1999–2000 Luton Town F.C. season

Luton Town 1999–2000 football season
Luton Town
1999–2000 season
ChairmanCliff Bassett
ManagerLennie Lawrence
StadiumKenilworth Road
Second Division13th
FA CupThird round
League CupFirst round
Football League TrophyFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: George (14)
All: George (16)
Average home league attendance5,658

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.[citation needed]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[1] 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.[1] 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.[citation needed]


Season summary

Just before the 1999–2000 season, the club was sold to Cliff Bassett, while player sales continued to balance the books.[2] 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,[2] and Lawrence was sacked to be replaced by former Luton player Ricky Hill.[3]

Final league table

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
11 Wrexham 46 17 11 18 52 61 −9 62
12 Wycombe Wanderers 46 16 13 17 56 53 +3 61
13 Luton Town 46 17 10 19 61 65 −4 61
14 Oldham Athletic 46 16 12 18 50 55 −5 60
15 Bury 46 13 18 15 61 64 −3 57
Source: [4]
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).

Results

Luton Town's score comes first[5]

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League Second Division

Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorers
7 August 1999 Notts County A 0–0 6,141
14 August 1999 Blackpool H 3–2 5,176 George (2), Spring
21 August 1999 Reading A 2–1 8,741 Fotiadis, George
28 August 1999 Cardiff City H 1–0 5,374 Gray
31 August 1999 AFC Bournemouth A 0–1 4,797
4 September 1999 Bury H 1–1 4,633 Fotiadis
11 September 1999 Wrexham H 3–1 5,121 Taylor, Spring, George
18 September 1999 Brentford A 0–2 7,039
25 September 1999 Oxford United H 4–2 6,102 George (2), Fraser, Locke
2 October 1999 Wigan Athletic A 0–1 6,866
9 October 1999 Oldham Athletic A 1–2 4,532 Midgley
16 October 1999 Gillingham H 3–1 6,394 George (2, 1 pen), Douglas
19 October 1999 Wycombe Wanderers H 1–1 5,820 Douglas
23 October 1999 Oxford United A 1–0 5,866 George
2 November 1999 Millwall A 0–1 6,181
6 November 1999 Burnley H 2–1 7,205 Midgley (2)
12 November 1999 Cambridge United A 1–3 6,211 George
23 November 1999 Preston North End H 0–2 5,124
27 November 1999 Bristol Rovers A 0–3 7,805
4 December 1999 Notts County H 2–2 5,195 Doherty, Thorpe
17 December 1999 Colchester United A 0–3 3,049
26 December 1999 Chesterfield H 1–1 5,870 Locke
28 December 1999 Bristol City A 0–0 11,832
3 January 2000 Scunthorpe United H 4–1 5,574 Douglas, Gray, Spring (2)
8 January 2000 Stoke City A 1–2 10,016 Spring (pen)
15 January 2000 Blackpool A 3–3 5,262 Locke, Gray, Taylor
22 January 2000 Reading H 3–1 6,044 Watts, George (2)
30 January 2000 Cardiff City A 3–1 6,185 Watts, Spring, George
5 February 2000 AFC Bournemouth H 1–2 5,961 Boyce
8 February 2000 Stoke City H 2–1 5,396 Gray (2)
12 February 2000 Bury A 0–1 3,760
19 February 2000 Bristol Rovers H 1–4 6,520 Gray
26 February 2000 Brentford H 1–2 6,029 Gray
4 March 2000 Wrexham A 0–1 2,703
7 March 2000 Burnley A 2–0 12,080 White, Gray
11 March 2000 Millwall H 0–2 6,341
18 March 2000 Preston North End A 0–1 13,731
21 March 2000 Cambridge United H 2–2 5,379 Doherty, McLaren
25 March 2000 Chesterfield A 3–1 2,597 Doherty, Watts, George
1 April 2000 Colchester United H 3–2 5,125 Watts, Doherty, Taylor
8 April 2000 Scunthorpe United A 2–1 3,811 Gray, Doherty
18 April 2000 Bristol City H 1–2 4,771 Doherty
22 April 2000 Gillingham A 0–2 8,667
24 April 2000 Wigan Athletic H 1–1 5,010 Gray
29 April 2000 Wycombe Wanderers A 1–0 5,379 Taylor
6 May 2000 Oldham Athletic H 1–1 5,963 Gray

FA Cup

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 30 October 1999 Kingstonian H 4–2 4,682 Gray, George, Spring, Taylor
R2 19 November 1999 Lincoln City H 2–2 4,291 Doherty (2)
R2R 30 November 1999 Lincoln City A 1–0 3,822 Douglas
R3 11 December 1999 Fulham A 2–2 8,251 George, Spring
R3R 21 December 1999 Fulham H 0–3 8,170

League Cup

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
R1 1st Leg 10 August 1999 Bristol Rovers H 0–2 2,984
R1 2nd Leg 24 August 1999 Bristol Rovers A 2–2 (lost 2–4 agg) 4,414 Kandol, Doherty

Football League Trophy

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Goalscorers
SR1 7 December 1999 Oxford United A 0–2 1,220

Squad

[6] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK England ENG Nathan Abbey
2 DF England ENG Gavin McGowan
4 MF England ENG Matthew Spring
5 DF England ENG Alan White
6 DF England ENG Marvin Johnson
7 FW Northern Ireland NIR Phil Gray
8 MF England ENG Paul McLaren
9 FW England ENG Stuart Douglas
10 MF Scotland SCO Michael McIndoe
11 FW Republic of Ireland IRL Liam George
13 DF Scotland SCO Stuart Fraser
14 FW England ENG Andrew Fotiadis
15 DF England ENG Matthew Taylor
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 MF Ivory Coast CIV Landry Zahana-Oni
17 DF Barbados BRB Emmerson Boyce
18 FW Democratic Republic of the Congo COD Trésor Kandol
19 DF England ENG James Ayres
20 MF Uganda UGA Jerry Moses
21 MF England ENG Andre Scarlett
22 GK England ENG Daniel Tate
23 DF England ENG Jude Stirling
24 GK England ENG Scott Ward
28 MF England ENG Adam Locke
32 GK England ENG Ben Roberts (on loan from Middlesbrough)
40 DF England ENG Julian Watts

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
27 MF Scotland SCO Ray McKinnon (to Livingston)
30 FW England ENG Neil Midgley (on loan from Ipswich Town)
39 FW England ENG Tony Thorpe (on loan from Bristol City)
3 DF Nigeria NGA Efe Sodje (to Colchester United)
No. Pos. Nation Player
12 DF Republic of Ireland IRL Gary Doherty (to Tottenham Hotspur)
25 MF England ENG Ryan Davis (Released)
26 MF England ENG David Castro-Pearson (Released)
31 FW England ENG Paul Read (Released)

Player details

Players arranged in alphabetical order by surname.
Pos. Name League FA Cup League Cup FL Trophy Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK England Nathan Abbey 32 (1) 0 5 0 2 0 1 0 40 (1) 0
DF England James Ayres 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
DF Barbados Emmerson Boyce 23 (7) 1 0 (2) 0 2 0 1 0 26 (9) 1
DF Republic of Ireland Gary Doherty 40 6 5 2 0 (2) 1 1 0 46 (2) 9
FW England Stuart Douglas 35 (5) 3 5 1 2 0 1 0 43 (5) 4
FW England Andrew Fotiadis 8 (14) 2 0 0 0 (2) 0 0 0 8 (16) 2
DF Scotland Stuart Fraser 20 1 5 0 1 0 1 0 27 1
FW Republic of Ireland Liam George 35 (7) 14 5 2 0 (1) 0 1 0 41 (8) 16
FW Northern Ireland Phil Gray 28 (1) 11 1 1 2 0 0 0 31 (1) 12
DF England Marvin Johnson 44 0 5 0 0 0 1 0 50 0
FW Democratic Republic of the Congo Trésor Kandol 1 (3) 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 (3) 1
MF England Adam Locke 27 (7) 3 3 (1) 0 1 0 1 0 31 (8) 3
DF England Gavin McGowan 9 (3) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 (3) 0
MF Scotland Michael McIndoe 2 (14) 0 0 (2) 0 2 0 0 0 4 (16) 0
MF Scotland Ray McKinnon 0 (3) 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 (3) 0
FW England Paul McLaren 25 (4) 1 4) 0 1 0 0 0 30 (4) 1
FW England Neil Midgley 8 (2) 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 (2) 3
FW England Paul Read 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (1) 0 0 (1) 0
GK England Ben Roberts 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 0
MF England Andre Scarlett 2 (1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 (1) 0 2 (2) 0
DF Nigeria Efe Sodje 5 (4) 0 1 (1) 0 2 0 1 0 9 (5) 0
MF England Matthew Spring 44 (1) 6 5 2 1 0 1 0 51 (1) 8
DF England Matthew Taylor 39 (2) 4 5 1 1 0 0 0 45 (2) 5
FW England Tony Thorpe 3 (1) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 (1) 1
DF England Julian Watts 45 4 5 0 2 0 0 0 52 4
DF England Alan White 16 (3) 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 18 (3) 1
MF Ivory Coast Landry Zahana-Oni 0 (1) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (1) 0

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Kohler goes after bomb in letterbox". The Guardian. 20 February 1999. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Luton Town Football Club". Luton Borough Council. Retrieved 20 May 2009.
  3. ^ "Managers: Ricky Hill". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  4. ^ "England 1999–00". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 1 February 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  5. ^ "Latest Luton Results, Fixtures & Betting Odds - Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com.
  6. ^ "FootballSquads - Luton Town - 1999/00". www.footballsquads.co.uk.
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