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English Premier League 2023/2024
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10 years of FIF
Most Diverse PosterIt's good for Ward-prowse that he doesn't play for the NT. He can focus on his game without the bs games they keep pilling on to National teams. Less chances to get injured, more time to work on his free kicks. Apparently he works on it every day
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10 years of FIFLuton’s Kenilworth Road… A Premier League stadium like no other
Omar GarrickAug 31, 2023
A 20-minute walk west from Luton train station takes you to one of the most peculiar stadiums in England.
As you approach the four streets Kenilworth Road occupies, in what seems to be a quiet, residential area, it is remarkable that you find a football stand located in between a row of terraced houses. The location is unlike any other and feels like a secluded area that is separated from the rest of Luton.
The most striking aspect about the ‘The Kenny’ — which has been the home of Luton Town since 1905 — is the Oak Road stand, surrounded by a block of red bricks housing local residents, where away fans enter.
There are two stand entrances on the road: gates six-seven and eight.
The stand is situated alongside a line of terraced houses. That is not the only thing on the road, however. There are also four independent businesses.
Gate six-seven stands between house No 91 and 87. Gate eight, meanwhile, is in the middle of 99 and 103.
This season will be a first-time experience for those living in the area. Luton are now in the Premier League after securing promotion from the Championship in May. They have jumped four divisions in 10 seasons.
Yet not all the locals are delighted, largely due to the inconvenience caused by living next to a high-profile football stadium.
So, The Athletic went to Luton to find out more about what the town’s residents think about the club’s rise and their hopes and concerns about top-flight football coming to their doorstep…
Before getting to Kenilworth Road, you will find the Bricklayers Arms outside Luton train station. It has been the home of the Luton Supporters’ Trust since 2003.
Alison Taylor, 66, has worked here for 37 years and has been a supporter all her life. It is the place where a consortium led by CEO Gary Sweet decided to buy the club in 2008.
“It was the real ales that got people in and eventually the Supporters’ Trust was formed here,” she says.
“One year, a group of fans got together and decided to buy the club at the back bar and sat at a round table. The rest is history.
“Someone from the club usually comes in here for the last game of the season, but they didn’t this time around, which is fair enough. It was amazing (getting promoted).
“When it’s positive, it’s really special. The play-off final was the busiest it’s ever been in this pub. I didn’t go to bed until 3:30am.”
Visitors from the Luton Town Supporters’ Club of Scandinavia — founded in 1991 — also come regularly, with many of them spending week-long holidays in Luton when they fly over.
“We’ve grown so close to some of them that we’ve (Taylor and regulars at the pub) been over to a couple of their weddings,” she says.
A walk past a large supermarket leading to Dunstable Road from the Bricklayers Arms takes you directly to the ground. As you get to the stadium, you realise how hemmed in it is.
But it is the Oak Road away stand that is the most famous and distinctive, giving the impression you are going into a person’s house and through their back garden rather than into the ground. Since promotion was confirmed, football fans have turned the entrance into an online joke.
For the people residing along the away stand, it is a unique lifestyle. However, it has not always been easy.
As you approach the top of Oak Road, you will find a car park directly opposite the matchday store.
John Wilson was standing outside the car park. He is an 80-year-old Luton season-ticket holder and his first game was in November 1955, when his team beat Sunderland 8-2. He used to be a gateman on the Oak Road terrace during the 1970s and 1980s.
“The London teams were the worst (for causing disruption), especially Chelsea,” he says. “I used to see brand new fences on the road getting hammered down by 30 to 40 fans.
“I remember when I had to guard six of my mates from Millwall fans, who pulled the seats up from the stadium and were rowdy. They stopped in the end, but it gave me a shock.”
The most notorious incident came in March 1985 when Luton played Millwall at Kenilworth Road in an FA Cup match that was live on TV. It was one of the worst acts of football hooliganism during the 1980s and led to a ban on away supporters at Kenilworth Road, which lasted four seasons.
Rioters set upon the Bobbers Stand and isolated fights broke out. All of the players were escorted back to the tunnel and the ground was damaged along with the surrounding area. One year later, Kenilworth Road was converted to an all-seater stadium.
“A lot has changed since then but I’m worried about the London teams causing damage,” John added.
“No one will like coming to our ground though. I remember seeing Stanley Matthews (one of England’s greatest-ever footballers) here and he hated it.”
Going back down Oak Road will take you to Faisal Mohammed’s house, to the right of gate six-seven and near the matchday store. The 20-year-old has lived here for seven years. “I don’t follow it often (football),” he says. “There are a lot of police, especially on a matchday. That can sometimes be a bit intrusive.
“We also get a lot of coaches down the road (away supporters). That blocks up the road a lot.
“At the same time, the amount of police on the road usually means there is no trouble. It feels like we have a lot of security.”
As expected on a matchday, the atmosphere gets louder, with fans cheering on their team. Most football supporters love this part of the game and so do some residents that live on Oak Road.
Shahed Ahmed, 28, has lived here for 10 years with his wife next to both stadium entrances on Oak Road.
“I’ve never had an issue with anyone in the area, even when a game is on,” he says. “We love matchday as we enjoy the atmosphere. We have no trouble. It is the best time to be on the road. We like where we live.”
Nineteen different sets of Premier League away supporters will visit this season. The ticket allocation for West Ham United supporters, who play Luton on Friday, is 1,151. It is expected to be around 1,100 for most fixtures but a final figure will be confirmed once Luton know their capacity.
Rules state that clubs allocate 3,000 tickets or 10 per cent of the total allocation if the ground has less than 30,000 seats.
There are, however, caveats to having too many people on one street, particularly transport-wise, which is one of the biggest disruptions.
The problem stems from coaches parking on Oak Road. Most of them take up too much room in such a narrow area.
It means residents are ordered to move their cars before a match and, if they don’t, they are threatened with fines.
Historically, those who live on Oak Road have been contacted with details of any matchday parking restrictions. They have, according to Luton Borough Council, always been informed of road closures or non-movement of vehicles for matchdays using temporary traffic regulation orders and signs on the affected roads.
The authorities have the power to remove the vehicles to a secure location from where they can be collected once the matchday pressures have passed. Residents on Oak Road have received written letters explaining that there will be additional controls and limits to their movement, given its role as a key access point to the ground.
To many, this is an inconvenience. Mokbol Hossain, 52, lives at No 47, to the left of gate six-seven. “I have always liked where I live,” he says. “My family is settled here and there is a sense of community.
“I’ve not experienced any crime. The only thing is that it is dirty (the street) when a match is on. And we always have to move our car. That is annoying.”
Others share Hossain’s concerns, particularly with Luton’s first home match in the Premier League on the horizon. Residents are worried and want reassurances.
Kal Patel has spent his entire life on Oak Road, with his house standing adjacent to the high street and opposite the Oakdale Methodist Church. He is a Luton fan and football enthusiast but the 48-year-old voiced his frustrations over the situation.
“It is a nightmare for residents (on a matchday),” he says. “It is a mixture of the club’s and council’s fault.
“I’ve personally had no trouble but I’ve seen it when home and away fans aggravate each other. It is convenient (to live here) but, if I had the opportunity to, I would move. There are a lot of police on the road usually.
“The road usually closes on a matchday. If it is a midweek game, it wouldn’t open back up until about 11pm. It’s a nightmare. Some people then have to start work at around 5am to 6am.”
Luton have been in contact with some of the residents living on Oak Road, with drop-in sessions taking place at the Bury Park Community Centre. The reaction has, according to the club, been positive since promotion and they share a good relationship with most of them.
It’s not just residents that are impacted, though. Businesses on the road are suffering from the amount of disruption caused by away supporters.
On the opposite side of the Oak Road entrances, there are two businesses: one sells cakes, the other beds. There is a burger bar and beauty salon on the other side.
An owner of an independent shop on Oak Road, who did not want to be named, says their business performs poorly when a game is on.
“Some fans urinate in front of my shop, on the windows and near the houses. It’s disgusting and can stain the windows,” they added. “On a matchday, there always seems to be a problem. Who’s going to want to buy my products when there are so many people? Whenever there is a game my sales drop by a third.”
The owner claimed they have had no support from the club or council.
Further disruption has been caused due to Luton needing to extend the Bobbers Stand for broadcasting requirements. The club were meant to host Burnley on August 19, but they requested for the game to be postponed due to the work.
At least 50 media seats needed to be in place, as well as a media conference room that can host up to 70 people.
Luton’s television gantry required improvement for broadcasting in the Premier League. At least 30 TV and radio commentary points were needed along with seven pitchside presentation areas. Systems for VAR cameras, which Kenilworth Road has never used, was another requirement.
The new stand received an interim safety certificate which enabled the Bobbers to operate at 75 per cent capacity for their Carabao Cup tie against Gillingham.
The match was used as a test event and tickets were distributed free to displaced hospitality guests, members of the local community affected by the redevelopment works and contractors and staff. Other amendments, such as a new ticket office in the Kenilworth Road end and recently developed food options, have been added.
CEO Sweet said: “While it has been a necessity to upgrade facilities for the media, we have also invested in amenities for supporters in order to enhance their matchday experience and to compensate for the changes.
“Our thanks go to all residents and staff who have endured the last three months. Most importantly come and enjoy your evening.”
The council, meanwhile, believe they have done all they can to support the club and residents during the significant challenges around the stadium. Levels of cooperation with residents have been described as “always good” and they expect this to continue.
Since May, the council has been working closely with Luton and the residents around Kenilworth Road to understand any additional impact on those living near the stadium. Letters have been sent to those particularly affected, inviting them to express concerns or suggest ideas.
Luton are eventually planning to move away from Kenilworth Road, with plans in place to build a 20,000-seater stadium at Power Court, close to the town centre, in time for the 2026-27 season.
That is to come. For now, there is a buzz around Luton’s stadium and you can feel the excitement in the air — but there is a whiff of unease.
With Luton competing in one of the most-watched leagues in the world, everyone in the town knows the spotlight will be on them more than ever before.
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10 years of FIFhaha Chelsea is fking laughably bad 
too bad they didnt go into a bidding war with Man U for Onana
too bad they didnt go into a bidding war with Man U for Onana
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10 years of FIFMost Diverse PosterAs about as strong as in their best days. Maddison and Son are balling, but defence is still in shambles. I predict them fighting for the fourth spot with United and Newcastle, Arsenal, City and Liverpool are clearly the best three teams in EPL right now
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Forum Supporter10 years of FIFSpurs have honeymoon period. Remember they were carrying Conte like he's the king of UK at the start. Right now players wants to impress, but there are good signs. Defeating ManU was a big test. Now without Harry too.
Spurs needs a trophy, FA Cup for example they need to go all in. Qualify for UCL.
They need to fill that trophy room with atleast 1 shining Cup to kill the curse. Release that tension!
Spurs needs a trophy, FA Cup for example they need to go all in. Qualify for UCL.
They need to fill that trophy room with atleast 1 shining Cup to kill the curse. Release that tension!
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10 years of FIFChelsea is a complete mess nowadays. They spent hundred millions only to have a line-up of below average players. This is what a poor management does to a club.
Money is NOT always a solution. It certainly makes things easier, but it doesn't help much when a guy who's in charge is a bum.
Money is NOT always a solution. It certainly makes things easier, but it doesn't help much when a guy who's in charge is a bum.
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Forum Supporter10 years of FIFCrazy to believe that Chelsea would continue to struggle this season. After all, half their squad is new and under the age of 22. Despite what some might think, you can’t have a bunch of kids on the pitch at the same time without experienced players guiding them during the tough times.
Good to see Newcastle getting battered too.
Good to see Newcastle getting battered too.
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They should have invested in a defender or 2.
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They have a very interesting squad and coach! Offcourse they miss Kane a lot. But Vicario and Udogie are doing really good for them atm. As do Van Der Ven and Romero. Bissouma is a machine too. And with Kulu, Son and Salomon they have good quality too. The best purchase is Postecoglou imo.
De Zerbi is also cooking again with Brighton. It’s unbelievable they sold a lot of there best players and playing really good and beautiful football again. Ferguson is the real deal and getting chances this year. Will probably be sold for 150 mln next summer.
Those two teams I will follow closely this year. Although Liverpool with their new squad is interesting too. Arsenal and United have a clear vision also. Really interesting PL year ahead imo.