It is only the first week of the new season, but the games are certainly coming thick and fast.
Hot on the heels of games against Peterborough United (Championship) and Stevenage (Carabao Cup) the Hatters face West Bromwich Albion, this Saturday, in a Championship game.
The fixture gives me the ideal opportunity to look at the career of one player who has worn the shirts of both clubs – Andy Dibble.
Born on 08-May-1965, in Cwmbran, Wales, Dibble started his career with Cardiff, as an apprentice, he made his debut for the Welsh team aged just 17 and went on to make 62 league appearances for them before signing for Luton Town, in July 1984, for a fee of £125,000.
While at Kenilworth Road, Dibble was to make just 30 league appearances during the period 1984 to 1988, with his appearances being restricted by the fine form of Les Sealey. Indeed, while at Luton, Dibble was sent out on loan on two occasions, firstly to Sunderland and then to Huddersfield Town.
Unquestionably, his finest moment in a Luton shirt came in the 1988 League Cup Final, against Arsenal. Playing due to an injury to Les Sealey, Dibble pulled off some fine saves before, with Luton trailing 2-1, he dived to superbly keep out an Arsenal penalty, taken by Nigel Winterburn, that would have put the game beyond the Hatters. The rest, as they say, is history.
His Luton career came to an end in July 1988 when he moved to Manchester City with Luton receiving a fee of £240,000
Dibble’s career at Manchester City spanned seven years but the Welsh international was only to make 116 league appearances during that time with fierce competition for the goalkeeping spot coming from Tony Coton and Martyn Margetson.
During his time at Maine Road, Dibble spent loan periods with several clubs – Aberdeen, Middlesbrough, Bolton Wanderers, West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield United.
At West Brom, while on loan, Dibble made just 9 league appearances.
In 1997, Dibble was also on the books of Rangers and Sheffield United and made an emotional return to Luton, with whom he made a further a solitary further league appearance.
As his career came to an end, Dibble stopped of at numerous other clubs – Middlesbrough, Altrincham, Barry Town, Hartlepool United, Carlisle United, Stockport County, Wrexham and Accrington Stanley.
Since retiring from playing, Dibble has worked as a goalkeeping coach at several clubs – Accrington Stanley, Coventry City, Peterborough United, Rotherham United and, latterly, Cardiff City.
I often wonder though; would Luton have won the League Cup if Andy Dibble had not played?
Sealey was a fine goalkeeper, but would he have gone the same way as Dibble when it came to what was the turning point in the match, the penalty?
COYH’s
West Brom v Luton?
West Brom to Win!
Luton Town to Win!
A Draw!
Previous article by Mad Hatter
Luton – They Played For Both – West Brom
Morning all, I decided to wait till this morning to give my thoughts on what I saw last night. First the negatives. Shocking early goal again!!! A simple long ball over the top to the attacker on the shoulder of defence.poor an avoidable. Poor penalties. Second half yet again lack of quality finishing. We should have won 5-2. If we had won that would have given us another match or 2 for fringe players to get proper game time into there legs. Now we don’t have any meaningful games for them. Positives we have struggled for years against teams with rugged defenders since hartson an mick. Teams like Millwall Cardiff Sheffield utd. Its now obvious why Jerome is in. against teams like them you start him an for 60 mins he will bully them run them around an with 30mins left bring on pacey skill players. Lansbury has class to open defences start him. Kioso will get more game time. This is a very strong squad I don’t see any body who can’t be a starter. As long as nj stops playing favourites
Hi all Think NJ needs to apologise to all the fans who paid to watch this poor performance. OK makeshift backline who got caught out early. Second goal again poor defending. However our strike partnership pulled out all the stops to to get us back on terms. Cornick is a senior pro who had already missed one scoring chance only then to miss to set the scene for the rest of the team my missing the first penalty. OK a really good save by the Stevenage keeper. However we did not learn from this. When a keeper makes a good save diving to his right or left do not give him a second chance to do the same. Drive the next penalty with full power straight down the middle and watch him dive again. With better coaching and training and given to the right people 90% of penalties should be scored.
Like Chris has said we now have no games for the second string to show their worth training games do not show a players true capabilities. Better give more value against West Bromwich to keep the positive momentum ongoing.
COYH
Would you also agree my point about Jerome is a valid one?
We have to stop these soft goals over the top we know it’s coming so be more prepared. Hopefully on Saturday wba play it on the floor more . Jerome is a good point we have lack that big forward for a while but we need someone playing along side him , like when big Mick was playing mark stein or a Paul Walsh to get the knock downs .
Hi all, valid point about squad players getting game time, but had we got thro to the next round & gone out to a prem side, we would be in the same situation anyway….I’m sure the club we arrange a few behind closed doors games to keep players on their toes. Not the same I know, but that’s the way it goes….as for pens, you can place it or belt it, if the keeper guesses right he saves it, simple as that…but to miss the target completely, is down to the player….roll on sat, onwards and upwards….
cup games always do this. luton have done it loads of times to big teams. get over it and move on.COYH.