so long,farewell,auf Wiedersehen,good night...in other words...the relegation thread

[meh]

When we came up, we struggled but managed to survive, relatively comfortably in the end, as did PNE who came up with us.
Since then, very few, Sheff U apart, have even lasted much more than one season. That suggests the jump from L1 to the Championship is now a really big one, probably growing.

Didn't you come up like 13 years ago?
Since then, Leeds, Wolves, Southampton, Norwich, Leicester, Huddersfield, Nottingham Forest, Millwall, Swansea, Charlton, Brentford, Blackburn Rovers, Bournemouth, Brighton and Sheffield Wednesday have all come up from League One with some of them spending a couple of years in the Premiership.

Burton Albion came up and lasted two seasons!

I don't buy into this narrative either that the Premiership is a closed shop, Burnley, Bournemouth, Watford, Sheffield United and Brighton are currently playing in there, and in recent seasons we have seen Huddersfield, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, West Brom play there.

The reason why Luton are struggling is in part because they don't have a huge budget, but it's also in part to spending £1.3million on a rubbish goalkeeper and signing League One standard players in Ryan Tunnicliffe. They can paint the narrative that they are failing because they have a low budget to make themselves feel better, but they haven't helped themselves with piss poor signings.

I think every year I read and hear the same things about how the gap is too wide, if you come up and plan poorly then you will get relegated, if you come up and have a proper plan in place with a decent manager, then you can survive and then thrive. (Brentford as a case in point).

There certainly was a time where League One was extremely strong (2007-2010) where you had Norwich, Leeds, Charlton, Huddersfield, Southampton, Millwall and Swindon, many of the players in those teams are now internationals with even some winning the league.

Adam Lallana, Fabien Delph, Charlie Austin, Rickie Lambert, Morgan Schnerderlian, Jonny Howson, Grant Holt, Jordan Rhodes, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jonjo Shelvey, Steve Morison, Andros Townsend, Charlie Austin, Robert Snodgrass, Jose Fonte, just to name a few were playing in League One those seasons.

 

[Ciderup]

Didn't you come up like 13 years ago?
Since then, Leeds, Wolves, Southampton, Norwich, Leicester, Huddersfield, Nottingham Forest, Millwall, Swansea, Charlton, Brentford, Blackburn Rovers, Bournemouth, Brighton and Sheffield Wednesday have all come up from League One with some of them spending a couple of years in the Premiership.

Burton Albion came up and lasted two seasons!

I don't buy into this narrative either that the Premiership is a closed shop, Burnley, Bournemouth, Watford, Sheffield United and Brighton are currently playing in there, and in recent seasons we have seen Huddersfield, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, West Brom play there.

The reason why Luton are struggling is in part because they don't have a huge budget, but it's also in part to spending £1.3million on a rubbish goalkeeper and signing League One standard players in Ryan Tunnicliffe. They can paint the narrative that they are failing because they have a low budget to make themselves feel better, but they haven't helped themselves with piss poor signings.

I think every year I read and hear the same things about how the gap is too wide, if you come up and plan poorly then you will get relegated, if you come up and have a proper plan in place with a decent manager, then you can survive and then thrive. (Brentford as a case in point).

There certainly was a time where League One was extremely strong (2007-2010) where you had Norwich, Leeds, Charlton, Huddersfield, Southampton, Millwall and Swindon, many of the players in those teams are now internationals with even some winning the league.

Adam Lallana, Fabien Delph, Charlie Austin, Rickie Lambert, Morgan Schnerderlian, Jonny Howson, Grant Holt, Jordan Rhodes, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jonjo Shelvey, Steve Morison, Andros Townsend, Charlie Austin, Robert Snodgrass, Jose Fonte, just to name a few were playing in League One those seasons.

We came up in 2015 meh. I don't know where 13 years ago came from.

 

[Craig]

We smashed our way back up here last season with a squad that was easily relegated the season before. Pretty accurate yard stick I reckon.

 

[oakroader]

last season and the one before,we had character and like the "MEAN MACHINE " a bit of an edge aka hylton...which encouraged a never say die attitude and pulled out the best in everyone...now theres nothing..we need resuscitating and quick ...

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Didn't you come up like 13 years ago?
Since then, Leeds, Wolves, Southampton, Norwich, Leicester, Huddersfield, Nottingham Forest, Millwall, Swansea, Charlton, Brentford, Blackburn Rovers, Bournemouth, Brighton and Sheffield Wednesday have all come up from League One with some of them spending a couple of years in the Premiership.

Burton Albion came up and lasted two seasons!

I don't buy into this narrative either that the Premiership is a closed shop, Burnley, Bournemouth, Watford, Sheffield United and Brighton are currently playing in there, and in recent seasons we have seen Huddersfield, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, West Brom play there.

The reason why Luton are struggling is in part because they don't have a huge budget, but it's also in part to spending £1.3million on a rubbish goalkeeper and signing League One standard players in Ryan Tunnicliffe. They can paint the narrative that they are failing because they have a low budget to make themselves feel better, but they haven't helped themselves with piss poor signings.

I think every year I read and hear the same things about how the gap is too wide, if you come up and plan poorly then you will get relegated, if you come up and have a proper plan in place with a decent manager, then you can survive and then thrive. (Brentford as a case in point).

There certainly was a time where League One was extremely strong (2007-2010) where you had Norwich, Leeds, Charlton, Huddersfield, Southampton, Millwall and Swindon, many of the players in those teams are now internationals with even some winning the league.

Adam Lallana, Fabien Delph, Charlie Austin, Rickie Lambert, Morgan Schnerderlian, Jonny Howson, Grant Holt, Jordan Rhodes, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jonjo Shelvey, Steve Morison, Andros Townsend, Charlie Austin, Robert Snodgrass, Jose Fonte, just to name a few were playing in League One those seasons.

We’ve made piss poor signings in large part because of our poor budget though?! Bit circular logic there!

We could have done slightly better I think (not signing the useless Tunnicliffe for a start would be addition by subtraction!) but not by all that much I’d imagine.

 

[BelizeHatter]

We knew we were a small fish coming into a big pond with big teeth everywhere. Our spirit could have and could still keep us up. But we need to find it and find it fast and as has been said, from the outside, Jones seems pragmatic and thoughtful, not rallying and in scrapping the trenches inmpeoples faces. We need fighters and leaders.

We were ok up until getting smashed by Brentford. That took our wind and since then our heart has gone on and off the pitch. We need to find it or step back. Its not budgets and im sick of hearing it out of Jones mouth. We knew all along where we stood. Knuckle down.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

We knew we were a small fish coming into a big pond with big teeth everywhere. Our spirit could have and could still keep us up. But we need to find it and find it fast and as has been said, from the outside, Jones seems pragmatic and thoughtful, not rallying and in scrapping the trenches inmpeoples faces. We need fighters and leaders.

We were ok up until getting smashed by Brentford. That took our wind and since then our heart has gone on and off the pitch. We need to find it or step back. Its not budgets and im sick of hearing it out of Jones mouth. We knew all along where we stood. Knuckle down.

I’ve seen a lot of people saying we lack things like “fight” and I really disagree about our fight and spirit being gone I have to say Belize.

Its clearly been there in my view even after the Brentford game. You don’t even have to look back that far to find it, just look at Boxing Day, they worked there bollocks off that day to almost win the game and probably should have done. It’s definitely still there. The fact is you can have all the fight and spirit in the world, if you don’t have the quality to go with it then it will only help you so much.

Fact is we have poor players in some key positions and it’s hurting us massively - but I can’t question they are trying.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Indivudually. But as a team? I bow to your better knowledge as youre there, im just watching on tv thousands of miles away. Mental strength perhaps more what i meant

 

[meh]

We came up in 2015 meh. I don't know where 13 years ago came from.

I didn't realise that you had a brief spell in League One for a year recently, I just remember you coming up and signing Marvin Elliot from us all those years ago.

We’ve made piss poor signings in large part because of our poor budget though?! Bit circular logic there!

We could have done slightly better I think (not signing the useless Tunnicliffe for a start would be addition by subtraction!) but not by all that much I’d imagine.

Not really poor logic, we spent less than you when we got promoted and made astute signings (George Saville for £400k or whatever it was) and ended up selling him for £8million. We signed two goalkeepers on a free transfer this season who look miles better than the error prone one you have.

Many teams have come up relying on free transfers or loans to get by, when we came up 2 years ago we spent about £500k maybe on Jed Wallce and George Saville (undisclosed fees so hard to say the true amount) and ended up 9th.

last summer was the first time we spent £1million on a player.

Sheffield United also had a squad mainly made up with free transfers and ended up getting promoted within 2 seasons.

The Luton fans continually bleat on about it as if they didn't stand a chance of survival this year because they don't have the same backing as other clubs in the division, while ignoring the fact that they spent £1.3million on a goalkeeper.......

They seem to have spent more money than most promoted sides in by gone eras!!

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Indivudually. But as a team? I bow to your better knowledge as youre there, im just watching on tv thousands of miles away. Mental strength perhaps more what i meant

It is a legitimate view at the moment but im not seeing it myself...yet in any case. There are plenty of problems, as far as i can see they are still figthing hard but we are lacking players of any quality at some key positions (fullback, defensive midfield and without Brown attacking midfield) which is the main issue. With the run of form we are on and with the late goals conceded in recent games that might begin to turn though.

I didn't realise that you had a brief spell in League One for a year recently, I just remember you coming up and signing Marvin Elliot from us all those years ago.



Not really poor logic, we spent less than you when we got promoted and made astute signings (George Saville for £400k or whatever it was) and ended up selling him for £8million. We signed two goalkeepers on a free transfer this season who look miles better than the error prone one you have.

Many teams have come up relying on free transfers or loans to get by, when we came up 2 years ago we spent about £500k maybe on Jed Wallce and George Saville (undisclosed fees so hard to say the true amount) and ended up 9th.

last summer was the first time we spent £1million on a player.

Sheffield United also had a squad mainly made up with free transfers and ended up getting promoted within 2 seasons.

The Luton fans continually bleat on about it as if they didn't stand a chance of survival this year because they don't have the same backing as other clubs in the division, while ignoring the fact that they spent £1.3million on a goalkeeper.......

They seem to have spent more money than most promoted sides in by gone eras!!

It absolutely was by definition by how you put it forward! But now you have expanded. Our issues with budget relate mainly to wages rather than up front fees (although the 1.3 million is thrown around, we didnt spend 1.3 million straight up on Sluga, its over a few years I am lead to believe and it is literally our only paid for transfer so far this season - looking at wikipedia it looks like you made 2 more paid signings the season you got promoted for a total of 4. So with your figures as outlined, probably around what we have spent on actual fees just across more players. Same goes for your point on Sheffield United who look to have paid transfer fees for 8 players including the likes of Lundstram and Baldock who were highly sought after and 750k on Lee Evans so your point on us having spent more than them that season doesnt seem particularly credible to me).

We lost out on a number of players who we had tried to bring in as wages were a major stumbling block and even lost out to teams in the Leagues below on a number of the primary ones. Left us getting scraps at the last minute, notably Bree and Bolton who have now been thrust into key roles.

We also had a major issue in that our main scout was actually taking the first team for the most part of the season prior. Jones was ostensibly in charge of the recruitment although i am doubtful as to how involved he actually was as he wasn't even announced as being at the club until after the end of the season.

The wider point though - that we managed the summer comings and goings poorly - is probably an accurate one though.

 

[Millwall_Matt]

On a wider note, how did the Luton fans get such a bad rep last year in the league one forums on this board? Those who frequent the championship forums all seem perfectly reasonably, eloquent and almost normal.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

On a wider note, how did the Luton fans get such a bad rep last year in the league one forums on this board? Those who frequent the championship forums all seem perfectly reasonably, eloquent and almost normal.

To be fair we pissed that tinpot league last season - getting beat every week tends to make you more humble!

 

[Bartonyellow]

If Huddersfield beat Stoke on ny day it will be a 11 point gap. If the bottom 3 lose also they are all looking hopelessly cut adrift.

 

[SMH]

On a wider note, how did the Luton fans get such a bad rep last year in the league one forums on this board? Those who frequent the championship forums all seem perfectly reasonably, eloquent and almost normal.

The L1 forum is full of weirdos from my experience. They took it as a personal insult whenever we were down there. Probably because we kept battering all of them and exclusively reserved a promotion spot in August. As we’ll do once again next season.

 

[oakroader]

Need a complete clear out....
The back room and training crew have lost the plot...yet another defensive cock up...
Abandon ship....abandon ship.... women and children first...we’re sinking....

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Indivudually. But as a team? I bow to your better knowledge as youre there, im just watching on tv thousands of miles away. Mental strength perhaps more what i meant

You’re right judging from today - fights now fully gone and we know 100% were going down.

Think the last minute conceding against Fulham has finally broken them as since then we have just gone from struggling to just downright awful. We’re clearly a below average league 1 side competing above our abilities now.

We’ve no plan anymore than to give it LuaLua or knock into a channel for Cornick to chase. Defensively it remains a shambles - the fullback area is a downright disaster zone. Keep going on about but what on earth was the plan there.

The bleating about struggling to bring in players this month doesn’t wash with me either. They’ve clearly mismanaged both transfer windows and in the desperation to bring in players with the much vaunted “championship experience” have priced themselves out of the market on most of there targets leaving them scrambling and with shite like James Bree, Tunnicliffe et al. With Bree we should have asked Birmingham City to take him back up there on the way back today - he clearly doesn’t give a fuck about being here in my view

 

[Kenneth E End]

Yesterday has to go down as one of the most gutless performances I’ve seen in a long time, especially first half. You can blame lack of ability, but you can’t train lack of effort, lack of discipline and lack of graft.

I think maybe Pelly, LuaLua, Collins can come out of yesterday’s game with break even credit. The rest can quite frankly foxtrot Oscar is that is what they’re putting in on a Saturday afternoon.

I hate the sacking manager mentality in this country and I certainly don’t want our club to go down the same route - perhaps Jones is just unlucky that he’s come into a club with such low resources comparable to the rest of the division, but you can make this up with hard work a la Accrington and Wycombe. For this reason, Jones needs to be sacked.

 

[oakroader]

In any other world the consequence of not being good at your job results in getting the sack...there’s no room for sentiments in football...he’ll get another job somewhere else...mick Hartford stand up to the plate...again!!!!
Cmon sweety....

 

[oakroader]

54 points still available fellow Lutoners...
Yep...ok....I’ll fuck off ....

 

[djs]

Automatic promotion looks out of reach already, and even the play-offs is now looking unlikely. Mid table mediocrity it will have to be then.
Bummer.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Could be worse if Sheff Weds get deducted enougn points to follow........

 

[oakroader]

Thank you notts florist...

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Only 3 points off 21st now with games against Barnsley, Huddersfield and Hull to come. Certainly interesting!

Our GD may come into play I fear.

 

[oakroader]

If we can do it....and twatford come down....
Carlsberg anybody???

 

[Indian Dan]

If we can do it....and twatford come down....
Carlsberg anybody???

Only if it’s Watford AND Bournemouth

 

[Fedora Dale]

If we can do it....and twatford come down....
Carlsberg anybody???

Wouldn't normally give two hoots about Watford, but on the off-chance that the terms of Craig Dawson's transfer from WBA include a "staying up" bonus of which we'll get a percentage, they can stay up!

 

[Indian Dan]

They looked proper shite today

 

[oakroader]

Get in....Harry cornick genius

 

[Kenneth E End]

Absolute scenes. This is daylight robbery at the moment.

 

[oakroader]

5 4 1.....shut the shop,park the bus ,circle the wagons, don’t concede again ffs....