Luton are f***ed

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

Luton will start next season on an unprecedented minus 30 points after a ruling by the Football League.

 

The Hatters had already been deducted 10 points by the Football Association after being found guilty of misconduct for paying agents via a third party.

 

And the company which will take over the club has now been told it must accept a further 20-point deduction in order to be allowed in the League.

 

The penalty came after Luton failed to satisfy the League's insolvency rules.

 

The combined 30-point deduction is the biggest in Football League history, giving Luton an extraordinarily difficult task in trying to avoid relegation for the third season in a row. Bookmakers have already made them 10-1 on favourites to drop down to the Blue Square Premier League.

 

But the club is appealing against the FA's 10-point deduction for financial irregularities in regard to its dealings with agents, with the case set to be heard next week.

 

The 20-point additional penalty related to the club's inability to agree a Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA) to exit administration, with the Football League pointing out that this is the third time in 10 years that Luton have been in such a position

The Football League board also imposed the condition that Luton Town 2020 (LT2020), the new holding company, must pay any unsecured creditors 16p in the pound and asked it to forego any right of appeal.

 

LT2020 director Stephen Browne said the club was still being punished for the mistakes of the previous regime in charge at Kenilworth Road.

 

"We have tried to do everything openly and honestly and we placed our faith in the footballing authorities," said Browne, whose consortium is still in talks with the administrator.

 

"Obviously the very clear message from both the FA and the Football League is that doing such a thing is a total waste of time.

 

"Once again the faithful supporters are left high and dry and once again a policy of honesty is not recognised at all by the footballing authorities who claim they want to clean up the game."

 

But Football League chairman Brian Mawhinney said the board had little option but to take a strong line with Luton.

 

"The board's primary responsibility is to protect the integrity of their competitions," said Mahwinney

"This often means making difficult decisions which require balancing the interests of fans, the club's creditors and the other teams in the League.

 

"We will continue to take that responsibility very seriously."

 

Browne said that the consortium, fronted by BBC presenter Nick Owen, would not give up despite the points deduction representing a serious setback.

 

"We will continue the fight by sticking to our principles of openness and honesty," he said.

 

"People who should, in theory at least, be protecting supporters will not bring us down.

 

"It's not a laughing matter any more, but even so we will continue to ensure that Luton have a solid and sustainable future, despite what the Football League do to us."

 

 

serves them right for not turning up for that FACR3 game in January 1987

[Billy Dane]

They'd be better off taking demotion to te lower league with no further penalty now. As it stands they are now in linmbo for at least one season, if not two. Not that I can mustermuch sympathy for them, s*** club, s*** town.

[CarraLegend]

After the way they acted last season with their k****ead supporters and the complaining to the media when we wouldnt give them money I'm f***ing delighted. Enjoy the Conference in 09/10 you horrible little t***s.

[Boca]

Regardless of ill feeling towards them because of some incidents between the clubs, this is really not something to be gloating about, is it? It's never good for the game when long established clubs are threatened with extinction surely.

 

 

Also remember who we are owned by now and some of the previous that Hicks, in particular, has when it comes to football.

[Hassony]

Regardless of ill feeling towards them because of some incidents between the clubs, this is really not something to be gloating about, is it? It's never good for the game when long established clubs are threatened with extinction surely.

 

Its all their fault, their board was a dodgy as f*** and they are to blame for this

[Bailo]

Its all their fault, their board was a dodgy as f*** and they are to blame for this

Don't disagree, but as with teams like Leeds (cue 'f*** dirty Leeds') and now this, the supporters didn't do anything wrong. It's them I feel sorry for. Especially as the once laughable thought of us going to s*** is now not that laughable.

Edited July 11, 2008 by DarkBailo

[Boca]

Its all their fault, their board was a dodgy as f*** and they are to blame for this

 

 

Oh agreed, but it was the previous board. I know a section of their fans are knobheads but I'm not sure if I'd like to see a football club obliterated because of the greed and mismanagement of board members that are no longer there.

[CarraLegend]

this is really not something to be gloating about, is it?

 

Err yes?

[Sion]

Err yes?

 

totally.

 

the management might have changed but they've still got the same d****ead fans.

[Gunga Din]

i've no sympathy for them either. horrible club with horrible fans, horrible place too.

[John am Rhein]

this is really not something to be gloating about, is it?

 

Yes it is.

 

Although the real gloating will come when Luton Town FC disappears completely.

 

I'm sure all neutrals will be hoping that Luton go into receivership and disappear from football forever.

[Stevie H]

it would be preferable that luton the place disappear completely. arguably the most depressing place i've ever been.

[John am Rhein]

I'm prepared to compromise and allow the town to survive, provided the football club is anihilated from the page of history.

[Raj]

[RP]

Good. f*** em.

[Guest rednich85]

Good enough for them.

 

Horrible b******s

[Snoeker]

take that, you plastic pitched biatches.

[lfc4eva99]

You have to wonder though, if this happened with a Chelsea or a United, what would the likely penalty be?

Edited July 16, 2008 by lfc4eva99

[Hassony]

You have to wonder though, if this happened with a Chelsea or a United, what would the likely penalty be?

 

As both these clubs don't play in the championship the rules might have been different, but if they were in the championship I would guess the penalty would be the same, Look at Leeds last season, they are a bigger club than Chelsea and still had the points deductions

[Gomez]

As both these clubs don't play in the championship the rules might have been different, but if they were in the championship I would guess the penalty would be the same, Look at Leeds last season, they are a bigger club than Chelsea and still had the points deductions

 

Not as rich though, which is probably more relevant.

 

I am beginning to feel sympathy for Luton, which I never thought I would after the 80's, but on the payments to agents thing, it really doesn't look like they did anything wrong. I think they were trying to be even more open and transparent and in doing so contravened a technicality which they are being hammered for.

 

The cynic in me worries that they are being punished for Mike Newell speaking out about corruption in the game. The fact that Newell has not managed again, despite doing a very good job at Luton, whilst lesser managers get job after job also worries me.

[Hassony]

The cynic in me worries that they are being punished for Mike Newell speaking out about corruption in the game. The fact that Newell has not managed again, despite doing a very good job at Luton, whilst lesser managers get job after job also worries me.

 

I thought Newell's corruption claim was aimed at the luton directors at the time, a lot of the transfer fees that came into the club went missing

[John am Rhein]

The cynic in me worries that they are being punished for Mike Newell speaking out about corruption in the game. The fact that Newell has not managed again, despite doing a very good job at Luton, whilst lesser managers get job after job also worries me.

 

I shouldn't think he was very high on Roman Abramovich's laundry list, I mean shortlist