camera never lies - part 1
Roger Wash delves into some of the best photographs from the Hatters' Heritage archives.
the moonrakers
Living up to their then nickname of 'The Moonrakers' these Swindon supporters appear at Kenilworth Road with a rake - anything went on the terraces in 1952!
The game in question was an FA Cup fifth round tie when a record crowd of 27,553 crammed into the ground to see the Hatters win 3-1. The attendance record was smashed again two weeks later when Arsenal came to town for the quarter-final.
eyes down for bingo
Chief scout George Martin (in the glasses) supplements his salary by calling the numbers in Luton Town's very own Bingo Hall, aka the Main Stand, in August 1962.
I can actually remember sneaking into these sessions with my mates just to make a nuisance as 10-year-olds are always likely to do. We always thought that 'two fat ladies' was a hoot!
wags of 1959!
The wives and girlfriends of the Town players get ready for the FA Cup final in 1959 with a trip to the local hairdressing salon!
jack leads them out
Luton skipper Jack Nelson leads out the Hatters team before an FA Cup third road tie against Blackpool in January 1937.
The supporters standing to the right of the tunnel, at the top of the wall, are on 'Scotch Corner' which was built over when the Main Stand was extended later that year.
Scotch Corner earned its name by being frequented by many Scots who moved from Falkirk to Luton with the Davis Gas Stove Company and took residence in the roads off Dallow Road.
For the record, the Town drew this game 3-3 before winning the replay 2-1.
it's in!
The date: 9th February 2010. The venue: Kenilworth Road under the floodlights with 8,860 present. The opponents: Oxford United in a tense promotion clash.
The Hatters had just levelled the score at 1-1 when a corner was awarded in the dying seconds. Keith Keane floats over the flag-kick which goes over the heads of everyone with the ball ending up in the net. Cue delirium, led unforgettably by Simon Pitts who burst some more of his few remaining blood vessels.
making all the noise
Luton supporters in full voice before the FA Cup fifth round replay at Leicester in 1949. The Town had drawn 5-5 at Kenilworth Road in the first game and were to go down 5-3 in the re-match.
A WELL EARNED BREAK
The Luton Town players take a break from training during an end of season tour to Turkey in 1953.
Back Row (L to R): Bud Aherne, Bernard Streten, Bob Morton, Billy Cooke, Hugh McJarrow, Ron Baynham, Bernard Moore, Roy Davies, Jesse Pye, Ralph Hann (trainer).
Front Row (L to R): Charlie Watkins, Mike Cullen, Jim Pemberton, Gordon Turner, Wally Shanks, unknown Turkish gentleman, Bert Mitchell.
an odd sight
Steve Howard is pictured in Northampton colours during the Town's 1-0 defeat at Sixfields in April 1999. The game was one of Sean Dyche's 15 games for the Hatters during a successful loan spell from Bristol City. Sadly, not for the first or last time, the perilous finances at Kenilworth Road ended any chance of a permanent transfer.
cup fever hits luton
Luton supporters happily queue up at the end of Kenilworth Road for tickets for the FA Cup Semi-Final to be played against Norwich at White Hart Lane in 1959.
happy hatters
Upwardly mobile Luton, after a blistering start to the 1969/70 Division Three (now League 1) campaign, decided to charter trains to away games for the supporters, players and directors to use.
The first trip was arranged for the long journey to Plymouth in September 1969 and immediately two trains were filled. At 25/- (£1.25) return it was a bargain!
Sensing the demand, the Town then shoehorned in a train to Sheffield for a League Cup tie against United four days before the Plymouth clash and here we see happy Hatters leaving the platform before the match.
We were not so happy a few hours later after the Second Division (now Championship) Blades won convincingly 3-0.
More great photos can be found in part 2....