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Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Luton, Bedfordshire. Rising back to the top flight of English football for a season in 1974–75, the remainder of the decade was spent in the second tier. David Pleat's appointment as manager in 1978 prompted the development of a strong team that won promotion after the 1981–82 season; Pleat consolidated Luton's position in the top tier before leaving in 1986. Ray Harford's Luton team subsequently achieved a 3–2 victory over Arsenal in the 1988 League Cup Final, before settling for runners-up medals at the next year's Final after losing 2–1 to Nottingham Forest. Luton were relegated from the top flight after the 1991–92 season, after ten successive seasons as a top division club. The team made an FA Cup semi-final appearance in 1993–94, once again under Pleat, before suffering a second relegation in 1995. Luton were relegated to the fourth tier in 2001, but under Joe Kinnear bounced back at the first attempt. Mike Newell became manager in 2003, and led Luton to the Football League Championship before he was sacked in 2007. Three successive relegations and a total of 40 points deducted over the latter two seasons for financial irregularities saw Luton Town relegated from The Football League into the Conference Premier at the end of the 2008–09 season. They remained in the fifth-tier for five seasons, until winning promotion with a club-record 101 points in 2013–14. The club currently competes in League Two. ==Gradual rise (1970–82)== Malcolm Macdonald took his goalscoring form into 1970–71 as Luton did extremely well in their first season back in the Second Division, finishing sixth and only seven points away from promotion to the First Division.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 url = http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/1970-1971 )〕 However, success on the pitch was not matched off it – April saw the club announce a £173,116 loss, and the club appealed to the supporters for money to cover their shortfalls. In the end, it was Macdonald himself who ended the crisis as he was sold to Newcastle United for £180,000 a month later. Two years in mid-table followed Macdonald's sale, as Luton finished first 13th,〔(【引用サイトリンク】 url = http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/1971-1972 )〕 then 12th.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 url = http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/1972-1973 )〕 In 1972 manager Alec Stock moved on to be replaced by Harry Haslam.〔 Luton managed a second-place finish in 1973–74 which saw them promoted, but only managed a solitary year in the top flight, as 1974–75 ended with relegation by a single point.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 url = http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/1973-1974 )〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】 url = http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/1974-1975 )〕 December 1975 saw another serious financial crisis at the club, with a special meeting called for the club's shareholders. The refusal of the club's bankers to extend their credit led to Luton's directors paying the wage bill with their own money to prevent the club from being closed down. Liquidation was averted by the sale of Peter Anderson to Royal Antwerp, with the £80,000 raised alleviating the strain on the club's finances. Despite these backroom problems, Luton still managed a creditable seventh-place finish in 1975–76.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 url = http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/1975-1976 )〕 The next season saw Luton finish sixth,〔(【引用サイトリンク】 url = http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/1976-1977 )〕 before a drop to 13th in 1977–78 prompted Haslam's departure to Sheffield United.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 url = http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/1977-1978 )〕 This gave the young assistant manager, David Pleat, his chance. The club came close to the drop during Pleat's first full season in charge but, following the shrewd acquisition of a number of key players, the club were soon challenging for promotion once again.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 url = http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/1978-1979 )〕 Pleat's astute signings, including Mal Donaghy, David Moss and captain Brian Horton, complemented the existing home-grown talent personified by skilful midfielder Ricky Hill and prolific goalscorer Brian Stein. Pleat even dabbled in the overseas market, signing Yugoslav defender Raddy Antić from Spanish club Real Zaragoza in 1980. Luton came sixth,〔(【引用サイトリンク】 url = http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/1979-1980 )〕 then fifth,〔(【引用サイトリンク】 url = http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/1980-1981 )〕 and then romped home as champions in 1981–82, spending only one week off of the top spot from October onwards, amassing 88 points and clinching the championship eight points ahead of second placed arch-rivals Watford.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 url = http://www.statto.com/football/teams/luton-town/1981-1982 )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「History of Luton Town F.C. (1970–present)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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