Luton Town's Shining Moment

In recent weeks I have beamed in optimism at the mathematical possibility of Luton Town avoiding the drop.

Their chances of survival had challenging, but promising, prospects of coming into fruition.

With Grimsby and Chester both winning games, however, that dream is catastrophically coming to a close. Luton Town, having been unfairly docked 30 points, will be a non-league team next year.

This inevitability made this past weekend's events all the more poignant.

The Johnstone's Paint trophy may be in some peoples eyes be a throwaway trophy. The teams that participate would rather excel as underdogs in the FA Cup or League Cup.

However, Luton Town’s inspirational heroics in the JP Trophy final against Scunthorpe, gave their army of loyal fans a shining and defining moment to remember their beloved team by.

Their Wembley triumph has also made clear to the rest of the league that the pathetic injustice handed to them for financial irregularities has stripped a capable team of their league status.

Luton Town’s fans, nicknamed the Hatters, have always been a part of the team's eclectic history.

The second highest average attendance of all League Two teams, and a 40,000 supporter turnout at Wembley for the final, have shown the dedication that the Hatters emit.

And they were duly rewarded with a 3-2 victory which some hailed as the best football match to have been played thus far at the newly improved national stadium.

A display of heart-warming solidarity was shown before the match had even started, as the Hatter’s controversially booed league chairman Brian Mawhinney’s appearance in the pre-game events.

Such a passionate display of emotion highlighted the desperate situation that had befallen the club. Their disgust at pre-season events was there for all to see.

Although League One promotion hopefuls Scunthorpe dominated initially, taking an early lead, it was Luton Town who ultimately came out on top.

With an extra time stunner from substitute Claude Gnakpa, who drilled in a 95^th minute breathtaker of a winner, Luton Town etched their names into the history books.

This rounded off a game of five goals which BBC correspondent Paul Fletcher described as "worthy of a Wembley final."

And so Luton Town, whose next two weeks of action will surely see them relegated from the league, have given their deserving fans a lasting impression of what can be done without any outside interference and off-pitch antics.

Hopefully such a glorious success will inspire a quick promotion back to the league. In turn this will also precede future years of improved triumph and on-pitch action worthy of a Wembley pitch.