News about Rob Edwards

LUTON 3-0 WATFORD - DOMINIC HOGAN AT KENILWORTH ROAD: Luton's return to the Championship has not quite gone to plan so far, starting the day in 21st after nine games, but the Hatters' three-game winless run came to an end in the best way possible with a 3-0 M1 Derby win over Watford. Against a febrile backdrop Watford were almost gifted a dream start three minutes in when a nervy Tom Holmes nearly lobbed his own goalkeeper from 35 yards. Luton looked shaken. But it was the Hatters who drew first blood. A firm Holmes volley from a corner went in off Jordan Clark on 11 minutes to wrong-foot Daniel Bachmann. Kenilworth Road erupted.

IAN LADYMAN: Now that the modern United - the United of Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe - have moved to marginalise him by ending his lucrative ambassadorship , there is great upset when really there shouldn't be. Ferguson, it turns out, was being paid more than £2million a year for his duties, a deal struck by the Glazer family when he stood down as manager in 2013. That's about £23m in all. When you look at it like that, for a club mired in Glazer debt, it has been a quite staggering arrangement.

Luton Town have formally submitted plans to build a new 25,000-seater multi-purpose stadium.  The hybrid application for the stadium, which will be on the Power Court site, includes an updated outline submission for a hotel and music venue.  Plans were delivered to Luton Borough Council on Friday and the club hope it will help 'regenerate' the whole town.  

A Premier League winner has returned to English football by signing for Luton Town - almost six years after his last appearance for a UK-based club. The 33-year-old spent the last four seasons in Russia at Spartak Moscow, having previously had loan spells with Inter Milan in Italy and Fenerbahce in Turkey. Luton will become the 10th club he has played for during his senior career, which began at Crystal Palace and later saw him represent Wigan, Chelsea, Liverpool, Stoke and West Ham.

Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer has returned to training with the club after suffering a heart attack in December. The defender's heart had stopped for more than two-and-a-half minutes during a Premier League match at Bournemouth, seven months after he collapsed at Wembley during the Championship play-off final victory against Coventry City. The Bournemouth game was abandoned following the events, and Lockyer, 29, had said at the end of last season that he was 'at peace' with retirement should doctors tell him to quit following his cardiac arrest.

JON WEST: Scott Parker's first match as Burnley manager was one to savour as fellow Premier League cast-offs Luton were well beaten on their own turf last night. Goals from Josh Brownhill, Wilson Odobert, Dara O'Shea and Vitinho ensured it was a satisfying debut for Vincent Kompany's replacement in the dugout. Luton have not beaten Burnley for 24 years and Rob Edwards' side only briefly looked like stopping that run when Tahith Chong made it 2-1 early in the second half.

Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer is hopeful of resuming his career after undergoing rehabilitation with heart specialists in the Netherlands, according to reports. Lockyer, 29, said at the end of last season that he was 'at peace' with retirement should doctors tell him to quit following his cardiac arrest in December 2023. The defender's heart had stopped for more than two-and-a-half minutes during a Premier League match at Bournemouth, seven months after he collapsed at Wembley during the Championship play-off victory against Coventry City.

The Foxes are narrowing down candidates to a shortlist expected to comprise three or four names, with West Brom coach Carlos Corberan known to be of interest. Maresca won promotion from the Championship last season before joining Chelsea on a five-year deal. Since leaving Leeds United, where he was Marcelo Bielsa's assistant, in 2020, Corberan has worked impressively on limited budgets at Huddersfield and West Brom, leading both to the Championship play-offs before ultimately falling short. The Spaniard signed a new four-year deal at The Hawthorns in February 2023 and Leicester would need to pay compensation of about £4million. Yet he is unlikely to be the only contender, with Steve Cooper - who took Nottingham Forest up in 2022 and kept them in the top flight the following season - and Luton boss Rob Edwards also believed to have admirers at King Power Stadium.

If Kieran McKenna took a time machine back to December 2021, he might have a hard time convincing himself that he would one day be England's most wanted man. That day has arrived for a rising talent who inherited an Ipswich side in stasis, marooned in 12th in League One and licking wounds from having three consecutive managers called Paul. Two promotions later and Manchester United , Chelsea, and Brighton are all circling. Your former club, a super-duper rich club, or the 'smart' option where stringing together a few passes makes you the next Pep Guardiola - take your pick, Kieran.

Another Premier League campaign reached its climax on Sunday and quite a lot looks familiar. Manchester City are champions again, becoming the first team to win the English top-flight four times in a row, ahead of Arsenal and Liverpool. Meanwhile at the opposite end, the three clubs that came up - Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton Town - are the three going straight back down again. Following the season's conclusion, we grade all 20 clubs in our annual report cards, with part two covering Liverpool through to Wolves.

JAMES SHARP AT KENILWORTH ROAD: It was not a day to believe in miracles after all. Luton, as they have done all season, gave their all one last time but had relegation confirmed with a final-day defeat to Fulham. A brace from Raul Jimenez between two beautiful long-range strikes from Adama Traore and Harry Wilson saw the Cottagers condemn Rob Edwards' proud side at Kenilworth Road. But by Jove, they gave it a go. Carlton Morris scored from the spot and Alfie Doughty beat everyone with a low free-kick into the bottom corner. Tahith Chong had an early goal ruled out for offside.

KATHRYN BATTE AT THE LONDON STADIUM: Rob Edwards was overcome with emotion as he and his Luton players stood in front of the away end at West Ham. Defeat here all but sealed their relegation back to the Championship and Edwards wiped away tears as the Luton supporters continued to sing and applaud his side for their efforts. Edwards is a young manager at 41 and the pain of relegation must sting, but this will surely not be the last we see of him or Luton in the Premier League.

Perhaps it was fitting that on the day the Burnley Express officially called time on his international cricket career, time was also called on Burnley's time in the Premier League. That's where the similarities end, however. Whereas Jimmy Anderson may have been guilty of overstaying his welcome, his football team never once looked like staying in the Premier League this season and got what they deserved. Unlike the scenes at the London Stadium down the road with Rob Edwards and his Luton players, there were no tears nor much emotion from the Burnley players when the final whistle went at Tottenham and confirmed their fate.

Luton fans clashed with stewards as their side's hopes of Premier League suffered a major blow in defeat to West Ham. A video shared on social media showed dramatic scenes in the away end during the closing stages of the game as some travelling supporters became embroiled in melee with stewards. The disruption is said to have been caused by stewards attempting to remove at least two fans from the lower tier.

It's been a roller coaster of a campaign for the Blues, who had been lingering in mid-table until a late flourish that has seen the the Todd Boehly era finally somewhat kick into gear late on in its second season. At the other end of the table, Nottingham Forest's fate is almost sealed. Luton's defeat at West Ham earlier on Saturday meant a major final day goal difference swing was needed for the Hatters to earn another year in the Premier League pending the result in Nottingham, and, though the remains the case, hope is as slim as can be.

An emotional Rob Edwards has apologised to the club's fans after Luton's relegation back to the Championship was all but confirmed following its defeat to West Ham. The 3-1 loss means the Hatters go into the final day three points behind Nottingham Forest, but Forest's goal difference means they would be uncatchable in the battle at the bottom. It marks the end of a remarkable journey for Luton, who were written off by many at the start of the season and expected to struggle in the Premier League. After the defeat to the Hammers, a tearful Edwards was seen saluting the supporters along with his team, who came so close to upsetting the odds. In an interview with the club following the match, the Luton boss bared his sole and apologised to fans amid their relegation.

Burnley join Sheffield United in becoming a 'one and done' Premier League side following their relegation from the top flight. Going into Saturday's match at Tottenham, the Clarets were in the most precarious position with relegation-threatened rivals Luton Town and Nottingham Forest. Burnley's 4-1 home defeat by Newcastle last Saturday had left them five points from safety with a goal difference that is 17 worse than Forest's. 

Erik ten Hag bemoaned Manchester United 's torrid injury record this season ahead of their 4-0 defeat by Crystal Palace when the Dutchman was forced to field another makeshift backline. Pinning United's poor season on absences may prove to be an effective tactic to shield the Dutchman from the scrutiny headed his way this summer. But how tough have the Old Trafford outfit had it on the injury front compared to their rivals? Mail Sport takes a look at the Premier League injury table.

DOMINIC KING AT KENILWORTH ROAD: Rob Edwards was left to rue two points that got away as he admitted Luton's hard-fought draw with Everton left him dejected. For all that Luton responded impressively to going a goal behind and launched a desperate assault on Everton's box to find a winner in injury time, Edwards could not help but look at the bigger picture and felt this battle had not helped his team's chances of winning the war against relegation. Luton have two games remaining and are level on points with Nottingham Forest, who face Sheffield United today. There is still much to play for but their manager was desperate to heap pressure on their rivals by beating Everton. His disappointment was all too evident.

WOLVES 2-1 LUTON TOWN - TIM NASH AT MOLINEUX: Luton Town's fight to remain in the Premier League took its latest blow with a bruising 2-1 defeat by Wolves as Rob Edwards' side's chances of staying up begin to run out.   A banner held up by Luton fans before the game read 'Stuart Attwell - he's one of our own' after the Premier League referee disallowed two Wolves goals in their 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Wednesday night. Attwell's allegiance has been highlighted after Nottingham Forest complained about him being the VAR for their 2-0 defeat at Everton.

DOMINIC HOGAN AT KENILWORTH ROAD: If Brentford were ugly in beating Sheffield United for their first win since January, they were anything but at Luton on Saturday to make it successive victories for the first time since November. So often this season Bryan Mbeumo has proven the answer to where Brentford's threat comes in the absence of Ivan Toney, and in the 5-1 thrashing at Kenilworth Road his three assists ensured the old adage about London buses would live on. Yoane Wissa was lethal for his first-half brace and deserves plenty of plaudits for his role in further banishing the creeping tendrils of relegation, but Mbeumo was brilliant value for his title of tormentor-in-chief.

English football is in uproar after the FA and Premier League struck a deal to scrap FA Cup replays due to the expansion of the European competitions from next season. The FA did not discuss the controversial move with the FA Cup's Committee and lower-league clubs are aghast as replays are a huge financial aid.

KEOWN TALKS TACTICS: When you come up from the Championship to the Premier League, you almost need amnesia; an ability to forget what happened last weekend and focus on the next. Luton possess that power in the way they can totally dismiss whatever disappointments they have suffered in the previous match. Lose 2-0 to Arsenal? Doesn't matter. We can beat Bournemouth. Lose 5-1 to Manchester City? That's gone. On to Brentford. Luton never get too hung up on a defeat and it feels as if this has been a shared learning journey between the players and Rob Edwards, a young manager who has injected a sense of belief into this group of grafters.

LEWIS STEELE: Since Rob Edwards departed, not many green shoots have been seen at the New Lawn and there has been little to shout about for fans. They were instantly relegated back to the fourth tier and now, a year on, demoted again into the murky abyss of non-league. Forest Green's demise should serve as a warning to any Football League club chairperson. Your financial situation, club ethos and off-the-pitch work means diddly squat if recruitment of players and managers is wayward.