List of Luton Town F.C. seasons explained

Luton Town Football Club is an English football club, founded in 1885.[1] After becoming the first professional team in the south of England in 1891,[2] Luton joined The Football League in 1897 before leaving three years later.[3] The club rejoined the League in 1920,[4] and reached its top division in 1955–56.[5] After losing the 1959 FA Cup Final 2–1 to Nottingham Forest,[6] a period of decline saw Luton in the Fourth Division by 1965.[7] After a swift revival the club was back in Division Two by 1970.[8] Luton earned another promotion four years later, returning to Division One for the 1974–75 season, in which Luton were relegated back to the Second Division.[9]

Financial crises during the 1970s led to the sale of important players[10] [11] and it was not until David Pleat, a former Luton player, was appointed in 1978 that Luton started to recover.[12] Pleat's team achieved promotion in 1981–82, and remained in Division One until 1992. Luton won the League Cup in the 1987–88 season with a 3–2 victory over Arsenal, but it marked the beginning of decline.[9] Inconsistent performance and financial uncertainty meant that Luton rose and fell through the divisions from season to season,[13] [14] [15] and in 2007 a collapse began that would result in three successive relegations.[9] The club claimed a Football League Trophy victory in 2009,[16] but with it came the relegation to the Conference Premier made inevitable by 40 points deducted in two seasons.[17] [18] Luton contested five years in non-League football, including three unsuccessful play-off campaigns, before winning promotion to League Two as Conference Premier champions in the 2013–14 season.[19] The club were promoted to League One after finishing second in League Two in 2017–18,[20] [21] and the following season they won a second successive promotion to the Championship after winning the League One title.[22] [23]

Key

bgcolor=goldChampionsRunners-upPromotedRelegated

Top scorer and number of goals scored shown in bold when he was also top scorer for the division
Division shown in bold when it changes due to promotion, relegation or reorganisation
League results shown in italics for abandoned or wartime competitions

Key to league record
Key to divisions
Key to rounds

Seasons

SeasonLeagueFA CupLeague
Cup		Other competitionsTop scorer(s)
DivisionPldWDLGFGAPtsPos.CompetitionPos.Player(s)Goals
1885–86R1—none0
1886–87R1—E. Ellingham
1887–88R1—George Deacon
1888–89QR3—J.C. Lomax
1889–90QR3—Harry Whitby
J.C. Lomax
1890–91QR1—none0
1891–92R1—Harry Whitby
1892–93QR3—Frank Whitby
1893–94R1—Fred Allen
Robert Dimmock
1894–95SouthR1—Hugh Galbraith
1895–96SouthQR1—Hugh Galbraith
1896–97UnitedR1—George Ekins
1897–98Div 2R1—Willie Stewart
Unitedbgcolor=gold
1898–99Div 2QR5—James Kemplay
United
1899–1900Div 2QR5—John Brock
1900–01SouthInt—James Blessington
Jimmy Durrant
1901–02SouthInt—James Blessington
1902–03SouthR1—Leon Gall
1903–04SouthQR5—Jason McKee
1904–05SouthQR6—David Ross
1905–06SouthQR4—Sandy Brown
1906–07SouthR2—Sandy Brown
1907–08SouthR1—Herbert Moody
West 1B
1908–09SouthR1—Herbert Moody
West 1A
1909–10SouthQR4—Thomas Quinn
1910–11SouthR1—Herbert Moody
1911–12SouthR1—Herbert Moody
1912–13South 2QR5—James Stephenson
1913–14South 2QR5—Ernie Simms
Arthur Wileman
1914–15SouthR1—Ernie Simms
1919–20SouthR2—Ernie Simms
1920–21Div 3R3—Ernie Simms
1921–22Div 3 SR2—Ernie Simms
1922–23Div 3 SR1—Syd Reid
1923–24Div 3 SR1—Andy Kerr
1924–25Div 3 SR1—George Dennis
Syd Reid
1925–26Div 3 SR2—Jimmy Thompson
1926–27Div 3 SR3—Syd Reid
1927–28Div 3 SR3—Jimmy Yardley
1928–29Div 3 SR3—Andy Rennie
1929–30Div 3 SR1—Andy Rennie
Jimmy Yardley
1930–31Div 3 SR2—Andy Rennie
1931–32Div 3 SR3—Tommy Tait
1932–33Div 3 SR6—Tommy Tait
1933–34Div 3 SR3Football League Third Division South CupR2Andy Rennie
1934–35Div 3 SR4Football League Third Division South CupR2Jack Ball
1935–36Div 3 SR4Football League Third Division South CupR1George Stephenson
1936–37Div 3 Sbgcolor=goldR4Football League Third Division South CupJoe Payne
1937–38Div 2R5—Joe Payne
1938–39Div 2R3—Hugh Billington
1939–40Div 2class=sortbottomn/a—Hugh Billington
1945–46R3—none0
1946–47Div 2R5—Hugh Billington
1947–48Div 2R5—Hugh Billington
1948–49Div 2R5—Billy Arnison
1949–50Div 2R3—George Stobbart
1950–51Div 2R4—Willie Davie
George Stobbart
1951–52Div 2R6—Jack Taylor
1952–53Div 2R5—Jesse Pye
1953–54Div 2R4—Gordon Turner
1954–55Div 2R5—Gordon Turner
1955–56Div 1R3—Gordon Turner
1956–57Div 1R3—Gordon Turner
1957–58Div 1R3—Gordon Turner
1958–59Div 1—Allan Brown
1959–60Div 1R5—Billy Bingham
1960–61Div 2R5R2—Gordon Turner
1961–62Div 2R3R2—Gordon Turner
1962–63Div 2R3R4—Ron Davies
1963–64Div 3R3R2—John O'Rourke
1964–65Div 3R3R2—Tommy McKechnie
1965–66Div 4R2R1—John O'Rourke
1966–67Div 4R2R1—Bruce Rioch
Ray Whittaker
1967–68Div 4bgcolor=goldR2R2—Bruce Rioch
1968–69Div 3R3R3—Brian Lewis
1969–70Div 3R2R3—Malcolm Macdonald
1970–71Div 2R3R3Watney CupMalcolm Macdonald
1971–72Div 2R3R2—Peter Anderson
1972–73Div 2R6R2Anglo-Italian CupGrpJohn Aston
1973–74Div 2R5R4—Barry Butlin
1974–75Div 1R3R3Texaco CupGrpAdrian Alston
1975–76Div 2R4R2—Jimmy Husband
1976–77Div 2R4R2—Ron Futcher
Jimmy Husband
1977–78Div 2R4R3—Phil Boersma
Ron Futcher
1978–79Div 2R3—Brian Stein
1979–80Div 2R3R1—David Moss
1980–81Div 2R4R3—David Moss
Brian Stein
1981–82Div 2bgcolor=goldR4R2—Brian Stein
1982–83Div 1R4R4—Brian Stein
1983–84Div 1R3R2—Paul Walsh
1984–85Div 1SFR4—Mick Harford
1985–86Div 1R6R3—Mick Harford
1986–87Div 1R4n/a—Mike Newell
Brian Stein
1987–88Div 1SFWFull Members' CupMick Harford
Football League Centenary TournamentR1
1988–89Div 1R3RUFull Members' CupR3Roy Wegerle
Danny Wilson
1989–90Div 1R3R3Full Members' CupR2SKingsley Black
Iain Dowie
1990–91Div 1R4R2Full Members' CupLars Elstrup
1991–92Div 1R3R2Full Members' CupR2SMick Harford
1992–93Div 1R4R2Anglo-Italian CupGrpPhil Gray
1993–94Div 1SFR1Anglo-Italian CupGrpScott Oakes
1994–95Div 1R4R1—Dwight Marshall
1995–96Div 1R3R1Anglo-Italian CupGrpDwight Marshall
1996–97Div 2R3R3Football League TrophyR2STony Thorpe
1997–98Div 2R1R2Football League TrophyTony Thorpe
1998–99Div 2R2Football League TrophyR2SPhil Gray
1999–2000Div 2R3R1Football League TrophyR1SLiam George
2000–01Div 2R3R2Football League TrophyR1SLiam George
2001–02Div 3R1R1Football League TrophyR2SSteve Howard
2002–03Div 2R2R2Football League TrophySteve Howard
2003–04Div 2R4R2Football League TrophySteve Howard
2004–05Lge 1bgcolor=goldR3R1Football League TrophyR1SSteve Howard
2005–06ChampR3R2—Steve Howard
2006–07ChampR4R3—Rowan Vine
2007–08Lge 1R3R4Football League TrophyR2SPaul Furlong
Matthew Spring
2008–09Lge 2R2R2Football League Trophybgcolor=goldWChris Martin
2009–10Conf PremR3FA TrophyR1Tom Craddock
2010–11Conf PremR2FA TrophySFMatthew Barnes-Homer
2011–12Conf PremR2FA TrophySFStuart Fleetwood
2012–13Conf PremR5FA TrophyAndre Gray
2013–14Conf Prembgcolor=goldR1FA TrophyR3Andre Gray
2014–15Lge 2R3R1Football League TrophyR2SMark Cullen
2015–16Lge 2R2R2Football League TrophyR2SJack Marriott
2016–17Lge 2R3R2EFL TrophySFDanny Hylton
2017–18Lge 2R3R1EFL TrophyR3SDanny Hylton
2018–19Lge 1bgcolor=goldR3R1EFL TrophyR2SJames Collins
2019–20ChampR3R3—James Collins
2020–21ChampR4R3—James Collins
2021–22ChampR5R1—Elijah Adebayo
2022–23Champ4621178573980R4R1——Carlton Morris
2023–24Prem386824528526R5R3——Carlton Morris
2024–25ChampTBDR3R1——

References

General

Specific

Notes and References

  1. Book: Collings . The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 . 1985 . 1–2.
  2. Book: Collings . The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 . 1985 . 3–4.
  3. Book: Collings . The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 . 1985 . 11–13.
  4. Book: Collings . The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 . 1985 . 26–27.
  5. Book: Collings . The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 . 1985 . 70–74.
  6. Book: Collings . The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 . 1985 . 78–82.
  7. Book: Collings . The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 . 1985 . 95–98.
  8. Book: Collings . The Luton Town Story 1885–1985 . 1985 . 108–111.
  9. Web site: Football Club History Database – Luton Town . Football Club History Database . Richard . Rundle . 24 May 2009 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20080529205257/http://www.fchd.info/LUTONT.HTM . 29 May 2008 .
  10. Book: Vernon , Leslie . Rothman's Football Yearbook 1971–72 . The Queen Anne Press . 1971 . May 1971.
  11. Book: Vernon , Leslie . Rothman's Football Yearbook 1976–77 . The Queen Anne Press . 1976 . December 1975 . 0-362-00259-2.
  12. Web site: David Pleat's managerial career . Soccerbase . 24 May 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090627050543/http://www.soccerbase.com/managers2.sd?managerid=351 . 27 June 2009 . live . dmy-all.
  13. News: Winners and Losers. The Independent. Independent News & Media. 6 May 1996. 24 May 2009. London. 1 July 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170701043017/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/winners-and-losers-1345871.html. live.
  14. News: Rotherham on the rise as Luton fall. . Independent News & Media. Trevor. Haylett. 25 April 2001. 24 May 2009. London.
  15. News: Round-up : Coventry end with demolition Derby. The Independent. Independent News & Media. Geoff. Brown. 1 May 2005. 24 May 2009. London. 26 January 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120126121139/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/roundup--coventry-end-with-demolition-derby-489784.html. live.
  16. News: Paul. Fletcher. Luton 3–2 Scunthorpe (aet). BBC. 24 May 2009. 5 April 2009. 8 April 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090408040739/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7975143.stm. live.
  17. News: Luton Town lose appeal against points deduction. The Times. Times Newspapers. 16 July 2008. 24 May 2009. London. Kaveh. Solhekol. 18 September 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110918040206/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article4340138.ece. live.
  18. News: Luton 0–0 Chesterfield. BBC. 24 May 2009. 13 April 2009. 18 April 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090418012236/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/7979729.stm. live.
  19. News: Luton Town win Conference Premier and Football League spot. BBC Sport. 15 April 2014. 27 April 2014. 16 April 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140416053501/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26978690. live.
  20. News: Mike . Simmonds . Luton seal promotion to League One with Carlisle draw . Luton Today . 21 April 2018 . 19 April 2019 . 17 April 2019 . 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 . live .
  21. News: Luton Town 3–1 Forest Green Rovers . BBC Sport . 28 April 2018 . 5 May 2019 . 27 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190427042141/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43846878 . live .
  22. News: League One promotion: Luton Town and Barnsley return to Championship for 2019–20 . BBC Sport . 30 April 2019 . 5 May 2019 . 20 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200920211301/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48114557 . live .
  23. News: League One roundup: Luton seal title as Plymouth go down on goal difference . The Guardian . London . 4 May 2019 . 5 May 2019.

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