Luton Town CEO Gary Sweet shared that his side’s widespread derision of the legendary Kenilworth Road was ‘annoying’ him, and credited Premier League star Erling Haaland as he vented his spleen.
The CEO – who won Championship Chief Executive of the Year at this year’s Football Business Awards in March – will have to invest nearly £10m in upgrading the ground to Premier League standards when the Hatters face their play-off final on Saturday. Win Coventry.
As revealed by Mail Sport, during the refurbishment the Bobbers Stand would be demolished to provide new facilities including a media centre, TV and data analysis studios, toilets and a canteen.
But Sweet remains fiercely protective of the stadium, which he said was a ‘cauldron’ that Premier League teams should feel comfortable with if given the chance next season.
“This is real life, real football, history, tradition here,” said Sweet. “This is not a sterile bowl. This is lively. This is emotion. This is white knuckles, tears and joy in this stadium. This is a kettle. If you can’t embrace it, you don’t like football.’
Criticism of Luton Town’s Kenilworth Road stadium irks CEO Gary Sweet – but also gives him the giggles
The Oak Stand entrance for away fans stands out among the terraced houses in the street
CEO Gary Sweet (left) checked Erling Haaland as he urged Premier League teams to ’embrace’ the ground
“We may have the occasional lick of paint and new signage, but let’s embrace this. It annoys me and makes me giggle when you get the social media content about an outing that goes through gardens.
It has been that way since World War II or even before. Why is it being increased now just because we might go to the Premier League?
“Erling Haaland isn’t going to walk through that entrance, he’s going through the other stupid entrance we have. Embrace it.’
But Sweet insisted the criticism doesn’t bother the club or its fans, adding: “We’re thick-skinned and it just shows that you don’t necessarily need lavish surroundings to succeed.
“You can do it with hard work and guile, with intelligence and prudent financial management and absolute determination and dedication.
‘All this is possible without a nice stadium. It’s beautiful. The old girl is beautiful.’
According to the Premier League handbook, Luton must provide at least 50 seats for members of the media and build a media conference room that can accommodate up to 70 people.
The floodlights of the stadium need an upgrade and improvements should be made to the television gantry.
There will also need to be provision for VAR, which has never been used on the ground before.
Luton reached Saturday’s final after finishing third in the Championship – although some distance behind runaway leaders Burnley and Sheffield United who secured automatic promotion – and sending Sunderland into the semi-finals.
The Black Cats recorded a 2-1 win at home in the first leg, but Luton’s 2-0 comeback in the second leg kicked off the celebrations at Kenilworth Road, with fans flooding the pitch in celebration of moving one step closer to the top flight .
Beat Sunderland at home in the second leg for the first time since 1995 through to the play-off final
Fans flooded the pitch as they celebrated being one step closer to Premier League glory
If the Hatters reach the Premier League, they would qualify for the staggering £180 million windfall worth promotion.
As well as the last minute preparations required should Luton claim victory at Wembley, plans have long been in the works to upgrade their playing facilities and move from the site they have occupied since 1905.
The club has been granted planning permission for a new ground at Power Court in Luton town center since 2019, with a detailed design of the proposed stadium being completed in March this year.
In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today, Sweet said the budget for the project was approaching £100 million, with the club hoping to break ground ‘by the end of this year or early next year’.