Luton Town

Luton plead not guilty to charges
Luton Town have pleaded not guilty to Football Association charges alleging breach of regulations regarding payments to agents. Last month the League One club was charged with allegedly breaking FA rules over payments made to agents and giving the FA misleading information. A short statement on the club website said its administrators had submitted the plea after taking legal advice. Luton had 10 points docked after going into administration on 22 November. The penalty left the club bottom of the League One table. The full charges are as follows: * Luton Town have 17 charges, relating to payments to agents for nine specific player negotiations which were allegedly made through Jayten, rather than through the club as required by FA rules. * The Hatters have also been charged with provision of misleading information to the FA, not holding representation contracts with the relevant agents for the above negotiations, and dealing with two unlicensed agents (both through Jayten and directly). * Former chairman Bill Tomlins has been handed 15 charges. It is alleged that he was directly involved in 19 of the rule breaches listed above (except negotiations with two unlicensed agents which were not conducted through Jayten). * Former finance director Derek Peter is alleged to have approved payments made by Jayten in relation to the nine player negotiations. * Current directors John Mitchell and Richard Bagehot are charged with failing to report the alleged rule breaches to the FA when they became aware of them. * Licensed players' agents Sky Andrew, Mike Berry, Mark Curtis, Stephen Denos, David Manasseh and Andrew Mills are each charged with failing to ensure that payments to them were made and disclosed through the proper channels, and failing to enter into representation contracts with the club for specific services rendered in relation to above negotiations.

Luton Town have 'a dozen' suitors
Luton Town's joint administrator Brendan Guilfoyle has said that there are "over a dozen" parties interested in buying the League One strugglers. "I'm encouraged by the number of parties who have expressed an interest," Guilfoyle said. "Over a dozen people have requested the sales pack and signed non-disclosure agreements. We will see how it goes." Prospective buyers have until 31 December to sign such agreements, with the final bid deadline on 3 January. The Hatters were put into administration on 22 November, and having been deducted 10 points as per Football League rules, are bottom of League One going into the weekend's fixtures.

'Frivolous' appeal costs Hatters
Luton Town skipper Chris Coyne is sitting out an increased suspension over the New Year, after his appeal against a sending-off was rejected. Coyne saw red after he was adjudged to have denied a goalscoring opportunity against Bristol Rovers on Boxing Day. The Football Association not only turned down the appeal, but handed him an additional one-match ban on the grounds that the claim was "frivolous". He missed the win at Port Vale and now sits out Tuesday's game with Yeovil. "We are extremely disappointed about the decision by the FA," boss Kevin Blackwell told Luton's website. "It's nothing short of a disgrace."

Luton extend deadline for offers
Luton Town's administrators have extended the deadline for offers to buy the League One club until Monday, 7 January at 1700 GMT. The previous deadline for prospective buyers had been 3 January. The Hatters were put into administration on 22 November, earning them a 10-point deduction. Joint administrator Brendan Guilfoyle had announced in mid-December that there were "over a dozen" parties interested in buying the Hatters. Under the previously announced timetable, creditors will be advised of the preferred bidder's offer by 14 January. A creditors' meeting to approve any offer would follow in February, with the sale completed in March.

Luton star Morgan set for Leeds
Luton forward Dean Morgan has said that he expects to complete a move to League One rivals Leeds on Monday. Morgan has been on loan at Southend since November - and scored twice in his final game for them on Saturday as they beat Dagenham & Redbridge 3-2. "Leeds have agreed a fee with Luton and I should be agreeing personal terms on Monday," the 24-year-old told Southend's website. "They are a massive club and this is a massive opportunity for me." He failed to find the net in eight league appearances for Southend, but was pleased to score twice in his last game and help the Shrimpers through to the fourth round of the FA Cup. "To be honest, I should have performed better in the games that I played in, so to sign off with two goals was good," he added. Also on Monday, the deadline for interested parties to submit offers for cash-strapped Luton to their administrators expires at 1700 GMT.

TV presenter plots Luton rescue
Television presenter and lifelong Luton fan Nick Owen is fronting a bid to buy the troubled League One club. His consortium, funded by local and overseas businessmen, expect a decision from the administrator on Wednesday. "I cannot wait for us to get the go-ahead - I'm very hopeful," Owen told SSB. Administrator Brendan Guilfoyle says "more than one" bid has been received and that they hope for exclusive talks with the winning bidder within a week. "We have more than one bid which is obviously good news," said Guilfoyle, who imposed a deadline of 1700 GMT on Monday for all interested parties to lodge formal offers. "We are now in the process of getting one bid to the stage of being the preferred bidder and then entering exclusive negotiations. "The price of that is for one party to start funding the club straight away. "We are asking for that to test their commitment." Luton entered administration on 22 November and were deducted 10 points accordingly. Owen confirmed that his consortium's bid is backed by the three principal supporters' groups, including the supporters' trust. "It is a great lift to know they are right behind us," said the 60-year-old presenter of the BBC's Midlands Today. "The people in the consortium are all lifelong Luton fans. "These guys have worked so hard over a few weeks now to put together a very impressive application - 64 pages of it. They are big Luton fans and have pulled together some very successful businessmen who are Luton fans. "It blew my mind away when I read the application" Some of the investment is being provided by former Luton youth player Mick Pattinson who is now president and chief executive of US housebuilder Barratt American. He is joined by other long standing season-ticket holders and two unnamed former players who now have successful business interests. "They're coming in because they want to see this club survive," said Owen, who added that former England manager Graham Taylor was acting as a football advisor to one other group which, he claimed, has not made a bid. "I'm very positive that we could well be the only credible bid," said Owen. Guilfoyle admitted last week that the club would be forced to sell players if funding was not made available instantly. Chairman David Pinkney had agreed to fund the losses of the club out of his own pocket but that deal expired at the end of the year, potentially leaving Guilfoyle with no option. But such a scenario could yet be avoided if a bidder agrees to invest enough, and hopes are high following Sunday's morale-boosting FA Cup draw with Liverpool. "I sense the need to get there as early as we can and I am hopeful that within the next week we can get to that stage," said Guilfoyle. "It is important at this stage to respect the confidentiality of the parties. "They have shown us that they have the money but now we need them to open their wallets. "The players are getting paid now for the first two weeks of January which they deserve after their recent results."

Harford named stand-in Luton boss
Mick Harford has been named Luton manager for the rest of the season, after Kevin Blackwell was sacked by the club's administrators. Harford, who scored 93 goals in 217 appearances in two spells at the club, will be assisted by QPR and Portsmouth defender Warren Neill. "I look forward to working with Mick and Warren," said Luton's administrator Brendan Guilfoyle. "Their appointment is another positive development for the football club." Blackwell was sacked on Wednesday less than 24 hours after Luton's FA Cup third-round replay against Liverpool, and the day after a consortium led by television presenter Nick Owen secured a deal to buy the club. He had already stated his intention to step down next month as he was unhappy at the way the administrators had sold players without informing him, and said news of his sacking did not come as a surprise. "I said after the game against Liverpool I didn't know what the future held because no-one was speaking and letting us know what was going on," he told SSB. "That was a major bone of contention for the last couple of months. "You just have to get on dust yourself down and start all over again and that's exactly what I will do."

Bell keen on permanent Foxes deal
David Bell is eager to seal a permanent move to Leicester City in the summer. The Luton midfielder has joined the Foxes on loan until the end of the season and told SSB he "hoped" to extend the deal. Bell, 24, made his debut in Saturday's vital win over Scunthorpe and said the experience left him hungry for more. "It's a brilliant opportunity for me to be at a club as big as Leicester, I'm just hoping to do as well as I can and get Leicester up that league," he said. "Playing at the Walkers Stadium in front of such a big crowd was superb and I'm delighted."

Luton Town fail in points appeal
Luton Town have lost their appeal against a 10-point penalty for financial irregularities. Luton, who were also deducted 20 points after failing to satisfy the Football League's insolvency rules, will begin life in League Two on minus 30 points. The Football Association has now ruled the club's 10-point deduction and £50,000 fine for making irregular payments to agents stands. The Hatters were relegated from League One last season. "I am absolutely shattered by the decision, as we all are in the 2020 consortium," prospective chairman Nick Owen told BBC Sport. "But it will not detract from our determination to save our football club and drive us back up the league. "It will take a lot to avoid relegation, but that is our aim, despite the obstacles thrown at us by the League and FA." Luton were hit with the 10 point deduction in June after the FA found the club guilty of paying agents via a third party, but not of paying bungs. The club argued that the old owners were responsible and that the club should not now be punished for their mistakes, but at a hearing in London on Tuesday the FA rejected their appeal. An FA statement said: "The FA Regulatory Commission's responsibility was to decide the appropriate punishment for Luton's admitted breaches of the FA's own rules and regulations. "The deduction of 10 points was a heavy sanction, as it was intended to be, but was not excessive as a reflection of the seriousness of the breaches and the need to deter such conduct within football clubs."

Brill warned to fight for place
Luton Town manager Mick Harford says goalkeeper Dean Brill will have to fight for his place back. On-loan Conrad Logan was preferred for Saturday's 3-1 win over Aldershot, and Harford says it was time for a change. "We just thought we would freshen it up a bit after last week's defeat at Macclesfield when it was a bit flat," Harford told Three Counties Radio. "Conrad is a good goalkeeper, and he and Dean will have to fight it out for that position." And Harford says loan signing Marc Pugh will have an important role to play this season. The Shrewsbury winger made his Hatters debut in Saturday's win over Aldershot, and was substituted after an hour. Harford added: "He is an out and out winger, and he put in some good crosses. But he hasn't played a lot of football this season and he maybe faded a bit. "But I was pleased with him, and I'm sure he can play a big part in our season."

Luton to face Colchester in semis
League Two's bottom side Luton Town have been drawn at home to Colchester in the southern area semi-finals of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. Shrewsbury, fifth in League Two, face the winners of Wednesday's all-League One clash between Brighton and Swindon. In the northern section, League Two leaders Darlington take on struggling Rotherham while Scunthorpe, top of League One, will face Tranmere. All four ties will be played the week commencing 15 December. Northern Section Scunthorpe v Tranmere Rotherham v Darlington Southern Section Luton v Colchester Shrewsbury v Brighton/ Swindon Ties to be played week commencing 15th December

FA to probe Luton crowd trouble
The Football Association has launched an investigation into crowd trouble at the end of Luton's League Two clash against Bradford on Saturday. Missiles were thrown at referee Trevor Kettle after he awarded a late penalty that gave Bradford a 3-3 draw and sent off Luton's Chris Martin. An FA spokesman said: "We are looking into the incident involving the referee at the end of the game." Luton started the season with minus 30 points and are bottom of the league. The draw with Bradford took their points total into positive figures for the first time this season. However, the Hatters will be hoping they do not face a further points penalty for the incident after being deducted 30 points by the Football League before a ball was kicked. They were docked 10 points after being found guilty of misconduct for paying agents via a third party and a further 20 points for failing to satisfy the League's insolvency rules. Any further points deduction would end Luton's hopes of avoiding relegation to the Blue Square Premier, with the club currently 19 points adrift of third-from-bottom Grimsby. It is unclear whether that outcome is likely, although the FA is eager for action to be taken against those individuals involved in the incident. The FA spokesman continued: "Mention of missiles being thrown was brought to our attention in the referee's report. "We will be liaising with the club and the police to try to identify individuals. "We want to see the strongest possible sanctions taken against those people who may have been involved in this incident."

Luton manager in more hot water
Luton manager Mick Harford has been charged with bringing the game into disrepute for his post-match comments following their 3-3 draw with Bradford. He criticised referee Trevor Kettle following his decision to award the Bantams a late penalty, which they scored, in the game on 24 January. Harford also faces improper conduct charges from the Football Association for his actions during the same game. The Hatters face a further charge of failing to control their players.

Hatters chairman expects protest
Luton Town chairman Nick Owen has admitted it is inevitable that supporters will protest when the Hatters appear at Wembley in April. The Hatters, who are bottom of League Two after a 30-point deduction, will face Scunthorpe in the JP Trophy final. Owen told Three Counties Radio: "Feelings over the 30-point deduction still run high. "We will never come to terms with it and it is inevitable that people will demonstrate in some shape or form." Luton overcame Brighton in the Southern Area final after a penalty shoot out. Owen added: "The only people I know in the whole of the game of football who agree with what happened to us seem to be the people who made the decision, and I'm not sure that was unanimous either - in fact I'm pretty sure it wasn't." But the chairman has dedicated the visit to Wembley to the whole town, and all the supporters. "It means so much because it lifts the spirits of the football club and the town as a whole," he added. "We had 8,000 people for the Brighton game, but there are many more Luton supporters across the country and across the world. "I get so many emails from people following our fortunes, and many people have made us their 'second' team because they feel we have been so hard done by." Mark Chapman, from the Luton Town Supporters Club, said it showed that the Hatters were still alive. "We should give a huge vote of thanks to the current board," he said. "Without their hard work and financial input there wouldn't be a Luton Town Football Club. This final is a great reward for them."

Harford blames past Luton regime
Luton boss Mick Harford blamed the previous regime at the club following the Hatters' relegation from the Football League on Easter Monday. Luton's draw with Chesterfield, coupled with a Grimsby win, sealed the fate of the Hatters, who suffered a 30-point deduction at the start of the season. "I said to the players it's 100% not their fault," said Harford. "The past incumbents of this club are to blame. The penalty points were a massive burden we could not overcome." Harford did not find out his side's fate until he got back to dressing room and learnt that Grimsby's 2-0 win at Notts County was enough to confirm their relegation. "I found out at five to five," he said. "I looked at the clock in the dressing room and said to the players 'remember this time. Five to five on 13th April. This is the rebirth of Luton Town Football Club'. "We will go forward, we will kick-on. There are lots of people worse off than Luton Town Football Club. "The benchmark is Doncaster Rovers. They went down a few years ago, came back up, got a new stadium and now they're flying high in the Championship. And that's how we've got to respond." However, Harford admitted it would be difficult to keep Luton's squad together following relegation. "If I was another manager I'd be ringing me up," he said. "We've got some good players. We try and play the right way and I'm sure there will be people knocking on the door for our players. "If a Championship club comes in and offers the right sort of money you can't stand in their way and that's always been the club's policy." Harford praised the attitude of the players, who still secured a trophy this season with a 3-2 win over Scunthorpe at Wembley last week to win the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. "I'm disappointed to be in the Conference and out of League football, but these players are not non-league players," he said. "They are winners. We've got a group of winners. They've won a trophy this season. "There are millions and millions of players who have never won a trophy and this group of players did. "They are winners and deservedly so."

View Full Version: Luton Town