The 2011–12 season was the 126th season in the history of Luton Town Football Club. Their third-place finish and subsequent penalty shoot-out loss to AFC Wimbledon in the Conference Premier play-off final in 2010–11 meant they competed in non-League football for the third consecutive year.
Luton finished the season in fifth place – the club's lowest ever finish in the English football league system – though this was enough to secure a play-off place in the last game of the league season. As in 2010–11, Luton defeated Wrexham in the play-off semi-final, only to be beaten in the final, this time in a 2–1 loss to York City at Wembley Stadium.
Manager Gary Brabin was sacked in late March 2012 after a poor run of results saw Luton fall to seventh in the table and lose in the FA Trophy semi-final. He was replaced by former Torquay United and Bristol Rovers manager Paul Buckle.
This article covers the period from 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012.
Background
After a 30-point deduction and subsequent relegation from The Football League in 2008–09, Luton found themselves in unfamiliar territory in a league outside the top four divisions for the first time in 89 years. Their first campaign in the Conference Premier ended with defeat in the play-offs to York City, despite finishing the season in second place with the highest goals scored tally. The next season saw the club again placed as favourites for promotion, though no team in the division could even come close to overtaking runaway leaders Crawley Town as champions. The failure to win automatic promotion saw manager Richard Money leave the club by mutual consent towards the end of the season, where he was replaced by assistant manager Gary Brabin. The season also saw a large turnaround in playing staff, not least in the departures of the 2009–10 season's top scorers Tom Craddock and Kevin Gallen, sold and loaned respectively to clubs in the league above, and the retirement of club captain Kevin Nicholls. The club's transfer policy, previously focused on signing experienced ex-league players like Mark Tyler, Adam Newton and Alan White, instead shifted to buying younger players who had spent the vast majority of their career in non-league football, such as Andy Drury, Charlie Henry, Alex Lawless, Amari Morgan-Smith, Jason Walker, and Robbie Willmott.
Luton finished in third place in the league, 21 points behind Crawley, meaning they were entered into the play-offs for the second year in a row. The club played Wrexham in the semi-final, winning 5–1 on aggregate in two dominating displays. This set up a final against AFC Wimbledon at the City of Manchester Stadium, from which Luton lost 4–3 in a penalty shoot-out after a goalless and evenly matched 120 minutes.
In the close season, Luton began reshaping their squad for the next year. Adam Newton, Lloyd Owusu, Zdeněk Kroča and Jason Walker all left the club, while Aaron O'Connor and Dean Beckwith were bought in as free transfers on a two-year contract.
Review
July On 1 July, winger Claude Gnakpa signed on a free transfer for League One side Walsall after reaching the end of his Luton contract. Gnakpa had scored 15 goals in the previous season. Defenders Ed Asafu-Adjaye and Fred Murray both signed new contracts with the club on 12 July.
A friendly against near-neighbours Hitchin Town on 15 July saw Luton run out as 4–2 winners, with trialist Drewe Broughton scoring two goals. Following this, the club embarked on a pre-season tour of North Wales, beginning with a match against The New Saints on 17 July. Luton were comprehensively beaten 3–0. Luton followed up their loss to TNS with a 2–1 victory over Airbus UK Broughton on 19 July. They ended the tour on a high, with Matthew Barnes-Homer scoring the only goal in a 1–0 win against Colwyn Bay on 21 July. During the tour a number of players were taken on trial, including Broughton, defender Will Antwi, and midfielder Jon Routledge.
On 18 July, the club signed Crawley Town winger James Dance for an undisclosed fee on a two-year contract.
A local friendly at Bedford Town on 23 July ended in a 1–0 victory for the home side. Luton had retained Antwi and Broughton as trialists, in addition to former Rushden & Diamonds defender Curtis Osano and out-of-contract striker Leon McKenzie. Luton's first home friendly was on 27 July against Azerbaijan Premier League side Gabala FC, managed by former England captain Tony Adams. Fielding a team that involved new trialist striker Nathan Elder, Luton lost the game 3–2, with goals coming from Elder and new signing Aaron O'Connor. Young midfielder Adam Watkins drew praise from manager Gary Brabin after the game for his performance against strong opposition.
On 29 July, Luton signed defensive duo Will Antwi and Curtis Osano on six-month contracts after a successful trial period. Osano scored a 25-yard goal in a 4–0 win over Cambridge City on 30 July. Other goals came from Adam Watkins and two from Aaron O'Connor.
August On 2 August Luton played against Italian Serie A side Parma, losing 2–0. The club's final pre-season fixture at home was a match on 5 August against Premier League team Queens Park Rangers. Luton conceded a goal within 30 seconds of kick-off, but recovered to record a 3–1 victory over their more illustrious opponents. The last first-team friendly, albeit with a weaker squad than the one that beat QPR, took place the next day, with Luton going down 2–1 to Conference North side Corby Town. Former Southampton and Southend United striker Matt Paterson was on trial with Luton, playing for the majority of the game against Corby. The final game of pre-season involved a Luton XI side playing against Arlesey Town in the Bedfordshire Premier Cup final on 9 August. Luton lost the game 2–1, with Danny Crow scoring. After the game, it was confirmed that trialists Nathan Elder and Matt Paterson would not be offered contracts. Luton made a bid for League Two side Oxford United's striker James Constable on 10 August, though this was rejected by the club.
On 11 August, it was confirmed that Luton's first game of the season against AFC Telford United would be postponed due to stretched police resources in the wake of the 2011 England riots and a planned English Defence League march in Telford that same day.
On 12 August, Luton loaned out young defenders Alex Lacey and JJ O'Donnell to Cambridge City for one month.
Luton's first game of the season against Forest Green Rovers on 16 August ended in a 1–1 draw, with Dean Beckwith scoring a goal on his debut.
The next day, it was announced that Forest Green had turned down a bid from Luton for their top-scorer Reece Styche. Later, it also emerged Gateshead had rejected a £40,000 bid for their own top-scorer Jon Shaw.
Luton recorded a 5–1 victory over Southport on 20 August, with goals coming from Adam Watkins, Will Antwi, Amari Morgan-Smith, Robbie Willmott and Danny Crow. Two days after his impressive performance against Southport, 19-year-old Watkins signed a two-year contract extension.
Before Luton's game away at Mansfield Town on 23 August, it was announced that first-team midfielders Alex Lawless, Keith Keane and Robbie Willmott had all picked up injuries and were ruled out, expanding the injury list to seven first-team players. Luton went a goal down for the third time in as many games, but secured a 1–1 draw when Will Antwi headed in late on.
On 25 August, striker Matthew Barnes-Homer joined League One side Rochdale on loan until January 2012. The next day, Southport attacking midfielder John Paul Kissock joined Luton on a two-year contract for an undisclosed fee. As part of the deal, Luton midfielder Godfrey Poku and striker Dan Walker joined Southport on loan until December 2011. League One side Stevenage made two bids for Luton midfielder Keith Keane on 27 August, though both were rejected. Luton played Braintree Town later that day, winning 3–1 with two goals from Amari Morgan-Smith and one from Jake Howells. Luton played their second away game of the season on 30 August, managing a 2–2 draw against Hayes & Yeading United despite having missed two penalties during the game. Amari Morgan-Smith and Danny Crow scored Luton's goals, which left the club eighth in the table at the end of August with a game in hand over all teams above them.
Transfer deadline day, 31 August, saw Luton reject a bid from Forest Green for winger Robbie Willmott. Later that evening, Luton signed two strikers; Trinidad and Tobago international Collin Samuel as a free agent on a one-year contract, and Hereford United's Stuart Fleetwood on a two-year contract for an undisclosed fee.
September Luton played Stockport County on 2 September, conceding a goal in stoppage time to record a 1–1 draw. Alex Lawless had put Luton ahead in the fifth minute with a 25-yard strike, before Stockport hit back late on through a deflected Sean McConville goal. Stuart Fleetwood made his debut as a substitute, hitting the post with the last kick of the game. On 9 September Luton signed Hayes & Yeading United captain Jamie Hand on loan. Hand made his debut in midfield the next day as Luton ran out comfortable 2–0 victors over Darlington. Danny Crow opened the scoring in the first half, before Darlington had Graeme Lee sent off for persistent fouling. Stuart Fleetwood scored the second goal on his home debut. A 2–0 win over AFC Telford United on 13 September propelled Luton to third in the table. Amari Morgan-Smith scored both goals, taking his tally for the season to six. This game also saw Keith Keane make his 250th appearance for the club. Four days later, the club extended its winning run to three games with a 1–0 home victory over Lincoln City, Stuart Fleetwood scoring the winning goal late on. The victory was made more significant as Luton had played 70 minutes of the match with only 10 men after Dean Beckwith was sent off for violent conduct. With Beckwith suspended for the next three games, and defenders George Pilkington, Shane Blackett, Dan Gleeson, Fred Murray, Curtis Osano and Keith Keane all injured, manager Gary Brabin moved to bring in Hungarian centre-back János Kovács on an emergency one-month loan from Hereford United on 19 September. Kovács had previously played for Luton in the latter half of the 2009–10 season. Kovács played the next day away at Bath City. Morgan-Smith scored for Luton late in the first half, but Bath hit back to secure a 1–1 draw, despite ending the match with nine men. Other results meant the draw lifted Luton to the top of the table for the first time in the season.
The next day, Luton sold 16-year-old youth midfielder Michael Cain to Championship side Leicester City. The transfer fee was an undisclosed five figure fee, with add-ons and a sell-on clause included.
Luton underwent back-to-back defeats to York City and Cambridge United on 24 and 27 September respectively, knocking them from first to ninth in the table. During the half-time break of the 3–0 defeat away at York, midfielder Alex Lawless broke his hand after punching a wall out of frustration, resulting in him being ruled out for around a month and being handed a fine.
October