Road Setback For U's At Luton Town

At Luton, England:


Janos Kovacs (18'), Andre Gray (53'), and Dean Beckwith (61') each delivered a goal as Luton Town held off visiting Cambridge United 3-2 in Tuesday English Conference National action.

YORKIES BACK IN FOOTBALL LEAGUE

At London:


Ashley Chambers (26') and Matty Blair (47') provided the scoring as York City came back from a very early deficit to defeat Luton Town 2-1 in Sunday's English Conference National promotion playoff final at Wembley Stadium, securing return to the Football League after an eight-year absence.  The Yorkies will join already promoted Fleetwood Town in League Two next season.

English Conference National Promotion Playoffs: Yorkies vs. Hatters For Promotion To Football League

The semifinal round of the English Conference National's promotion playoffs concluded with two games on Monday.

At Mansfield, England:

After 90 minutes of scoreless regulation in their second match with Mansfield Town (with the series deadlocked at 1-1 on aggregate--with no away goals rule), Matt Blair's overtime tally in the 111th minute carried York City to a 2-1 series victory on aggregate.

At Wrexham, Wales:

Despite dropping a 2-1 road decision to Wrexam, Luton Town, thanks to George Pilkington's penalty kick in the 26th minute, won their two match series with the Dragons 3-2 on aggregate.

The promotion final will be played at London's Wembley Stadium on Sunday, May 20, with the winner joining Fleetwood Town in playing in England's Football League Two.

English Conference National Promotion Playoffs: Hatters Hold Serve Against Wrexham

At Luton, England:


Andre Gray (22') and Stuart Fleetwood (30') provided the scoring as Luton Town blanked visiting Wrexham 2-0 on Thursday in the opening game of a two-game English Conference National promotion playoff semifinal series.  Wrexham will host the return contest on Monday.

Late Goal Salvages Home Draw For U's

At Cambridge, England:


Liam Hughes delivered the equalizer in the 78th minute as Cambridge United came back to gain a 1-1 home draw with Luton Town in Saturday English National Conference action.  Stuart Fleetwood scored in the 18th minute for the visiting Hatters.

U's Down Hatters On Road

At Luton, England:


Rory McAuley scored the lone goal of the match in the 60th minute as Cambridge United defeated Luton Town 1-0 on the road in Tuesday English National Conference action.

DONS WIN PENALTY KICK SHOOTOUT TO SECURE FOOTBALL LEAGUE MEMBERSHIP

At Manchester, England:


After 120 scoreless minutes on Saturday, Danny Kedwell connected on the game-winning penalty kick as AFC Wimbledon defeated Luton Town 4-3 in the shootout to win the English Football Conference promotion playoff final and win promotion to the  Football League for the first time in their nine-year history.  The Dons will joined already-promoted Crawley Town next season in League Two.

Dons and Hatters Battle To Scoreless Draw

At Kingston upon Thames, England:

Wednesday English Blue Square Premier Conference contest between AFC Wimbledon and visiting Luton Town ended in a 0-0 stalemate.

Hatters Crown Dons

At Luton, England:

George Pilkington (23'), Zdenek Kroca (38'), and Matthew Barnes-Homer (49') each tallied once as Luton Town belted visiting AFC Wimbledon 3-0 in the lone Friday Blue Square Premier (English Conference) contest.

Luton Town As A Football League Club, R. I. P.

You might say that Luton Town was smoked out of England's Football League on Monday as they were held to a 0-0 draw by visiting Chesterfield in League Two play, while Grimsby blanked Notts County 2-0.

Thus ends the Hatters' 89-year run in the Football League. They were in the top flight as recently as 1992.

They will play next season in the Blue Square Premier, formerly known as the Nationwide Conference.

See Ya In The Conference Next Year, Hatters!

The new owners of English League Two members Luton Town aren't too happy with the latest point reduction handed down by the Football League:

The club will now start the new Coca-Cola League Two season on -30 points, having already been deducted 10 points last month by the FA for breaching rules over payments to players' agents. But Stephen Browne, a director of the club's new owners LTFC2020, believes the Hatters are again being punished for the previous mismanagement of the club. In a statement released via the club's official website he said: 'It's quite clear that we have made a mistake. We placed our faith in the footballing authorities. We have tried to do everything openly and honestly. 'Obviously the very clear message from both the FA and Football League is that doing such a thing is a total waste of time. 'Once again, the club suffers from the mismanagement of the past. Once again the faithful supporters are left high and dry. Once again a policy of honesty is not at all recognised by the football authorities who claim they want to clean up the game. 'Once again the Football League fail as who was it that cleared the previous owners as 'fit and proper' owners in the first place?'




Unless these points reductions are reduced or overturned we will likely see the Hatters (who were playing in the League Championship just two seasons ago) out of the Football League and in what is now called the Blue Square Premier---the old National Conference in the 2009-10 season

Wanna Go For A Third Straight Relegation?

Luton Town, recently relegated for a second consecutive season, has been docked 10 points by England's Football Association for misconduct relating to the payment of agents:

The League Two club has been sanctioned for paying agents via a third party instead of through the Football League, but it was cleared of paying kickbacks.

The punishment imposed by a Football Association regulatory commission will see the club start next season with minus-15 points. It was also fined 50,000 pounds (C$29,000).

A five-year ban from football was imposed on former chairman Bill Tomlins, who was also fined along with three former directors. Six agents have been sanctioned and warned about their future conduct.

"There can be no doubt that Luton Town Football Club, between July 2004 and February 2007, was run with a flagrant disregard for the regulations laid down to protect the game," said commission chairman Peter Griffiths.

This means that this club, which just over a year ago was still playing in the League Championship, may find themselves down in the Blue Square (formerly National) Conference by this time next year.