Luton Town - a look ahead

Form (last six): W-L-L-W-W-W

2002/03 Finish: Second Division: 9^th

FA Cup: Second Round

League Cup: Second Round

2002/03 Top Goal scorer: Steve Howard – 23

2002/03 Discipline: 90 yellow, 6 red

And the winner is...

Since Joe Kinnear and his assistant, Mick Harford, were controversially sacked by a non too popular board of directors back in May, then it was decided by the board that the his replacement would be elected in a ‘pop idol’ style phone vote with the winner being selected from a selection of nominees.

And it was Mike Newell who won the phone vote – by a mere four (!?!?) votes, after gaining back from non-season ticket holders, board of directors and the club’s shareholders. Newell, in his playing days, enjoyed a two-year spell with Hatters between 1985 and 1987, in which he made 63 appearances for the club scoring 18 goals. However, in his short managerial career Mike Newell lead his 2002/03 Hartlepool to promotion into the Second Division after coming runners-up Third Division. But Newell left the club after discovering that his contract was not going to be renewed with the club.

It appears that the 38-year-old’s time at the club so far has been a happy one as the Hatters lie 7^th in the table following wins against Rushden & Diamonds, Stockport County and Hartlepool United, whereas in contrast, Luton have suffered respective 2-1 and 2-0 at the hands of Grimsby Town and Brighton. With nine points from five games it looks as though the Magpies will have a task on their hands as they go in search of their first three-points of the campaign when they play host to the Hatters.

A man who is greatly responsible for the Hatter’s current league position is the Hatter’s skipper, Kevin Nicholls. The former England under-20 international has proved to be a driving force from midfield since his signing from Wigan Athletic. Perhaps his greatest moment in a Luton shirt, came when he lead the Hatters to promotion from the Third Division after sealing the deal against Swansea City. The former Charlton trainee has lead Luton Town into battle on 86 occasions scoring 12 goals – mainly from the spot.

***Star Player*** - Steve Howard

Steve Howard - a proven goalscorer

The 27-year-old striker was branded irreplaceable by former manager Joe Kinnear, who regards Luton Town as “not the same” without the winner of the Third Division’s golden boot with 24 goal contribution to the Hatter’s promotion push of the 2001/02 campaign.

And then when Luton stepped up a division the big man proved to out perform once again when he notched up 23 goals during the 2002/03 season which saw the Hatters finish 9^th. The powerful, combative striker has proved to the club just how an effective of a striker he has become once again when already he has managed three league goals from just 5 appearances this term.

The man who Joe Kinnear revealed as his first signing at Luton in a £50,000 cut-price deal has had his critics during his time at Kenilworth Road with a very small section of the Luton crowd booing Howard whenever he came into contact with the ball after Kinnear had threatened to discipline the player following him going through a rough patch when he failed to score for a short stint during the 2001-02 season. However, Steve Howard proved himself as a fighter when he won back the hearts of the Luton faithful when, after being destined for the exit, he went on of the best scoring runs that a Luton player had produced. It is this attitude that earned the striker 13 yellow and 1 straight red card during the 2002/03 campaign.