Luton – My Favourite Sunderland Memory

This Saturday, Sunderland are the visitors to Kenilworth Road for a Championship fixture.

Luton supporters will be hoping that their side, are the mind-numbing 4-0 defeat at Vicarage Road, will get back to winning ways.

However, the visit of Sunderland always brings back memories of a bygone era, a time when Luton Town climbed back into the top-flight of English football after a long absence.

On Saturday 27th April 1974, Luton travelled to the Hawthorns, to take on West Bromwich Albion, a 1-1 draw gave the Hatters the point they needed to secure promotion and the travelling army returned south in a buoyant mood.

The following Wednesday, 1st May 1974, Luton ended their 1973/1974 campaign with a visit from Sunderland.

Arriving outside the ground, you could tell it was going to be, for Luton, a large attendance.

The queue for the Oak Road was immense so I opted to squeeze into the Maple Road terrace between the tunnel and the Oak Road.

From my slightly elevated position I could see the throng of support that had filled the central section of the Oak Road.

My thoughts on it being a big crowd were proven when it was announced 20285 had squeezed in.

The game itself turned into a 7-goal thriller with Luton, unfortunately, losing 4-3 with a late goal from the former Hatter, Vic Halom, sealing the win, with the Luton goals coming from – Jimmy Husband (2) and Barry Butlin.

Now normally a defeat would have darkened my mood but this game was different, it was a celebration of what we, as a club, had achieved all season, our endeavour, spirit and good football had put us among the big boys of the top-flight of English football, a remarkable achievement and a game / season I’ll always remember.

The team that night was – Horn, Ryan (John), Faulkner, Garner, Thompson, Anderson, Ryan (Jim), Husband, Butlin, West, Hindson

COYH’s

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Luton – Time To Bounce Back On Saturday