NFR We might be playing Luton Town next season

[The Swan]

Well done to Luton Town for getting to Wembley to play in the Final of the Championship Playoffs.

If they win they will have to improve their ground.

[Rupert]

I understand they will set fire to it, leaving them with a grassy field, which will immediately improve the facilities currently there.

[The Rational Fan]

Luton don't have any money as they are fan owned, so if they get promoted, then there will be a conversation on whether the TV money should be used to either "upgrade the squad" or "upgrade the ground" as they probably cannot do both.

[Kiwimike]

Gound-share with Watford??

[Rupert]

Gound-share with Watford??

You are very naughty.

[Whitestone]

There is talk of them having to spend £10 million on Kenilworth Road to comply with Premier League regulations if they get promoted. It would make more sense to ground share with MK Dons who are only 20 miles up the road and have a 30,000 capacity.

[Dodgin]

Could see Cauley Woodrow next season, though he didn't make the bench yesterday.

[wback]

Yes, teams can surprise (us included!), but the promoted teams are less scary than the ones going down. The league will be a bit weaker next year. Definitely less to fear from Middlesbrough, Sheffield Utd and Burnley vs. Southampton, Leeds and Leicester.

[Sting of the North]

Could see Cauley Woodrow next season, though he didn't make the bench yesterday.

Cauley is currently injured.

[toshes mate]

Luton didn't have to impress too much against a lacklustre Sunderland last night. Hooper (referee) missed a couple of penalty calls but the home kids were in the ascendancy for most of the game. Not sure who is best out of Coventry and Middlesbrough (really dull first leg) but it looks like Luton have it all to lose at Wembley.

[filham]

I have often thought that if a club promoted into the Premier league didn't spend a penny on transfers or ground improvements but accepted the prospect of relegation then they would return to the Championship a much richer club.

[Nero]

There is talk of them having to spend £10 million on Kenilworth Road to comply with Premier League regulations if they get promoted. It would make more sense to ground share with MK Dons who are only 20 miles up the road and have a 30,000 capacity.

Perhaps Winkleman can move his franchise like they do in the NFL and just swap Luton and Watford around

[Somerset Fulham]

Luton didn't have to impress too much against a lacklustre Sunderland last night. Hooper (referee) missed a couple of penalty calls but the home kids were in the ascendancy for most of the game. Not sure who is best out of Coventry and Middlesbrough (really dull first leg) but it looks like Luton have it all to lose at Wembley.

I think the fighting chance that Coventry or Boro my have will be the size of the pitch at Wembley. It will be a good contest whatever happens I hope.

[Rupert]

It would make more sense to ground share with MK Dons who are only 20 miles up the road and have a 30,000 capacity.

Financially, yes. In every other way, no.

When I first moved to Luton in 1983 (yes, kiddies, Uncle Rupert was alive all the way back then) the locals were up in arms at the prospect of their club leaving Kennilworth Road for a new stadium in Milton Keynes. It was simply not going to happen. They were not wedded to the ground, but to the town. To suggest they move now, well, it will be a brave man who hopefully gets a kick out of being tied to a stake, having faggots piled around his feet, and then have someone with a blazing torch approach.

Of course, back in 1983 the locals were under the impression they would be in a new stadium by the end of the decade. Forty years later...

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

How does their ground compare with Bournemouth's at this stage ?
I've got a soft spot for 2 of them.
I lived in Coventry for 5/6 years (I know, why ? )
and have close friends who support Luton.
Toss up would be Luton

[_Putney_]

What do they need to do to comply? Are they not given a grace period like we were with the standing?

[btffc]

What do they need to do to comply? Are they not given a grace period like we were with the standing?

They have to do something to comply with broadcasting requirements that will apparently cost 10 million.

[Penfold]

What do they need to do to comply? Are they not given a grace period like we were with the standing?

I never really thought we were given a grace period in the PL. The rules, as I understand them, are if a club is promoted from third tier with terraces they have three seasons then need to all seat.

We went up from third tier in 1999 and spent two seasons in second tier. Therefore, first season in PL was the third season.

I think we did need to do stuff like upgrade media areas etc. That wouldn't cost £10m but probably other requirements these days.

Luton hope to start work on a new stadium later this year. Planning permission was granted a while back. Would not surprise me if they did decamp to Stadium MK for a season in top flight. Could cash in on the big games that way. Don't think it would go down well with the fans though.

[Eton White]

Luton's new ground sounds quite interesting. The BBC did an article about it just the other day.

It's going to be a 23,000 seater stadium called Power Court on the site of a former electricity station (hence the name) and only about a mile from Kenilworth Road - it's good that they were able to get a site right in the heart of the town and don't have to build it miles away like some of the newer stadium complexes.

Apparently they were hoping to have it completed by 2023 but the pandemic and rising costs delayed it, so it sounds like they'll be at Kenilworth Road for at least another year or two. If they do get promoted, it'll be interesting to see what the big teams think of their facilities, considering how certain high profile managers have reacted to our changing rooms etc in the past! :D

[Steeeeeeeeeed]

Maybe they should play their home games at Wembley 🤔