season.[40] Luton drew 2–2 at home to Charlton Athletic, who had been on a four-match winning run.[41][42] After going behind to Tariqe Fosu's 23rd-minute penalty, Luton scored two second half goals through Harry Cornick and James Collins, before Chris Solly equalised for Charlton with a volley in the fifth minute of stoppage time.[41]

October

Steve Rutter, a former coach educator for The Football Association who taught Jones during his coaching courses, was appointed as assistant manager.[43] Luton achieved their first away win of the season after beating Oxford United 2–1.[44] Ricky Holmes gave the home team the lead early in the second half, before Luton equalised through Collins who followed up for the rebound after Cornick's shot had hit the crossbar from Mpanzu's cross.[44] Potts scored the winning goal in the 98th minute with a header from Sheehan's free kick, after he had a goal disallowed earlier in stoppage time.[44] Luton won 3–2 at home to Scunthorpe United, and took the lead in the 10th minute with a Cornick shot from a tight angle, before Scunthorpe equalised seven minutes later through Lee Novak.[45] Lee restored Luton's lead in the 26th minute with a 20-yard left-footed shot and James Justin converted Stacey's low cross on 85 minutes, before Stephen Humphrys scored a consolation goal for Scunthorpe in stoppage time.[45] Luton progressed to the second round of the EFL Trophy as Southern Group H winners after a 3–0 home win over Milton Keynes Dons, in which they took the lead in the 17th minute when Sheehan scored a penalty after David Kasumu tripped Shinnie.[46] LuaLua doubled the lead with a curling shot into the bottom corner on 29 minutes, and Grant finished the scoring 15 minutes into the second half with a close-range header.[46] After a six-match unbeaten run in all competitions, Luton were defeated 3–2 away to Barnsley, with Brad Potts giving the home team the lead on five minutes with a low shot from 20 yards, and Cameron McGeehan scored in the 26th minute to make the score 2–0.[47][48] Collins scored both of Luton's goals, the first in first-half stoppage time with a penalty, and the second in the 86th minute from the rebound after LuaLua's cross hit the post, either side of Mamadou Thiam's curling shot on 79 minutes.[47]

Competitions

EFL League One

EFL League One match details
Date League
position
Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A
Scorers Attendance Ref.
4 August 2018 21stPortsmouthA L0–1 19,018 [23]
11 August 2018 19thSunderlandH D1–1Pearson 68' 10,059 [24]
18 August 2018 22ndPeterborough UnitedA L1–3Hylton 78' 8,016 [26]
21 August 2018 15thSouthend UnitedH W2–0Lee 2', Hylton 33' pen. 9,086 [27]
25 August 2018 10thShrewsbury TownH W3–2Grant 51', Stacey 73', Lee 76' 8,518 [28]
1 September 2018 9thWycombe WanderersA D1–1Pearson 68' 6,072 [32]
8 September 2018 11thDoncaster RoversA L1–2Lee 45+1' 7,526 [36]
15 September 2018 11thBristol RoversH W1–0Shinnie 62' 8,912 [38]
22 September 2018 12thBlackpoolA D0–0 4,124 [39]
29 September 2018 12thCharlton AthleticH D2–2Cornick 74', Collins 81' 9,502 [41]
2 October 2018 10thOxford UnitedA W2–1Collins 55', Potts 90+8' 6,769 [44]
6 October 2018 8thScunthorpe UnitedH W3–2Cornick 10', Lee 26', Justin 85' 8,682 [45]
13 October 2018 10thBarnsleyA L2–3Collins (2) 45+3' pen., 86' 12,688 [47]

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
8 Fleetwood Town 13 5 5 3 21 12 +9 20
9 Southend United 13 6 2 5 17 16 +1 20
10 Luton Town 13 5 4 4 19 18 +1 19
11 Charlton Athletic 12 5 3 4 19 18 +1 18
12 Coventry City 13 5 3 5 11 13 2 18
Updated to match(es) played on 13 October 2018. Source: BBC Sport
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Head-to-head results [49]

FA Cup

EFL Cup

EFL Cup match details
Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A
Scorers Attendance Ref.
First round 14 August 2018 West Bromwich AlbionA L0–1 10,404 [25]

EFL Trophy

EFL Trophy match details
Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A
Scorers Attendance Ref.
First round 4 September 2018 Brighton & Hove Albion U21H W2–1Jarvis 5', Grant 79' 1,318 [34]
First round 9 October 2018 Milton Keynes DonsH W3–0Sheehan 17' pen., LuaLua 29', Grant 60' 875 [46]

First round (Southern Section Group H)

Pos Div Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 L1 Luton Town 2 2 0 0 0 5 1 +4 6 Advance to Round 2
2 L1 Peterborough United 2 0 0 2 0 5 5 0 2
3 ACA Brighton & Hove Albion U21 2 0 1 0 1 3 4 1 2
4 L2 Milton Keynes Dons 2 0 1 0 1 3 6 3 2
Updated to match(es) played on 9 October 2018. Source: EFL.com

Transfers

In

Date Player Clubdagger Fee Ref.
1 June 2018 Andrew Shinnie (Birmingham City) Free
[50]
26 June 2018 Matty Pearson Barnsley Undisclosed
[51]
1 July 2018 Sonny Bradley (Plymouth Argyle) Free
[52]
26 September 2018 Kazenga LuaLua (Sunderland) Free
[40]
dagger Brackets around club names indicate the player's contract with that club had expired before he joined Luton.

Out

Date Player Clubdagger Fee Ref.
1 July 2018 Jordan Cook (Grimsby Town) Released
[53][54]
1 July 2018 Kavan Cotter Released
[53]
1 July 2018 Scott Cuthbert (Stevenage) Released
[53][55]
1 July 2018 Lawson D'Ath (Milton Keynes Dons) Released
[53][56]
1 July 2018 Olly Lee (Heart of Midlothian) Free
[57]
1 July 2018 Johnny Mullins (Cheltenham Town) Released
[53][58]
dagger Brackets around club names indicate the player joined that club after his Luton contract expired.

Loan in

Date Player Club Return Ref.
6 July 2018 Jorge Grant Nottingham Forest End of season
[59]
31 August 2018 Eunan O'Kane Leeds United 10 January 2019
[29]

Loan out

Date Player Club Return Ref.
6 July 2018 Akin Famewo Grimsby Town End of season
[60]
31 August 2018 Luke Gambin Crawley Town End of season
[31]
31 August 2018 Jake Jervis AFC Wimbledon End of season
[30]

Appearances and goals

Source:[61][62]
Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute.
Players with names struck through and marked Left club during playing season left the club during the playing season.
Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Luton.
Players listed with no appearances have been in the matchday squad but only as unused substitutes.
Key to positions: GK Goalkeeper; DF Defender; MF Midfielder; FW Forward
Players included in matchday squads
No. Pos. Nat. Name League FA Cup EFL Cup EFL Trophy Total Discipline
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals A yellow rectangle, denoting the yellow penalty card shown to a player being cautioned A red rectangle, denoting the red penalty card shown to a player being sent off
1GK CZE Marek Štěch 300000003000
2DF ENG James Justin 3 (7)10010206 (7)110
3DF ENG Dan Potts 13100000013130
4MF IRL Alan McCormack 3 (1)00000205 (1)030
5DF ENG Sonny Bradley 11 (1)000100012 (1)010
6DF ENG Matty Pearson 13200100014200
7DF ENG Jack Stacey 12100100013110
8MF ENG Luke Berry 00000 (1)0000 (1)000
9FW ENG Danny Hylton 4 (1)20000004 (1)200
10FW ENG Elliot Lee 124000 (1)00012 (1)420
11MF SCO Andrew Shinnie 7 (2)10010109 (2)110
14FW ENG Harry Cornick 5 (5)20010107 (5)200
15FW ENG Jake Jervis 0 (2)00010001 (2)000
16DF IRL Glen Rea 10 (2)000101 (1)012 (3)030
17MF ENG Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu 13000100014000
18MF ENG Jorge Grant * 10 (1)100002212 (1)310
19FW IRL James Collins 11 (2)400000011 (2)420
21DF ENG Jack Senior 000000202010
22MF MLT Luke Gambin 000010001000
25MF DRC Kazenga LuaLua 0 (2)00000111 (2)110
27FW ENG Aaron Jarvis 0 (1)00000212 (1)100
28DF ENG Lloyd Jones 00000 (1)0101 (1)000
32MF IRL Eunan O'Kane * 0 (3)00000101 (3)000
34DF IRL Jack James 000000000000
35MF ENG Arthur Read 000000202000
36GK ENG James Shea 10000100011000
37DF ENG Frankie Musonda 0000000 (1)00 (1)000
40GK ENG Harry Isted 000000202000
41MF ENG Jake Peck 0000000 (1)00 (1)000
44DF IRL Alan Sheehan 3 (3)00000215 (3)110
47FW ENG Connor Tomlinson 0000000 (1)00 (1)000
48FW ENG Josh Neufville 0000000 (2)00 (2)000
49MF ENG Drew Richardson 000000000000
Players not included in matchday squads
No. Pos. Nat. Name
39DF ENG Akin Famewo

References

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