The 2020–21 season was the 135th in the history of Luton Town Football Club, a professional association football club based in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. Their 19th-place finish in 2019–20 meant it was the club's second consecutive season in the Championship and 95th season in the English Football League. Luton were eliminated in the third round of the 2020–21 EFL Cup, after being beaten 3–0 at home to Premier League club Manchester United, and lost 3–1 away to Chelsea, also of the Premier League, in the FA Cup fourth round.

Background and pre-season

The 2019–20 season was Luton Town's first season back in the Championship after a 12-year absence, having won the League One title in 2018–19. Manager Graeme Jones had his contract terminated by mutual consent in April 2020 with Luton in 23rd place, as part of a restructure of the club's football department to reduce its cost base, after professional football in England was suspended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With nine matches remaining in the 2019–20 Championship season and the club six points from safety, Nathan Jones was reappointed manager in May, after leaving Stoke City in November 2019. The season resumed in June, and despite being in the relegation zone with one match remaining, Jones led Luton to safety from relegation with a 19th-place finish, after a 3–2 home win over Blackburn Rovers on the final day of the season.

At the end of the 2019–20 season, Luton released Jacob Butterfield and Callum McManaman, while Luke Berry, Danny Hylton, Elliot Lee, Kazenga LuaLua and Glen Rea were retained with new contracts. Luton made four pre-season signings, including defenders James Bree from Aston Villa, Tom Lockyer from Charlton Athletic, Rhys Norrington-Davies on loan from Sheffield United, and midfielder Jordan Clark from Accrington Stanley.

+ Pre-season match detailsDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceBerkhamstedAW9–0Neufville 11', Hylton (3) 16', 39' pen., 40', Bradley 23', Moncur 51', Collins (3) 60', 67', 84'0StevenageAW1–0Cornick 79'0WealdstoneAW3–0LuaLua 9', Clark 34', Shinnie 50'0Northampton TownAW3–0Collins 62', LuaLua 77', Cranie 81'0

Competitions EFL Championship

+ EFL Championship match detailsDateLeaguepositionOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendance6thBarnsleyAW1–0Collins 71'02ndDerby CountyHW2–1Berry 34', Clark 87'06thWatfordAL0–105thWycombe WanderersHW2–0Mpanzu 59', Lee 89'06thStoke CityHL0–2010thMillwallAL0–209thSheffield WednesdayAW1–0Mpanzu 74'09thNottingham ForestHD1–1Rea 22'013thBrentfordHL0–309thRotherham UnitedAW1–0Collins 70'010thHuddersfield TownAD1–1Moncur 21'010thBlackburn RoversHD1–1Berry 69'09thBirmingham CityHD1–1Pearson 37'012thCardiff CityAL0–4011thNorwich CityHW3–1Moncur 15', Pearson 22', Collins 47' pen.1,00012thSwansea CityAL0–2013thCoventry CityAD0–0011thPreston North EndHW3–0Collins (3) 20', 29', 66'2,00013thMiddlesbroughAL0–1014thAFC BournemouthHD0–0015thReadingAL1–2LuaLua 90'013thBristol CityHW2–1Rea 17', Dewsbury-Hall 68'014thQueens Park RangersHL0–2012thAFC BournemouthAW1–0Dewsbury-Hall 67'013thBrentfordAL0–1013thBlackburn RoversAL0–1015thHuddersfield TownHD1–1Collins 11'014thBirmingham CityAW1–0Potts 31'015thCardiff CityHL0–2016thStoke CityAL0–3017thMillwallHD1–1Adebayo 55'014thSheffield WednesdayHW3–2Naismith 50', Tunnicliffe 58', Adebayo 86'013thNottingham ForestAW1–0Tunnicliffe 64'014thNorwich CityAL0–3016thSwansea CityHL0–1013thCoventry CityHW2–0Bree 23', Adebayo 42' pen.013thPreston North EndAW1–0Iversen 83' o.g.013thDerby CountyAL0–2013thBarnsleyHL1–2Collins 83'013thWycombe WanderersAW3–1Moncur 80', LuaLua 85', Adebayo 88'013thWatfordHW1–0Collins 78' pen.012thReadingHD0–0011thBristol CityAW3–2Collins 59', Adebayo 68', Cornick 74'012thMiddlesbroughHD1–1Rea 19'012thRotherham UnitedHD0–0012thQueens Park RangersAL1–3Dewsbury-Hall 43'0

League table

Results summary

FA Cup

+ FA Cup match detailsRoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceThird roundReadingHW1–0Moncur 30'0Fourth roundChelseaAL1–3Clark 30'0

EFL Cup

+ EFL Cup match detailsRoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceFirst roundNorwich CityHW3–1Collins (3) 79' pen., 83', 90+5'0Second roundReadingAW1–0Clark 24'0Third roundManchester UnitedHL0–30

Transfers In DatePlayerClubFee5 August 2020Jordan Clark(Accrington Stanley)Free1 September 2020James BreeAston VillaUndisclosed1 September 2020Tom Lockyer(Charlton Athletic)Free15 October 2020Joe MorrellBristol CityUndisclosed18 November 2020Gabriel Osho(Reading)Free15 January 2021Kal Naismith(Wigan Athletic)Free1 February 2021Elijah AdebayoWalsallUndisclosed

Brackets around club names indicate the player's contract with that club had expired before he joined Luton.

Out DatePlayerClubFee19 February 2021Andrew ShinnieCharlton AthleticFree19 May 2021James Collins(Cardiff City)Free30 June 2021Martin CranieReleased30 June 2021Brendan Galloway(Plymouth Argyle)Released30 June 2021Harry IstedReleased30 June 2021George Moncur (Hull City)Released 30 June 2021Kazenga LuaLua(Gençlerbirliği)Released30 June 2021Tiernan ParkerReleased30 June 2021Matty Pearson(Huddersfield Town)Free30 June 2021Ryan Tunnicliffe(Portsmouth)Free

Brackets around club names indicate the player joined that club after his Luton contract expired.

Loan in DatePlayerClubReturn3 September 2020Rhys Norrington-DaviesSheffield UnitedRecalled 12 January 202116 October 2020Kiernan Dewsbury-HallLeicester CityEnd of season16 October 2020Sam NombeMilton Keynes DonsEnd of season1 February 2021Tom InceStoke CityEnd of season

Loan out DatePlayerClubReturn11 September 2020Harry IstedWealdstoneRecalled 30 November 202029 September 2020Tiernan ParkerHitchin TownOne month15 October 2020Peter KiosoBolton WanderersRecalled 11 January 202116 October 2020Andrew ShinnieCharlton Athletic19 February 20211 December 2020Josh NeufvilleYeovil TownEnd of season1 December 2020Gabriel OshoYeovil TownRecalled 2 January 202121 January 2021Gabriel OshoRochdaleEnd of season25 January 2021Peter KiosoNorthampton TownEnd of season30 January 2021Harry IstedWealdstoneRecalled 5 April 20211 February 2021Elliot LeeOxford UnitedEnd of season

Appearances and goals Source: Discipline records accessed via individual player pages. Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute. Players with names struck through and marked left the club during the playing season. Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Luton. Players listed with no appearances have been in the matchday squad but only as unused substitutes. Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward

+ Players included in matchday squadsNo.Pos.Nat.NameLeagueFA CupEFL CupTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GKJames Shea700030100102DFMartin Cranie20 (3)0001 (1)021 (4)0503DFDan Potts20 (4)11 (1)00021 (5)1204MFRyan Tunnicliffe17 (7)2202021 (7)2205DFSonny Bradley36 (1)0103040 (1)0706DFMatty Pearson38 (2)2001039 (2)2517FWHarry Cornick28 (12)1101 (1)030 (13)1108MFLuke Berry22 (9)20 (2)01023 (11)2409FWDanny Hylton6 (10)010209 (10)05010FWElliot Lee8 (4)1101 (2)010 (6)10011MFAndrew Shinnie 000020200012GKSimon Sluga39020004101014MFGeorge Moncur10 (11)31 (1)12013 (12)40015DFTom Lockyer18 (2)0102021 (2)00116MFGlen Rea33 (7)3101035 (7)311017MFPelly Ruddock Mpanzu38 (6)2101040 (6)24018MFJordan Clark23 (11)11 (1)12 (1)126 (13)31019FWJames Collins29 (13)100 (1)01330 (14)134020DFPeter Kioso00001 (1)01 (1)01021GKHarry Isted000000000022MFKiernan Dewsbury-Hall *36 (3)3100037 (3)33023DFBrendan Galloway001000100024DFRhys Norrington-Davies * 16 (2)00 (1)03019 (3)02024MFKal Naismith17 (5)1100018 (5)11025MFKazenga LuaLua5 (18)20 (2)02 (1)07 (21)23026DFJames Bree16 (8)1201019 (8)10027FWSam Nombe *1 (10)010002 (10)01028MFJoe Morrell5 (5)010006 (5)00029FWElijah Adebayo15 (3)5000015 (3)50030MFDion Pereira0 (1)000000 (1)00033MFSam Beckwith000000000038DFGabriel Osho001000100039MFTom Ince *3 (4)000003 (4)000

+ Players not included in matchday squadsNo.Pos.Nat.Name31GKTiernan Parker32DFAvan Jones34MFJake Peck35DFCorey Panter37FWJosh Neufville

References