During the 1999–2000 English football season, Luton Town F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division.

Background Luton suffered from severe financial difficulty throughout the 1998–99 season and were forced to sell a number of established players and promising young stars.One of the club's directors, Cliff Bassett, made the decision to place the club into receivership as part of a move to shift controversial owner David Kohler out of the club. Kohler, accused by Luton supporters of selling the club's assets while continuing to draw a large salary of his own and of promoting an unworkable stadium project (known as the 'Kohlerdome') for his own means, relinquished his position as chairman on 20 February 1999 following the discovery of a petrol bomb in his letterbox. Despite his departure, Kohler remained as the majority shareholder and held out from selling until a suitable offer was made. Numerous bids from consortia fell through, unable to meet Kohler's demands, until, after being told by the Football League that the club would be unable to compete in the 1999–2000 season unless it was out of receivership, Bassett himself stepped in hours before the deadline and bought out Kohler's shares. Luton finished the 1999–2000 season in 13th position, relying heavily on players brought through the youth system, such as Emmerson Boyce, Gary Doherty, Matthew Taylor, Matthew Spring and Liam George. Bassett made it clear throughout the season that his intention was to find a new owner for the club and, on 23 May 2000, Luton Town was sold to a consortium led by businessman Mike Watson-Challis.

Season summary Just before the 1999–2000 season, the club was sold to Cliff Bassett, while player sales continued to balance the books. Young duo Kelvin Davis and Chris Willmott were sold to Wimbledon for £900,000, and Lawrence was forced to sell Gary Doherty late on in the season, but he successfully kept an inexperienced Luton side up once again. Mike Watson-Challis then purchased the club in 2000, and Lawrence was sacked to be replaced by former Luton player Ricky Hill.

Final league table

Results Luton Town's score comes first

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League Second Division DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 7 August 1999 Notts CountyA0–06,141 14 August 1999 BlackpoolH3–25,176George (2), Spring 21 August 1999 ReadingA2–18,741Fotiadis, George 28 August 1999 Cardiff CityH1–05,374Gray 31 August 1999 AFC BournemouthA0–14,797 4 September 1999 BuryH1–14,633Fotiadis 11 September 1999 WrexhamH3–15,121Taylor, Spring, George 18 September 1999 BrentfordA0–27,039 25 September 1999 Oxford UnitedH4–26,102George (2), Fraser, Locke 2 October 1999 Wigan AthleticA0–16,866 9 October 1999 Oldham AthleticA1–24,532Midgley 16 October 1999 GillinghamH3–16,394George (2, 1 pen), Douglas 19 October 1999 Wycombe WanderersH1–15,820Douglas 23 October 1999 Oxford UnitedA1–05,866George 2 November 1999 MillwallA0–16,181 6 November 1999 BurnleyH2–17,205Midgley (2) 12 November 1999 Cambridge UnitedA1–36,211George 23 November 1999 Preston North EndH0–25,124 27 November 1999 Bristol RoversA0–37,805 4 December 1999 Notts CountyH2–25,195Doherty, Thorpe 17 December 1999 Colchester UnitedA0–33,049 26 December 1999 ChesterfieldH1–15,870Locke 28 December 1999 Bristol CityA0–011,832 3 January 2000 Scunthorpe UnitedH4–15,574Douglas, Gray, Spring (2) 8 January 2000 Stoke CityA1–210,016Spring (pen) 15 January 2000 BlackpoolA3–35,262Locke, Gray, Taylor 22 January 2000 ReadingH3–16,044Watts, George (2) 30 January 2000 Cardiff CityA3–16,185Watts, Spring, George 5 February 2000 AFC BournemouthH1–25,961Boyce 8 February 2000 Stoke CityH2–15,396Gray (2) 12 February 2000 BuryA0–13,760 19 February 2000 Bristol RoversH1–46,520Gray 26 February 2000 BrentfordH1–26,029Gray 4 March 2000 WrexhamA0–12,703 7 March 2000 BurnleyA2–012,080White, Gray 11 March 2000 MillwallH0–26,341 18 March 2000 Preston North EndA0–113,731 21 March 2000 Cambridge UnitedH2–25,379Doherty, McLaren 25 March 2000 ChesterfieldA3–12,597Doherty, Watts, George 1 April 2000 Colchester UnitedH3–25,125Watts, Doherty, Taylor 8 April 2000 Scunthorpe UnitedA2–13,811Gray, Doherty 18 April 2000 Bristol CityH1–24,771Doherty 22 April 2000 GillinghamA0–28,667 24 April 2000 Wigan AthleticH1–15,010Gray 29 April 2000 Wycombe WanderersA1–05,379Taylor 6 May 2000 Oldham AthleticH1–15,963Gray

FA Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR130 October 1999 KingstonianH4–24,682Gray, George, Spring, TaylorR219 November 1999 Lincoln CityH2–24,291Doherty (2)R2R30 November 1999 Lincoln CityA1–03,822DouglasR311 December 1999 FulhamA2–28,251George, SpringR3R21 December 1999 FulhamH0–38,170

League Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR1 1st Leg 10 August 1999 Bristol RoversH0–22,984R1 2nd Leg 24 August 1999 Bristol RoversA2–2 (lost 2–4 agg)4,414Kandol, Doherty

Football League Trophy

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersSR17 December 1999 Oxford UnitedA0–21,220

Squad

Left club during season

Player details Players arranged in alphabetical order by surname.

Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupFL TrophyTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGK Nathan Abbey32 (1)050201040 (1)0DF James Ayres0000001010DF Emmerson Boyce23 (7)10 (2)0201026 (9)1DF Gary Doherty406520 (2)11046 (2)9FW Stuart Douglas35 (5)351201043 (5)4FW Andrew Fotiadis8 (14)2000 (2)0008 (16)2DF Stuart Fraser201501010271FW Liam George35 (7)14520 (1)01041 (8)16FW Phil Gray28 (1)1111200031 (1)12DF Marvin Johnson440500010500FW Trésor Kandol1 (3)00011002 (3)1MF Adam Locke27 (7)33 (1)0101031 (8)3DF Gavin McGowan9 (3)00000009 (3)0MF Michael McIndoe2 (14)00 (2)020004 (16)0MF Ray McKinnon0 (3)00010001 (3)0FW Paul McLaren25 (4)14)0100030 (4)1FW Neil Midgley8 (2)30000008 (2)3FW Paul Read0000000 (1)00 (1)0GK Ben Roberts140000000140MF Andre Scarlett2 (1)000000 (1)02 (2)0DF Efe Sodje5 (4)01 (1)020109 (5)0MF Matthew Spring44 (1)652101051 (1)8DF Matthew Taylor39 (2)451100045 (2)5FW Tony Thorpe3 (1)10000003 (1)1DF Julian Watts454502000524DF Alan White16 (3)100200018 (3)1MF Landry Zahana-Oni0 (1)00000000 (1)0

See also List of Luton Town F.C. seasons

References