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Football

10th Aug 2023

Luton sends defiant message to pundits writing them off this season

Jack Peat

Passengers flying into Luton Airport have been greeted with a 2,275sqm grass painting

Luton boss Rob Edwards insists there is absolutely no shame in his Town side being written off as Premier League relegation fodder before a ball has even been kicked this season.

After winning the Championship play-off final, the Hatters begin their top flight campaign at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, with their odds to go down at 4/11 with most bookmakers.

However, that isn’t something that is of any concern to Edwards, who fully expected it to be the case, given their method of promotion last term, saying: “There’s nothing wrong with that.

“That happens every year with whoever gets promoted through the play-offs, so that’s nothing to be ashamed of.

“We were written off last year, no-one was really talking about us last year, it was Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough and look what happened.”

A grass painting has appeared on the flight path at London Luton Airport with the words ‘Pundits, prepare to eat your hats. Luton Town FC has landed’, written in giant letters in response to the widespread pessimism surrounding the team.

PinPep

Using over 500 litres of environmentally friendly paint and measuring the same width as its runway (2,275sqm), the message took two days to create and will be viewed by thousands of holidaymakers travelling through the airport over the next week.

The installation comes as excitement builds in the town ahead of the team’s first game against Brighton and Hove Albion this Saturday.

The match will be Luton Town’s first in English football’s top flight since 1992 after beating the odds and earning promotion via the Championship play-offs at the end of last season.

Edwards added: “I speak on behalf of the whole team when I say that we are filled with immense pride and gratitude to our community.

“A tremendous thank you to London Luton Airport, for its remarkable show of support through the creation of this impressive good luck message on their flight path.

“This symbol of community will inspire the players for the games ahead and we hope we give fans a season to be proud of.”

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