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BBC News
9 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Naismith returns to Luton after Robins exit
Luton Town have signed centre-back Kal Naismith on a free transfer following his release by Bristol 33, played for the Hatters from early 2021 to mid-2022 and returned on loan last season, making 10 appearances in their unsuccessful attempt to avoid relegation from the Championship."It's really important that Kal is signing for us. He's an incredibly well-respected figure here and has a fantastic history with our football club," said boss Matt Bloomfield."Above all, he has fantastic organisational and leadership skills and he's going to play an integral part on and off the pitch for us next season."Naismith began his career in Glasgow with Rangers and also had spells at Accrington Stanley, Portsmouth and Wigan before joining Luton for the first time in January played 68 games before leaving for Ashton Gate in the summer of 2022, the last two in the Championship play-off semi-final against Huddersfield Town, which Luton lost 2-1 on aggregate. On his permanent return, he said: "Coming back on loan was amazing, but coming back now as a Luton player is special, and I'm so happy."I wanted to continue the journey, so there was no other option in my head. Some clubs just fit, and this club just fits for me. At this stage of my career, I'm still so hungry to be successful and play games."The length of his deal has not been disclosed, but he added: "I've not signed a life-time contract but look, I would love to, I would tomorrow, because this is where I want to play until I'm done."
BBC News
07-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Luton Town: 'Hatters left themselves too much to do'
I think it's a prime example of a club that got promoted, maybe one or two players feeling they were going to stay in the Premier League. That didn't quite happen. I actually thought by keeping hold of the likes of Carlton Morris and a couple of the others that they would have more than enough to be so competitive at this level. They just haven't been able to do it. They just took too long to get themselves going. Matt Bloomfield came in and really got that team spirit and organisation back. Really hard to break down but in the end they just left themselves that little bit too much to do. That last 10 games before the West Brom game, they were as good as any team in terms of wins and points, take away the top two or three. They gave themselves a chance but it was just too little, too late and in the end I think it was a lack of team spirit, togetherness, and ultimately that's cost them their place.
The Sun
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
From Man Utd to Mansfield… where it all went wrong for Luton as they're relegated twice and end up in League One
Etienne Fermie, Sports reporter in London Published: Invalid Date, LUTON TOWN have been relegated AGAIN just 12 months on from their Premier League survival fight. The Hatters finished just six points behind Nottingham Forest last season, with the Tricky Trees now chasing Champions League football under Nuno Espirito Santo. 7 7 7 7 Unfortunately for the Kenilworth Road faithful, Luton just could not shake off the habit of losing. Under former boss Rob Edwards, who guided Town to the Premier League, Luton collected just six points from their last 16 matches of the 2023-24 campaign. If fans had the impression that the Championship would be easier, they were plunged back down to earth with a cruel bump when they lost 4-1 at home to Burnley on the opening day last August. The Clarets would bounce back to the top flight at the first time of asking, the Hatters would not. While their 5-1 battering at Middlesbrough prompted boss Edwards to admit that he felt "numb" to the situation. Luton tried to stay faithful to the man that got them up to the Premier League, but finally pulled the trigger in January when their desperate situation became impossible to ignore. In came Matt Bloomfield, ditching a League One promotion charge with Wycombe Wanderers for a relegation dogfight at Luton. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 7 Bloomfield won just four of his first 15 games in charge of Wycombe, so a slow start at Luton may not have been totally unpredictable. But the 41-year-old taking nine matches to secure his first Hatters win left his side with an awful lot to do. Rob Edwards reflects on Luton Town's loss to Queens Park Rangers A late charge did see Luton briefly climb out of the relegation zone. But a 5-3 collapse at West Brom on the final day sealed their fate, condemning the Hatters to relegation. Last summer, Luton lost the likes of Ross Barkley, Chiedozie Ogbene and Andros Townsend, while club stalwart Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu was allowed to go out on loan. Then there was inspirational skipper Tom Lockyer, the centre-back who suffered a second cardiac arrest on the pitch last season. The Wales international has since recovered and been cleared to return, but a slew of injuries have kept him off the pitch this season. His future at Kenilworth Road remains in doubt. Speaking of Luton's traditional home, so embedded in the community, the Hatters recently announced plans to move into a new 25,000-seater stadium. Despite their relegation, CEO Gary Sweet remains bullish on the prospect. 'THAT'S WHO WE ARE' Speaking to The Athletic, Sweet said: "That is what the Premier League has done for us. "What I've been saying this week when we've announced the contractor to build Power Court (the location of the new ground) is that during the course of this lifetime we're going to be playing football in that stadium in the Premier League, the Championship, in League One and, most probably, League Two because that's Luton Town. 'That's who we are, they are the journeys we take, as our history has absolutely proven. "So whether we are League One or Championship next season, it makes really no difference to the specification of that programme, the timeline or delivery of Power Court. "All we do is regroup as a football club and a football team." In a club statement, chairman David Wilkinson bullishly added: "The in-depth analysis started before relegation was confirmed, as individuals and as a Club, as we set about working harder and more effectively to build on the run of form that, before Saturday's defeat, had put us in with such a chance of survival. "All we can promise, at this moment, is that we will review, regroup and rebuild. Indeed, this has started. "We must recover the spirit that was so familiar to us on our rise, and we will use this now as a catalyst for a renewed determination and focus to achieve one objective. "Lengthy discussions have already taken place with Matt [Bloomfield] and his staff regarding next season designed to reshape our squad into a proper Luton team we can all be proud to watch next season. "No stone will go unturned as we review and prepare for the 2025/26 season, hopefully, with fresh optimism and renewed vigour." From duelling with the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool last season, Luton will have to overcome Mansfield and Burton next term. 7 7
The Irish Sun
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
From Man Utd to Mansfield… where it all went wrong for Luton as they're relegated twice and end up in League One
LUTON TOWN have been relegated AGAIN just 12 months on from their Premier League survival fight. The Hatters finished just six points behind Advertisement 7 Luton Town have been relegated to League One Credit: Rex 7 The Hatters' relegation was confirmed last weekend Credit: Getty 7 Luton failed to ditch their losing habit from last season Credit: Prime Media 7 Matt Bloomfield arrived in January but could not keep Luton up Credit: Getty Unfortunately for the Kenilworth Road faithful, Under former boss If fans had the impression that the Championship would be easier, they were plunged back down to earth with a cruel bump when they lost 4-1 at home to The Clarets would bounce back to the top flight at the first time of asking, the Hatters would not. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL Chastening defeats at While their 5-1 battering at Luton tried to stay faithful to the man that got them up to the Premier League, but finally pulled the trigger in January when their desperate situation became impossible to ignore. In came Matt Bloomfield, ditching a League One promotion charge with Advertisement Most read in EFL Exclusive CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 7 Rob Edwards was sacked by Luton in January Credit: Getty Bloomfield won just four of his first 15 games in charge of Wycombe, so a slow start at Luton may not have been totally unpredictable. But the 41-year-old taking nine matches to secure his first Hatters win left his side with an awful lot to do. Advertisement Rob Edwards reflects on Luton Town's loss to Queens Park Rangers A late charge did see Luton briefly climb out of the relegation zone. But a 5-3 collapse at Last summer, Luton lost the likes of Ross Barkley, Chiedozie Ogbene and Then there was inspirational skipper Advertisement The His future at Kenilworth Road remains in doubt. Speaking of Luton's traditional home, so embedded in the community, the Hatters recently Despite their relegation, CEO Gary Sweet remains bullish on the prospect. Advertisement 'THAT'S WHO WE ARE' Speaking to "What I've been saying this week when we've announced the contractor to build Power Court (the location of the new ground) is that during the course of this lifetime we're going to be playing football in that stadium in the Premier League, the Championship, in League One and, most probably, League Two because that's Luton Town. 'That's who we are, they are the journeys we take, as our history has absolutely proven. "So whether we are League One or Championship next season, it makes really no difference to the specification of that programme, the timeline or delivery of Power Court. Advertisement "All we do is regroup as a football club and a football team." In a club statement, chairman David Wilkinson bullishly added: "The in-depth analysis started before relegation was confirmed, as individuals and as a Club, as we set about working harder and more effectively to build on the run of form that, before Saturday's defeat, had put us in with such a chance of survival. "All we can promise, at this moment, is that we will review, regroup and rebuild. Indeed, this has started. "We must recover the spirit that was so familiar to us on our rise, and we will use this now as a catalyst for a renewed determination and focus to achieve one objective. Advertisement "Lengthy discussions have already taken place with Matt [Bloomfield] and his staff regarding next season designed to reshape our squad into a proper Luton team we can all be proud to watch next season. "No stone will go unturned as we review and prepare for the 2025/26 season, hopefully, with fresh optimism and renewed vigour." From duelling with the likes of 7 Luton rallied late on in the season but could not stay up Credit: Rex Advertisement 7 The Hatters will battle the likes of Mansfield next season Credit: Rex
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Luton already planning 'squad reshape'
Luton Town chairman David Wilkinson has promised that "no stone will go unturned" to set the club back on an upwards path following relegation in two successive seasons. After winning promotion to the Premier League in 2023, The Hatters will start the 2025-26 campaign back in League One after Saturday's 5-3 defeat at West Brom confirmed their relegation from the Championship. In a statement on the club website, Wilkinson said he wanted to express the board's "collective frustration, anger and disappointment" at how the season ended. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement But there appears to be no threat to the position of head coach Matt Bloomfield, who was only appointed in January following Rob Edwards' mid-season departure from Kenilworth Road. "Lengthy discussions have already taken place with Matt and his staff regarding next season designed to reshape our squad into a proper Luton team we can all be proud to watch next season," said Wilkinson. Luton won only 13 of their 46 games but went down on goal difference only, when a draw would have been enough to relegate Hull City instead. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement "We have all seen the ups and downs, and as bad as Saturday seems right now, there have been darker days, from which we fought back and went on to make history," said Wilkinson. "We are all accountable and recognise that errors have been made off the pitch, just as they have been on it, to contribute to that end result. We are all so truly sorry the season has finished as it has. "The in-depth analysis started before relegation was confirmed, as individuals and as a club, as we set about working harder and more effectively to build on the run of form that, before Saturday's defeat, had put us in with such a chance of survival. "All we can promise, at this moment, is that we will review, regroup and rebuild. Indeed, this has started. We must recover the spirit that was so familiar to us on our rise, and we will use this now as a catalyst for a renewed determination and focus to achieve one objective." ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Luton players have also issued apologies to supporters. Goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski posted on X that relegation "hurts a lot". He said: "I'm truly sorry from the bottom of my heart. This wasn't what any of us wanted, or what this club or its people deserved. "Thank you deeply to all the fans for never leaving us aside, not even for a moment." Defender Kal Naismith, who returned to the club on loan in January, having previously been part of the Luton squad which reached the Championship play-off semi-finals in 2022, said he was "absolutely devastated". His loan from Bristol City has now ended but he said on X: "I'm so grateful I got to play for this special club again.... Stick together and come back stronger, it's the only way."
