| 2010–11 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Nick Owen | |||
| Manager | Richard Money (until 28 March 2011) Gary Brabin (from 28 March 2011) | |||
| Conference Premier | 3rd (play-off finalists) | |||
| FA Cup | Second round | |||
| FA Trophy | Semi-final | |||
| Top goalscorer | League:Matthew Barnes-Homer (16) All: Matthew Barnes-Homer (19) | |||
| Highest home attendance | 9,078 vsWrexham (Conference Premier play-off semi-final, 10 May 2011) | |||
| Lowest home attendance | 1,639 vsWelling United (FA Trophy First Round, 12 December 2010) | |||
| Average home league attendance | 5,732 | |||
The2010–11 season was the 125th season in the history ofLuton Town Football Club.
The club finished the season in third place, 21 points behind runaway league winnersCrawley Town and 6 points behind second placedAFC Wimbledon. This meant Luton would contest promotion toThe Football League through the play-offs for the second consecutive year. A 5–1 aggregate win overWrexham in the play-off semi-final set up a final at theCity of Manchester Stadium against AFC Wimbledon. The two clubs drew 0–0 afterextra time to force apenalty shootout, which Luton lost 4–3.
Luton also missed out on the chance of aWembley final and potential silverware, losing toMansfield Town in theFA Trophy semi-finals.
ManagerRichard Money, who had experienced a tempestuous relationship with Luton fans, left the club by mutual consent on 28 March 2011 following a 2–1 loss to relegation-threatenedSouthport. He was replaced by assistant managerGary Brabin.[1][2]
This article covers the period from 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011.
A 30-point deduction imposed upon Luton Town for financial irregularities effectively crippled their chances of escaping relegation fromThe Football League in the2008–09 season.[3] As a result, the club played the next season in a division outside The Football League for the first time in 89 years. Their campaign in theConference Premier ended in dashed hopes – Luton were favourites for promotion at the start of the year and, although the club rarely ventured any lower than the play-off positions for the entire duration of the season, it required a change in management for the club to begin actively challenging for the title.Richard Money replacedMick Harford in October 2009, eventually leading the club on a winning run of games throughout the final third of the season that almost saw them topple ultimate victorsStevenage.[4] In the end, the club had to settle for second place in the league, and faced fifth-placed sideYork City in the play-off semi-final. Luton lost both legs of the semi-final 1–0, consigning them to another year in non-League football.[5]
The end of the previous season had seen Luton sign three players on free transfers;Cambridge United top scorerDanny Crow and teammateDan Gleeson joined, as well asNotts County goalkeeper and former Luton loaneeKevin Pilkington.
Stevenage wingerAndy Drury joined the club on 1 July on a free transfer, after an agreement to sign the player was reached towards the end of May.[6]
Assistant managerGary Brabin confirmed on 2 July thatKenyan strikerTaiwo Atieno had not been retained by the club.[7]
On 6 July, formerOxford United captainAdam Murray joined Luton on a two-year contract after his release.[8]
Home friendlies were arranged againstPremier League teamsLiverpool andNewcastle United, whileScottish Premier League sideKilmarnock were also scheduled to visitKenilworth Road.[9] A friendly game againstMarlow was arranged to mark the 125th anniversary of Luton Town; Marlow being Luton's first ever opponents in the year of the club's formation in 1885.[10] Luton won the game 3–1, and commemorated the occasion by wearing the blue and pink club colours used in 1885.[11]
Three trialists, midfieldersStefan Bailey andCiarán Toner, and Hungarian goalkeeper Matyas Estherhazy, joined Luton for pre-season training. All played in a 5–1 victory over near-neighboursHitchin Town on 15 July.[12]
On 16 July, it was announced that defenderLewis Emanuel had not joined the club for pre-season training and had subsequently been released after four seasons as a Luton player.[13]
Dan Walker andZdeněk Kroča, two further trialists, joined Luton for the latter stages of pre-season. Kroča scored the winning goal in a 1–0 friendly victory over Kilmarnock, while Walker, who had previously been playing forBedford Town, impressed enough to be offered a one-year contract. He signed for the club on 31 July.[14]
Following a second impressive appearance in a 4–1 victory over a Newcastle United XI,Czech defender Kroča signed a one-year contract. His fellow countryman,defensive midfielderPavel Besta, also played in the game. ManagerRichard Money confirmed that he was finalising a deal to sign Besta and, on 6 August, he too signed a one-year contract.[15]
Luton began the season on 14 August with a 2–1 win againstAltrincham. Kroča scored on his competitive debut to give Luton the lead, andMatthew Barnes-Homer grabbed the winner in the 88th minute after Altrincham pulled a goal back midway through the second half.[16]
Barnes-Homer scored a hat-trick in a 3–1 away victory overKettering Town on 17 August. He scored two penalties as Kettering finished the match with nine men.[17] Four days later Luton secured a third consecutive victory overFleetwood Town.[18]
The club's 100% record was ended with a 1–1 home draw against newly promotedNewport County on 24 August in a game that sawKeith Keane sent off late on. However, results elsewhere meant Luton remained top of the table with 10 points from their opening four matches.[19]
On 27 August, it was confirmed that midfielderKevin Nicholls had left the club by "respectful, mutual consent", after volunteering to be released from his contract. He had been recovering from knee surgery, and stated that he did not want to drain the club's resources while not contributing on the pitch.[20] The same day, veteran defenderAlan White left the club by mutual consent. White had not played a game for Luton since December 2009.[21]
Tamworth inflicted Luton's first defeat of the season on 28 August with a 3–1 victory atThe Lamb Ground, and two days later Luton drew 1–1 at home withHayes & Yeading United.[22][23] This result left the club in fourth place in the table at the end of the month, two points behind leadersMansfield Town.
On 31 AugustTom Craddock, Luton's top scorer the previous season, signed forLeague Two sideOxford United for an undisclosed fee.[24]
On 2 September, strikerTaiwo Atieno, who had been released from Luton in July and had subsequently been training with South African championsSupersport United, re-signed for the club on a contract until January 2011.[25]
Grimsby Town inflicted Luton's second defeat of the season on 4 September, leaving the club searching for their first win in four games.[26] This was soon achieved in the next game, with a 2–0 home victory againstCambridge United.[27]
On 15 September, youth team midfielders Taylor Nathaniel and Adam Watkins, who had made their debuts for Luton the previous season, were sent on loan toSouthern Football League Division One Central sidesBarton Rovers andArlesey Town, respectively.[28]
On 17 September, Luton beat league leadersAFC Wimbledon 3–0 with goals fromGeorge Pilkington,Zdeněk Kroča and Matthew Barnes-Homer. Young striker Dan Walker also made his debut for the club.[29] Four days later, Luton came from behind to secure a 2–2 draw with recently relegatedDarlington;Claude Gnakpa andJake Howells scoring the Hatters' goals.[30] Luton faced another trip toNorth East England four days later to faceGateshead, in a game they lost 1–0 and had striker Taiwo Atieno sent off in the first half.[31] Atieno's red card was later rescinded by theFootball Association.
The club signed 21-year-old strikerAmari Morgan-Smith on a free transfer on 28 September.[32] Morgan-Smith was out of contract having previously been released fromIlkeston Town when the club went out of business earlier in September. He scored on his Luton debut the same day as they won 2–0 againstMansfield Town.Danny Crow also scored his first goal for the club in a game that saw Luton miss threepenalties.[33]
Summer signingAdam Murray signed for Mansfield Town on a three-month loan on 1 October, with a view to a permanent transfer on 1 January 2011.[34]
Luton won their first away game since mid-August a day later with a 1–0 victory overBarrow.[35] A 2–1 home loss to league leadersCrawley Town on 5 October left Luton eight points behind them. AnAndy Drury penalty had given Luton the lead midway through the second half, though Crawley hit back in the closing stages to snatch a win, withCraig McAllister eventually scoring the winner two minutes into added time.[36]
An 11-day break without a game ended on 16 October with a 4–2 victory atEastbourne Borough,Danny Crow scoring two goals.[37] Three days later, Luton recorded their biggest win of the season so far with a 6–1 home victory overForest Green Rovers. Crow continued his recent scoring run with two further goals, while Barnes-Homer netted his ninth of the season. The game also saw young striker Dan Walker score his first goal for the club with a 25-yard strike.[38]
On 22 October, strikerKevin Gallen, who had not played for Luton since the beginning of September, signed forLeague Two clubBarnet on loan until 8 January 2011.[39]
Luton's goalscoring continued on 23 October with a 4–0 victory in theFA Cup 4th qualifying round againstConference South sideSt Albans City.Amari Morgan-Smith scored a hat-trick, with Danny Crow scoring once again.[40]
GoalkeeperKevin Pilkington joined his former clubMansfield Town on loan for three months on 28 October.[41]
Luton celebrated their 125th anniversary on 30 October with a 3–1 victory over strugglingBath City. Goals from Danny Crow,George Pilkington and a first Luton goal fromTaiwo Atieno lifted Luton to third in the table, three points behind Crawley Town.[42]
On 5 November, young duo Dan Walker andGodfrey Poku signed contract extensions until June 2012. Youth team defenderAlex Lacey also signed his first professional contract with the club the same day.[43][44]
Luton drew 1–1 withConference North sideCorby Town in the FA Cup first round on 6 November. The result meant the two teams would play a replay atKenilworth Road on 17 November.[45]
York City and formerWales under-21 international midfielderAlex Lawless joined Luton on 8 November. Lawless initially joined on loan, with a permanent transfer taking place in January 2011.[46]
A 1–0 loss toWrexham on 11 November was swiftly followed up two days later with a 1–0 win overAltrincham. This game saw Lawless score his first goal for the club.[47][48]
Barrow strikerJason Walker signed for Luton on 17 November on a similar deal to Alex Lawless – a loan deal until January 2011, in which the transfer would then become permanent.[49] Walker had scored 45 league goals for Barrow over the course of four seasons, including the winning goal in the club'sFA Trophy victory the previous season.
17 November also saw Luton play their FA Cup replay against Corby Town – the game ended in a 4–2 victory to the Hatters, withMatthew Barnes-Homer,Taiwo Atieno andClaude Gnakpa scoring the goals.[50] This win set up a Second Round tie away toLeague One sideCharlton Athletic.
Luton's run of four games in ten days ended in a 5–1 win at home to strugglingHiston on 20 November. Jason Walker scored a debut goal as the club moved to one point behind league leaders Crawley Town in the table.[51]
On 25 November 19-year-old midfielderJake Howells signed a new two-year contract with the club.[52]
The day of the loan transfer deadline, 26 November, saw Luton make two further signings to bolster their squad.Northampton Town defenderCraig Hinton was drafted in on loan until 4 January 2011 as cover for the injuredShane Blackett, while 24-year-oldNewport County wingerCharlie Henry was signed on an initial loan with a permanent transfer arranged for January 2011. Henry had previously been part of the Luton youth set-up as a 15-year-old.[53]
A day later, Luton drew 2–2 with Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup; a team 49 places above them in the league hierarchy. Two goals from midfielderAndy Drury ensured a replay at Kenilworth Road on 9 December.[54]
A top-of-the-table clash againstAFC Wimbledon had to be postponed on 30 November due to a frozen pitch atKingsmeadow.[55]
Thesevere winter weather continued from November, resulting in Luton's next league game againstForest Green Rovers on 4 December also being postponed.[56]
On 8 December, it was announced that defenderFred Murray was to be out of action for up to four weeks due to a hernia operation, adding to the injuries to fellow defenders Shane Blackett and long-term victimAdam Newton.[57][58]
Luton fell to a 3–1 home defeat toCharlton Athletic on 9 December, putting them out of the FA Cup.Zdeněk Kroča opened the scoring in the first half, but goals fromScott Wagstaff,Joe Anyinsah andJohnnie Jackson saw Charlton progress.[59] Injuries continued to mount as it was announcedDanny Crow had injured his ankle andAmari Morgan-Smith had fractured his cheekbone during the game.[60]
AnFA Trophy First Round tie againstWelling United on 12 December finished in a 0–0 draw, with a youthful Luton side having to travel toPark View Road on 14 December for a replay.[61] Luton won the replay 2–1 in a game that resulted in the lowest ever crowd for a competitive match featuring the club; 404 fans were in attendance at Welling, beating the previous low of 469 set atThames on 6 December 1930. Youth team playersCauley Woodrow and Newman Carney made their Luton debuts during the victory.[62]
A midday kick-off againstYork City on 18 December was abandoned after 55 minutes with the score at 0–0 due to heavy snow.[63]
The traditional footballing Christmas period was also hit by the weather; Luton'sBoxing Day game atRushden & Diamonds and home game on 28 December againstTamworth were both postponed due to frozen pitches. This meant the club had not played a single league game since 20 November, leaving them with a total of six games to re-arrange for the New Year.[64][65] This left Luton in fourth place in the table at the end of December, albeit with up to three games more to play than their rivals.
Young striker Dan Walker was sent on a one-month loan to divisional rivalsEastbourne Borough on 31 December.[66]
Luton started 2011 with a 3–0 home win overRushden & Diamonds on New Year's Day.Matthew Barnes-Homer scored his twelfth and thirteenth goals of the season, withClaude Gnakpa adding the final goal in what was the club's first league game in 42 days.[67] Three days later, Gnakpa scored the only goal of the game in a 1–0 away win againstHayes & Yeading United.[68]
The loan transfers ofCharlie Henry,Alex Lawless andJason Walker all became permanent on 4 January, while on-loan defenderCraig Hinton returned to Northampton Town after playing in just two FA Trophy games. MidfielderAdam Murray completed his permanent transfer toMansfield Town the same day.
Luton drew 0–0 withBath City on 8 January, and followed this result up with another goalless draw away to league leadersAFC Wimbledon four days later.[69][70] These two results saw the club move into second place in the league.
Luton progressed into the third round of theFA Trophy with a 4–0 victory overUxbridge on 15 January.Taiwo Atieno and youth team product Adam Watkins scored two goals apiece which set up another home tie againstConference North sideGloucester City in early February. Youth team players Christian Tavernier and Alasan Ann also made their Luton debuts during the game.[71]
On 18 January, Luton signed out-of-contract 34-year-old Ghanaian strikerLloyd Owusu on a deal running until May 2011.[72] Owusu scored on his debut on the same day as Luton secured a comprehensive 5–0 win overYork City. York had goalkeeperMichael Ingham sent off early in the first half, which sawAndy Drury open the scoring from the resulting free-kick. Goals from Claude Gnakpa,Zdeněk Kroča and Taiwo Atieno followed, as York hadJonathan Smith also shown a red card late on.[73]
Injury problems began to mount at the club; winger Charlie Henry, who had yet to play a game for Luton, was ruled out for the rest of the season with a foot ligament problem.Amari Morgan-Smith and Jason Walker suffered ankle and hamstring injuries respectively, defenderDan Gleeson picked up an ankle injury in the game against York City, and long-term defensive absenteesFred Murray,Shane Blackett andAdam Newton were still no closer to full fitness.[74]
On 22 January, Luton drew 2–2 at home withGateshead. Gateshead took a 2–0 lead early in the first half before goals fromDanny Crow and Claude Gnakpa put the clubs back on level footing, though Gateshead played the second half with only 10 men afterBen Clark was sent off.[75]
Three days later, Gnakpa scored his eighth goal of the season as Luton emerged as 1–0 victors in a close game withGrimsby Town.[76] This meant the club ended January in third place in the league having gone through the month unbeaten.
Twenty-year-oldCambridge United wingerRobbie Willmott signed for Luton for £50,000 on an 18-month contract on 28 January.[77]
On 31 January, transfer deadline day, midfielderAndy Drury was bought byChampionship sideIpswich Town for £150,000.[78] Drury had scored 8 goals in his 26 games for Luton. Striker Taiwo Atieno and midfielderPavel Besta were released from the club the same day. Both had found regular first-team places difficult to hold down, making only 17 starts between them.[79] Later that day,Kevin Gallen and youth-team graduate Taylor Nathaniel were also both released.[80] Half an hour before the transfer window shut, Luton confirmed the loan signing of defenderLuke Graham fromKettering Town until the end of the season.[81]
Four goals in the last twenty minutes fromClaude Gnakpa,Alex Lawless and two fromLloyd Owusu secured a 4–0 home victory overDarlington on 1 February.Robbie Willmott andLuke Graham made their debuts as substitutes during the match.[82]
Graham scored the winning goal on his full debut, a 1–0 victory overGloucester City on 4 February, that put Luton into the quarter-final of theFA Trophy.[83]
Luton were defeated for the first time in 11 league games asFleetwood Town beat them 3–1 at Kenilworth Road on 12 February.[84]
On 18 February, with the loan transfer window opened,Cambridge United midfielderPaul Carden signed for Luton on loan until the end of the season. Young striker Dan Walker went in the opposite direction, signing for Cambridge on a one-month loan.[85] The same day, Carden made his debut in a 1–1 draw withNewport County. Luton took the lead in the first-half through Willmott, but were pegged back via a last-minute Newportpenalty.[86]
Luton beatGuiseley 1–0 on 26 February to earn a place in theFA Trophy semi-final,Matthew Barnes-Homer scoring the winner.[87]
On 1 March a goal fromLloyd Owusu gave Luton a 1–0 away win againstForest Green Rovers.[88] Four days later, Luton drew 1–1 at home to in-formKidderminster Harriers.[89] This was then followed up three days later with a 2–0 victory overTamworth.[90]
On 13 March, Luton lost the first leg of the FA Trophy semi-final 1–0 atMansfield Town.[91]
Two days later, Luton drew 0–0 away toCambridge United in the league.[92]
On 19 March, Luton were knocked out of the FA Trophy after a 1–1 draw at home to Mansfield.Alex Lawless andClaude Gnakpa were sent off during the game.[93]
With the league now their priority, Luton secured a 1–0 away win overRushden & Diamonds on 22 March,Robbie Willmott scoring the only goal.[94]
On 25 March, defenderEd Asafu-Adjaye joinedHiston on loan until the end of the season.[95] Later that day, 16-year-old striker Cauley Woodrow, who had made three Luton appearances, was signed byPremier League sideFulham for an undisclosed six-figure fee.[96]
Luton lost 2–1 to relegation-threatenedSouthport on 26 March, producing a result and performance that caused managerRichard Money to apologise to the fans.[97][98]
The result, and run of form that had seen Luton slip to 15 points behind leadersCrawley Town, led to Money being replaced as manager by his assistantGary Brabin on 28 March.[1]
Brabin's first game in charge, on 29 March, ended in a 0–0 home draw againstBarrow.[99]
Luton drew 3–3 withKidderminster Harriers on 2 April in an attacking display of football, marking the first time in over two months, and over the course of 13 games, that the club had scored more than two goals in a match.Robbie Willmott,Claude Gnakpa andJason Walker were on the scoresheet.[100] A third consecutive draw followed on 5 April, the club drawing 2–2 withKettering Town withJake Howells andAmari Morgan-Smith scoring the goals.[101]
Luton claimed their first win underGary Brabin's management with a 6–0 home victory overSouthport.[102] Luton were forced to settle for, at most, a play-off place, as a win for league leadersCrawley Town the same afternoon meant they claimed theConference Premier title with five games left of the season.
Crawley then hosted Luton three days later, resulting in a 1–1 draw.[103] Another draw followed on 16 April, with Luton gaining a point from a 0–0 stalemate atMansfield Town.[104]
Luton lost their first game under Brabin's tenure on 19 April, losing 1–0 away toYork City. This left the club needing just one point from their remaining 3 games to secure a place in the play-offs.[105] This was duly achieved on 23 April, as a dominant 3–0 win over already-relegatedEastbourne Borough cemented their play-off place.[106]
The goals continued to flow, as a 4–0 victory overHiston on 25 April guaranteed Luton would play fourth-placedWrexham in the play-off semi-finals. The game saw goals fromMatthew Barnes-Homer, his 18th and 19th of the season, Amari Morgan-Smith and Claude Gnakpa.[107] Coincidentally, the final league game of the season on 30 April was also against Wrexham, which ended in a 1–1 draw.[108]
The first leg of the play-off semi-final on 5 May was won by Luton in emphatic fashion as they registered a 3–0 away victory against Wrexham. All goals came during a 20-minute barrage in the first half, beginning with a 25-yard strike fromAlex Lawless, then a powerful rising shot into the top-corner fromClaude Gnakpa, finished by an 18-yard half-volley from defenderEd Asafu-Adjaye, his first senior goal for the club.[109]
The club sealed their place in the play-off final with a 2–1 home win in the second leg on 10 May. Wrexham scored first, dominating the opening of the game, with Luton indebted toMark Tyler for not going further behind by saving a penalty. However, Luton hit back with goals fromZdeněk Kroča andJason Walker to register a 5–1 aggregate win.[110]
Luton's opponents for the play-off final at theCity of Manchester Stadium on 21 May wereAFC Wimbledon. A tight game, which saw both clubs hit the post, saw the clubs play a goalless draw intoextra time. No goals in this period led to apenalty shootout, which Wimbledon emerged victorious from with a 4–3 shootout win after penalty misses from Alex Lawless and Jason Walker.[111] This meant Luton would contest a third successive non-League season in2011–12.
Gary Brabin, contracted as manager only until the end of the season, received the full support from the Luton board despite the defeat and, on 27 May, he signed a two-year contract to continue as permanent manager.[112][113]
On 2 June, it was announced that utility playerAdam Newton and strikerLloyd Owusu had been released by the club after not being offered new contracts.[114]
Luton made their first signing of the close season on 6 June, picking upRushden & Diamonds strikerAaron O'Connor on a free transfer.[115]
On 10 June, the club secured goalkeepersMark Tyler andKevin Pilkington to one-year contract extensions.[116]
FormerNorthampton Town defenderDean Beckwith signed for Luton on a free transfer on 14 June.[117]
Luton strikerJason Walker, who had missed a penalty in the shoot-out againstAFC Wimbledon in the previous month, was sold toYork City on 20 June for a fee of £60,000. Walker had indicated that he and his family had found it hard to settle in Bedfordshire, and would prefer a move to the North of England.[118][119]
Later that week, Luton tied defendersShane Blackett and Jonathan O'Donnell to one-year contract extensions.[120][121]
On 30 June, the last day of the season, central defenderZdeněk Kroča signed forScottish Premier League sideKilmarnock on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract.[122]
Luton Town results given first.
| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 July 2010 | Dunstable Town | Away | 2–2 | 756 | Watkins,Patrick | Luton XI[9] |
| 15 July 2010 | Hitchin Town | Away | 5–1 | 878 | Crow,Newton,Drury,Bailey,Gallen | [9] |
| 17 July 2010 | Bedford Town | Away | 1–0 | 845 | Crow | [9] |
| 20 July 2010 | Cambridge City | Away | 1–1 | 309 | Barnes-Homer | [9] |
| 22 July 2010 | Marlow | Away | 3–1 | 252 | Howells,Gallen,Keane | [9] |
| 24 July 2010 | Alfreton Town | Away | 0–3 | 392 | – | [9] |
| 27 July 2010 | Liverpool XI | Home | 3–0 | 2,769 | Barnes-Homer,Crow,Gleeson | [9] |
| 30 July 2010 | Kilmarnock | Home | 1–0 | 1,428 | Kroča | [9] |
| 4 August 2010 | Newcastle United XI | Home | 4–1 | 2,036 | Barnes-Homer (2),Crow,Newton | [9] |
| 5 August 2010 | Brackley Town | Away | 1–1 | – | Craddock | Luton XI[9] |
| 7 August 2010 | Woking | Away | 2–1 | 618 | Gallen,A. Murray | [9] |
| 10 August 2010 | Arlesey Town | Away | 3–1 | 258 | Gnakpa, D. Walker, Watkins | Luton XI Bedfordshire Premier Cup Final[123] |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crawley Town(C, P) | 46 | 31 | 12 | 3 | 93 | 30 | +63 | 105 | Promotion toFootball League Two |
| 2 | AFC Wimbledon(O, P) | 46 | 27 | 9 | 10 | 83 | 47 | +36 | 90 | Qualification for theConference Premier play-offs |
| 3 | Luton Town | 46 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 85 | 37 | +48 | 84 | |
| 4 | Wrexham | 46 | 22 | 15 | 9 | 66 | 49 | +17 | 81 | |
| 5 | Fleetwood Town | 46 | 22 | 12 | 12 | 68 | 42 | +26 | 78 |
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semi-final First Leg | 5 May 2011 | Wrexham | Away | 3–0 | 7,211 | Lawless,Gnakpa,Asafu-Adjaye | [109] |
| Semi-final Second Leg | 10 May 2011 | Wrexham | Home | 2–1 | 9,078 | Kroča,J. Walker | [110] |
| Final | 21 May 2011 | AFC Wimbledon | Neutral | 0–0 | 18,195 | – | Luton lost 4–3 onpens [111] |
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4th Qualifying Round | 23 October 2010 | St Albans City | Home | 4–0 | 4,144 | Morgan-Smith (3),Crow | [40] |
| First round | 6 November 2010 | Corby Town | Away | 1–1 | 2,000 | Barnes-Homer | [45] |
| First round replay | 17 November 2010 | Corby Town | Home | 4–2 | 3,050 | Barnes-Homer,Atieno (2),Gnakpa | [50] |
| Second round | 27 November 2010 | Charlton Athletic | Away | 2–2 | 8,682 | Drury (2) | [54] |
| Second round replay | 9 December 2010 | Charlton Athletic | Home | 1–3 | 5,914 | Kroča | [59] |
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First round | 12 December 2010 | Welling United | Home | 0–0 | 1,639 | – | [61] |
| First round replay | 14 December 2010 | Welling United | Away | 2–1 | 404 | J. Walker,Lawless | [62] |
| Second round | 15 January 2011 | Uxbridge | Home | 4–0 | 1,958 | Atieno (2), Watkins (2) | [71] |
| Third round | 4 February 2011 | Gloucester City | Home | 1–0 | 2,212 | Graham | [83] |
| Quarter-final | 26 February 2011 | Guiseley | Away | 1–0 | 1,152 | Barnes-Homer | [87] |
| Semi-final First Leg | 13 March 2011 | Mansfield Town | Away | 0–1 | 3,208 | – | [91] |
| Semi-final Second Leg | 19 March 2011 | Mansfield Town | Home | 1–1 | 6,133 | Owusu | [93] |
| No. | Pos. | Name | League* | FA Cup | FA Trophy | Total | Discipline | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |  |  | |||
| 1 | GK |  Mark Tyler | 46 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 54 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | Dan Gleeson | 36 (1) | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 (1) | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 3 | DF |  Fred Murray | 28 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | Keith Keane | 42 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 50 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| 5 | DF |  Luke Graham | 6 (4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 10 (4) | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Craig Hinton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | George Pilkington | 48 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 56 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
| 7 | MF |  Adam Newton | 14 (7) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 (7) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | FW | Amari Morgan-Smith | 15 (5) | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 (2) | 0 | 20 (7) | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Matthew Barnes-Homer | 39 (8) | 16 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 47 (8) | 19 | 6 | 0 |
| 10 | FW |  Taiwo Atieno | 6 (7) | 3 | 2 (2) | 2 | 3 | 2 | 11 (9) | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 10 | FW | Tom Craddock | 1 (3) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (3) | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | Andy Drury | 23 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 8 | 4 | 1 |
| 11 | MF | Robbie Willmott | 15 (3) | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 (3) | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | Shane Blackett | 7 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 (1) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 13 | DF |  Zdeněk Kroča | 48 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 55 | 7 | 9 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | Alex Lawless | 18 (5) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 24 (5) | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 14 | MF | Adam Murray | 6 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 (1) | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | Jake Howells | 37 (8) | 3 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 47 (8) | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 16 | DF | Ed Asafu-Adjaye | 6 (2) | 1 | 2 (1) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12 (3) | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | Pavel Besta | 3 (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | Paul Carden | 8 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 (2) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | MF |  Claude Gnakpa | 36 (9) | 14 | 5 | 1 | 3 (1) | 0 | 44 (10) | 15 | 10 | 1 |
| 19 | FW | Danny Crow | 17 (11) | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 (3) | 0 | 21 (14) | 8 | 5 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | Kevin Gallen | 4 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | Charlie Henry | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | FW | Jason Walker | 11 (12) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 (1) | 1 | 16 (13) | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | Alex Lacey | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | MF | Godfrey Poku | 2 (7) | 0 | 0 (4) | 0 | 4 (2) | 0 | 6 (13) | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 26 | DF | Jonathan O'Donnell | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 3 (1) | 0 | 3 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | Taylor Nathaniel | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | Adam Watkins | 0 (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (1) | 2 | 1 (4) | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | FW | Dan Walker | 1 (11) | 1 | 1 (3) | 0 | 2 (1) | 0 | 4 (15) | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | GK | Kevin Pilkington | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | GK | Lewis Kidd | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | FW | Jordan Patrick | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | FW | Cauley Woodrow | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (3) | 0 | 0 (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | FW |  Lloyd Owusu | 13 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 35 | MF | Christian Tavernier | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 36 | DF | Newman Carney | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (2) | 0 | 0 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | MF | Alasan Ann | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | DF | Michael Cain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Name | Nat. | From | To | Record | Honours | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLD | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W% | |||||
| Richard Money | | 30 October 2009 | 28 March 2011 | 48 | 26 | 13 | 9 | 86 | 40 | +46 | 054.2 | – |
| Gary Brabin | | 28 March 2011 | Present | 13 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 25 | 9 | +16 | 038.5 | Play-off finalists |
| Total | 61 | 31 | 20 | 10 | 111 | 49 | +62 | 050.8 | Play-off finalists | |||
| Award | Name | No. | Pos. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luton Town Supporters Club Player of the Year | Mark Tyler | 1 | GK | |
| Players' Player of the Year | George Pilkington | 6 | DF | |
| Young Player of the Year | Jake Howells | 15 | MF | |
| Luton Town F.C. Website Player of the Year | Mark Tyler | 1 | GK | |
| LTSC Junior Members' Player of the Year | Matthew Barnes-Homer | 9 | FW | |
| Goal of the Season | Dan Walker | 29 | FW | [A] |
| Date | Player | From | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2010 | Andy Drury | Stevenage | Free | [6] |
| 6 July 2010 | Adam Murray | Oxford United | Free | [8] |
| 31 July 2010 | Dan Walker | Bedford Town | Free | [14] |
| 5 August 2010 | Zdeněk Kroča | Unattached | [15] | |
| 6 August 2010 | Pavel Besta | Unattached | [15] | |
| 2 September 2010 | Taiwo Atieno | Unattached | [25] | |
| 28 September 2010 | Amari Morgan-Smith | Unattached | [32] | |
| 4 January 2011 | Charlie Henry | Newport County | Undisclosed | [53] |
| 4 January 2011 | Alex Lawless | York City | Undisclosed | [46] |
| 4 January 2011 | Jason Walker | Barrow | Undisclosed | [49] |
| 18 January 2011 | Lloyd Owusu | Unattached | [72] | |
| 28 January 2011 | Robbie Willmott | Cambridge United | £50,000 | [77] |
| 6 June 2011 | Aaron O'Connor | Rushden & Diamonds | Free | [115] |
| 14 June 2011 | Dean Beckwith | Northampton Town | Free | [117] |
| Date | Player | To | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 July 2010 | Taiwo Atieno | Released | [7] | |
| 16 July 2010 | Lewis Emanuel | Released | [13] | |
| 27 August 2010 | Kevin Nicholls | Retired | [20] | |
| 27 August 2010 | Alan White | Stalybridge Celtic[125] | Free | [21] |
| 31 August 2010 | Tom Craddock | Oxford United | Undisclosed | [24] |
| 4 January 2011 | Adam Murray | Mansfield Town | Undisclosed | [34] |
| 31 January 2011 | Taiwo Atieno | Released | [79] | |
| 31 January 2011 | Pavel Besta | Released | [79] | |
| 31 January 2011 | Andy Drury | Ipswich Town | £150,000 | [78] |
| 31 January 2011 | Kevin Gallen | Released | [80] | |
| 31 January 2011 | Taylor Nathaniel | Released | [80] | |
| 26 March 2011 | Cauley Woodrow | Fulham | Undisclosed | [96] |
| 2 June 2011 | Adam Newton | Released | [114] | |
| 2 June 2011 | Lloyd Owusu | Released | [114] | |
| 20 June 2011 | Jason Walker | York City | £60,000 | [118] |
| 30 June 2011 | Zdeněk Kroča | Kilmarnock | Free | [122] |
| Date | Player | From | End date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 November 2010 | Alex Lawless | York City | 4 January 2011 | [46] |
| 17 November 2010 | Jason Walker | Barrow | 4 January 2011 | [49] |
| 26 November 2010 | Charlie Henry | Newport County | 4 January 2011 | [53] |
| 26 November 2010 | Craig Hinton | Northampton Town | 4 January 2011 | [53] |
| 31 January 2011 | Luke Graham | Kettering Town | 31 May 2011 | [81] |
| 18 February 2011 | Paul Carden | Cambridge United | 23 May 2011 | [85] |
| Date | Player | To | End date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 September 2010 | Taylor Nathaniel | Barton Rovers | 15 October 2010 | [28] |
| 15 September 2010 | Adam Watkins | Arlesey Town | 15 October 2010 | [28] |
| 1 October 2010 | Adam Murray | Mansfield Town | 4 January 2011 | [34] |
| 22 October 2010 | Kevin Gallen | Barnet | 8 January 2011 | [39] |
| 28 October 2010 | Kevin Pilkington | Mansfield Town | 28 January 2011 | [41] |
| 6 December 2010 | Adam Watkins | Arlesey Town | 12 January 2011 | [126] |
| 31 December 2010 | Dan Walker | Eastbourne Borough | 31 January 2011 | [66] |
| 18 February 2011 | Dan Walker | Cambridge United | 21 March 2011 | [85] |
| 11 March 2011 | Jonathan O'Donnell | St Albans City | 11 April 2011 | [127] |
| 11 March 2011 | Adam Watkins | Harrow Borough | 11 April 2011 | [127] |
| 25 March 2011 | Ed Asafu-Adjaye | Histon | 20 April 2011 | [95] |
