By Luton Town manager Matt Bloomfield described his side’s relegation from the Sky Bet Championship as a “particularly painful day” and extended a heartfelt apology to the club’s fans after a crushing 5-3 loss to West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.
The Hatters went into the match knowing they needed to at least match Hull City’s result at Portsmouth to stand any chance of avoiding relegation to League One. But despite recent form that had seen them secure three consecutive victories, their fate was sealed in dramatic fashion as West Brom’s clinical finishing left their survival hopes in tatters.
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First career braces from West Brom’s Tom Fellows and Callum Styles, along with a goal from Daryl Dike, overwhelmed the visitors. Luton replied through Millenic Alli, who netted twice, and Jordan Clark, but their efforts weren’t enough to turn the tide.
This relegation marks a grim milestone for Luton Town, who have now become the first club since Sunderland in 2018 to suffer back-to-back relegations from the Premier League to League One. Only Swindon Town (1994-95), Wolverhampton Wanderers (2012-13), and Sunderland have endured such a decline in the Premier League era.
Addressing the media post-match, Bloomfield didn’t hold back in expressing the deep disappointment felt throughout the club. “It was a particularly painful day for everyone involved at our football club,” he said. “We apologise to our supporters because a second relegation in a row is incredibly painful for them. We were poor, and it was very disappointing.”
Bloomfield acknowledged the anger and frustration of the 2,500 Luton supporters who made the trip to West Brom. Chants of “You’re not fit to wear the shirt” echoed from the away end once relegation was confirmed.
“I completely understand the anger and disappointment,” Bloomfield said. “Going through two relegations is a bitter experience. Our fans have every right to be upset. We have to reflect, regroup, and ensure that we’re much better moving forward.”
Despite the dismal result, Bloomfield pointed to the team’s recent resurgence as a sign of potential. “Over the past couple of months, we had fought our way back into the fight with some strong performances. That’s what makes today even more mystifying and painful. We just weren’t good enough from start to finish, especially given what was at stake.”
Luton’s defending was repeatedly exposed throughout the match, with the Hatters struggling to cope with the attacking movement of West Brom. Fellows opened the scoring in the 7th minute, only for Alli to equalise moments later. But the Baggies pulled away with goals from Dike and a second from Fellows before Styles added two more. Late goals from Clark and Alli narrowed the deficit, but the damage was already done.
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“We’ll analyse what went wrong, not just today but over the course of the season,” Bloomfield said. “We’re united as a group, and we will come back fighting.”
Meanwhile, West Brom interim boss James Morrison was full of praise for 21-year-old winger Tom Fellows, whose brace drew attention from Premier League clubs including Everton and Southampton. With the youngster reportedly valued at £10 million, Morrison expressed hope that this wouldn’t be his final appearance for the club.
“I hope not,” Morrison said. “But it’s flattering to see our young talent getting that kind of interest. We’ve been working with Tom to help him become more of a goal threat. He’s typically been more of a creator, but today he showed he can finish as well. Even he looked surprised!”
The win gave West Brom a strong finish to their campaign, but the spotlight remained on Luton Town’s devastating fall from grace — a club that just over a year ago was battling in the top flight and now finds itself staring down the challenges of League One.
