1987–88 Luton Town F.C. season

Background

1982–83 saw Luton Town back in the First Division under David Pleat, making a final day escape from relegation at Maine Road through Raddy Antić. Youth team manager and former player John Moore was promoted to manager, and former Fulham boss Ray Harford was brought in as his assistant. Due to the club's infamous ban on visiting supporters, 1986–87 saw Luton excluded from the Football League Cup.

Review

July–September

The promotion of Ray Harford to manager ensured a sense of continuity was maintained at Kenilworth Road, as Harford had been assistant to John Moore the previous season. Danny Wilson arrived from Brighton & Hove Albion during July in a £150,000 deal, as the club looked to build on their seventh-place finish the year before.

Luton made a dismal start to the First Division season, not winning their first game of the campaign until the sixth time of asking with a 5–2 victory over Oxford United at the Manor Ground. A second victory followed the next week, as Luton beat Everton 2–1. Meanwhile, Harford continued to dabble in the transfer market – Scottish winger Mickey Weir arrived from Hibernian for £230,000, while Robert Wilson and Stacey North were sold to Fulham and West Bromwich Albion respectively. Days after the Weir transfer, Mike Newell was sold to Leicester City - perhaps a surprising move as Newell had been Luton's top scorer the previous season and even scored a hat-trick against defending double winners Liverpool. Two league defeats followed, at Charlton Athletic and Queens Park Rangers – but in between there was a winning start in the League Cup as Luton beat Wigan Athletic 1–0 at Springfield Park, courtesy of a goal from new signing Weir.

October–December

A Mick Harford goal was enough to secure a 1–1 draw against Manchester United at Kenilworth Road, and Harford bagged a hat-trick three days later as Luton trounced Wigan 4–2 in the second leg of the League Cup fixture. Harford scored a penalty at Fratton Park on the 10th, but it wasn't enough to prevent a 3–1 victory for Portsmouth. Ian Allinson signed from Stoke City for £10,000, and made his debut a week later as Luton beat Wimbledon 2–0.

The impact of a 1–0 home defeat to Liverpool was softened by subsequent success in the League Cup, as Coventry were routed 3–1 at Leicester City's Filbert Street. Three comfortable league victories followed, Luton keeping a clean sheet in every one, and the League Cup run continued with a 1–0 win at Ipswich. Defeat at Norwich City was followed by the derby match at Watford – Steve Foster's goal gave Luton a 1–0 victory. A draw and a loss followed, before Luton rounded off the calendar year with a 1–0 home win over Charlton.

January–March

New Year's Day saw a 3–0 home win over Chelsea – indeed, Luton went through the month unbeaten. The start of the club's FA Cup run saw victory at Hartlepool, while a draw and a victory in the league kept Luton comfortably in mid-table. The League Cup success continued, as Bradford City were beaten 2–0 at Kenilworth Road.

Oxford United then visited Kenilworth Road for one of the more remarkable fixtures of the year – Luton beat Oxford 7–4, as Mark Stein scored a hat-trick. Luton travelled to Oxford four days later for the League Cup semi-final first leg, and came out of the match with a 1–1 draw. Arsenal beat Luton 2–1 at Highbury, before Mickey Weir, who had just signed from Hibernian months before, returned to Hibernian on the 14th in a £200,000 move.

Luton achieved victory over Everton in the Full Members' Cup, and it then took a replay to knock Queens Park Rangers out of the FA Cup. The second leg in the League Cup against Oxford saw Luton run out 2–0 victors, with a place in the final against Arsenal as their prize.

No English league team had yet won more than one domestic cup competition in the same season, but Luton were now in serious contention to win three domestic cups in the same season.

March saw Luton win two successive matches in the Full Members' Cup, but also lose twice in a row in the league. The end of the month saw the Full Members' Cup final against Second Division Reading – Luton were defeated 4–1 at Wembley Stadium. Consolation was taken from a 4–1 victory over Portsmouth two days later. This left them with two cups to play for.

April–June

Luton lost the FA Cup semi-final 2–1 to Wimbledon, and Luton only won once in the league during April.

The League Cup Final against Arsenal came on the 24th, and Luton took an early lead through Brian Stein. Luton were overhauled by the opposition during the second half, and trailed 1–2 before a penalty was awarded to Arsenal with ten minutes left. Andy Dibble, a young goalkeeper standing in for the more experienced Les Sealey, saved Nigel Winterburn's shot, and the Luton team rallied to equalise soon after through Danny Wilson. Stein scored the winner with the last kick of the game to bring the first ever piece of major silverware to Luton.

Following the League Cup victory, Luton drew at Norwich before beating Watford 2–1 at home to complete a double over their rivals. Tottenham Hotspur beat Luton 2–1 at White Hart Lane, before Luton finished the season with four consecutive 1–1 draws with Southampton, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest (twice). Luton achieved a ninth-place finish, to go with their cup achievements – an FA Cup semi-final place, a League Cup victory, and a Full Members' Cup final.

At the end of the season, long-serving striker Brian Stein left for French club SM Caen on a free transfer, while Emeka Nwajiobi retired due to injury. Defender John Dreyer signed from Oxford United on 27 June for £140,000.

League table

Main article: 1987–88 Football League#First Division

Match results

Luton Town results given first.

Legend

[[Football League First Division]]

Main article: 1987–88 Football League#First Division

[[FA Cup]]

Main article: 1987–88 FA Cup

[[Football League Cup]]

Main article: 1987–88 Football League Cup

[[Full Members' Cup]]

Main article: 1987–88 Full Members' Cup

Player details

:Players arranged in order of starts (in all competitions), with the greater number of substitute appearances taking precedence in case of an equal number of started matches.{{cite book

Transfers

In

Out

Loans out

Footnotes

:A. The FA Cup semi-final against Wimbledon on 9 April 1988 was played at White Hart Lane, home of Tottenham Hotspur. :B. The Football League Cup Third Round match against Coventry City on 27 October 1987 was drawn as a home game for Luton, but was played at Filbert Street, home of Leicester City. :C. The Full Members' Cup and Football League Cup Finals, played on 27 March and 24 April 1988 respectively, were both played at Wembley Stadium. :D. The Full Members' Cup semi-final match against Swindon Town on 8 March 1988 was drawn at 1–1 after 90 minutes, and finished 2–1 after extra time. :E. The £230,000 fee that brought Mickey Weir to Luton Town from Hibernian was set by a tribunal.

References

;General

• Player and match statistics sourced from: {{cite book
• Match statistics sourced from: {{cite web |access-date = 21 May 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120216061914/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/1987-1988/results |archive-date = 16 February 2012 |url-status = live ;Specific

References

1. "Football Club History Database – Luton Town". Richard Rundle.
2. "David Pleat's managerial career". Soccerbase.
3. "John Moore's managerial career". Soccerbase.
4. (May 2022). "Danny Wilson". Sporting Heroes.
5. "Luton Town Transfers 1987–88". Soccerbase.
6. "Brian Stein". Soccerbase.
7. "Emeka Nwajiobi". Luton Town F.C..