Above and beyond the town’s fascination with hats there are many, many interesting things about Luton.
It was the birthplace of funky, hip and happening 1970’s film director John (Saturday Night Fever) Badham, who took the activities of an average Saturday night in Luton and relocated it to New York with stunning accuracy. In fact the average Saturday night in Luton is still considered incomplete without wall-to-wall 70’s music, white flares and rather gay dancing.
Non-wicket taking, one-trick pony, ex-County spinner, Monty Panesar also hails from Luton. And the way his career is heading, he may well soon be playing for them too. If they have a reserve side.
“The Rules of Luton” was the title of an episode of the great TV series from my youth – Space 1999. The “rules” in question referred to the protection of all living fauna and flora on a distant planet under punishment by death. The real rules of Luton of course relate to the supporters right to storm the pitch and hurl objects at the opposition players if their own team is losing.
Eric Morecambe was the Club’s most famous supporter, choosing not to support the team of his birth, despite borrowing their name. Ironically Luton and Morecambe’s fortunes since the comedian’s death in 1984 have taken almost exactly opposite directions.
Morecambe have risen from from Division Two of the Lancashire League to League Two of the Football League and now play at a shiny new stadium. Luton Town plumetted from the old First Division, with games against Liverpool and Manchester United, to non-league oblivion with games against the like of, well, us. They still play at their ramshackle old ground which they share with the back gardens of the local residents. Even Eric would struggle to make all that sound funny.
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