2008–09 season | |||
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Chairman | Nick Owen | ||
Manager | Mick Harford | ||
Football League Two | 24th (relegated) | ||
FA Cup | Second Round | ||
Football League Cup | Second Round | ||
Football League Trophy | Winners | ||
Top goalscorer |
League: Chris Martin (11) All: Chris Martin (13) |
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Highest home attendance | 8,711 vs Brighton & Hove Albion (Football League Trophy, 17 February 2009) | ||
Lowest home attendance | 2,029 vs Brentford (Football League Trophy, 7 October 2008) | ||
Average home league attendance | 5,633 | ||
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The 2008–09 season was the 123rd season in the history of Luton Town Football Club. The team's 24th-place finish in League One in 2007–08 meant the club competed in League Two. The club was docked 30 points at the start of the season; 10 by The Football Association for irregular matters involving player transfers, and 20 by the Football League for breaking rules on exiting administration. As a result, the club finished bottom of the league and was relegated to the Conference Premier. The season was not, however, without success – Luton beat Scunthorpe United 3–2 at Wembley to win the Football League Trophy for the first time.
This article covers the period from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009.
Kevin Blackwell's Luton team had a woeful 2007–08 season, due in no small part to the chaos behind the scenes at the club. Chairman David Pinkney, who had only months before taken over the club promising success, took the club into administration on 22 November 2007, stating he would fund the club's overheads. The club had ten points deducted as punishment. Meanwhile, an FA probe on transfer irregularities dragged on, described by Pinkney as "a storm in a teacup".
On 12 January, Kevin Blackwell and his assistants Sam Ellis and John Carver announced their intention to resign from the club on 9 February. This came after the administrator had sold captain Chris Coyne to Colchester United and midfielder David Edwards to Wolverhampton Wanderers for £350,000 and £675,000 respectively. Blackwell had managed to guide his team to an FA Cup replay against Liverpool at Anfield, which assisted financially, but failed to prevent further sales. On the same day as the replay at Anfield, 15 January, the administrator awarded "preferred bidder" status to Luton Town Football Club 2020, a consortium fronted by broadcaster and Luton Town supporter Nick Owen. 2020 loaned money to the club to keep them operating and, in return, were granted exclusive negotiation rights until the end of February 2008. Blackwell and his assistants were all sacked by the administrator on the same day, following a 5-0 defeat to Liverpool, to be replaced by former player Mick Harford, with Warren Neill installed as his assistant. On 26 February, the 2020 consortium had their bid for the club conditionally accepted by the administrator. This meant that they were now custodians of the club until the end of the season, and that the Football League would have to negotiate terms to return the Golden Share to Luton Town for the 2008-09 campaign.