Football Season Guide

Luton begin another season in the Conference and will be hoping that finally, after three long years, that their luck will change and they will return to the Football League where they belong. Three times they have reached the play-offs since dropping down but three times they failed to make the big step. In May they suffered a 2:1 loss against York at Wembley when they were beaten by a clear offside goal and were bound to feel hard done by. Still, it was not all downhill at the end of the campaign as Paul Buckle did a remarkable job in the six weeks after he took over. He galvanised the team and gave them purpose and will now expect to make a flying start to the season after having a full pre-season with the Hatters. They are of course among the favourites again and did some smart business in the summer. The most coveted striker in the league, Jon Shaw, left Gateshead to join Luton and will be the focal point of what should be an atomic forward line having scored 45 league goals over the previous two seasons. The worry must be in the back where stalwarts George Pilkington and Keith Keane departed but Ronnie Henry is a good signing and will ensure robustness at the back. On the whole, the squad looks as good as any in the league but that was true in the previous seasons too and is no guarantee for success. Buckle will need to make his team more efficient, more consistent and more streetwise in order to take the league by the scruff of the neck and finally achieve the coveted promotion.