– It is not a magnificent facility. It is a really rusty, poor facility that is in keeping with the city. There are worn stands and almost like sitting on benches. But there is a charm to it all. This is how Eirik Aase, the man behind the Championship Norway website, describes Luton’s home ground, Kenilworth Road. The stadium, with a capacity of less than 10,500 spectators (less than, for example, the Intility Arena in Oslo), could become the Premier League’s newest addition if Luton wins in Saturday’s playoff final against Coventry City. In the picture gallery below, you can see how Kenilworth Road looks today: A lot of soul The worn-out stadium will have to be renovated for around NOK 135 million if Luton Town is to take the step up, in order to meet the criteria for a Premier League stadium. – It almost looks like time has stood still since we were over there, says commentator legend Arne Scheie, who was in Luton to comment on the tipping match for news in the 1970s. A new stadium is being planned, but will not be ready until 2026 at the earliest. The contrast to the Etihad (Manchester City), Emirates (Arsenal) and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could hardly be greater. Aase describes it as “a culture shock” compared to what today’s Premier League stars are used to today. – But it has a lot of soul, he says. It gets pretty intimate on Kenilworth Road. Photo: CARL RECINE / Reuters History and tradition Luton chief executive Gary Sweet tells The Athletic that Kenilworth Road is more or less unchanged since the Second World War. He describes it as “real”. – This is real football. It is history and tradition. This is not a sterile “bowl” of a stadium. It is full of life and emotion, tears and joy. If you can’t embrace that, you don’t love football, he says. If Luton are promoted, the stadium will be the smallest in Premier League history. Kenilworth Road has received a lot of attention on social media and in newspapers recently, without the club’s general manager losing any sleep over it. – People may make fun of it, but we don’t care, says Sweet. Now Luton Town and Coventry City are one game away from a return to the Premier League. Tipping giants Coventry City played the second tipping match on news. The Norwegians’ first meeting with the stars of “The Sky Blues” came in December 1969, when they beat Tottenham 3–2 at home. As ITV’s branch in Birmingham was responsible for the betting matches, the first matches came from the middle of England. That is why clubs such as Aston Villa, Stoke, Wolverhampton and Coventry are still strong in Norway, says Arne Scheie. He commented on 123 of news’s 370 betting matches. Commentator legend Arne Scheie made an early acquaintance with Coventry City and Luton Town through the betting matches on news. Photo: Fredrik Varfjell / NTB As football on TV became more and more popular, more matches from several places on the ball island were broadcast. In the spring of 1975, Luton Town played their first tipping match, at home against Leeds. Then Scheie was in place on Kenilworth Road. He was sitting in a living room preparing for battle. Then suddenly the Leeds stars, with Norman Hunter, Gordon McQueen and Joe Jordan, entered. – That would never have happened today, you know, says the commentary legend and laughs. He also draws a smile on the face of a “sleeping giant” returning to the Premier League. – It is sad about the clubs that may disappear from the Premier League. Leicester, Leeds, Everton… But for clubs with history to return, there is nothing nicer than that. Luton have never played in the Premier League. They were relegated from the top tier in the spring of 1992, just a few months before the start of the Premier League era. The club had been down to level five and outside the professional league system in England. Coventry City were relegated in 2001 and have been down to level four. – There are two clubs that have had a very difficult time, that really messed up. But what both clubs have achieved has been impressive. It would have been fun to have both back, says Scheie. Here you can see the clubs’ journey through the league system since the 1991/92 season: Graphics: Geir Jone Karlsen Now the teams’ supporters are holding their breath before Saturday’s playoff final at Wembley. So does Trond Egil Soltvedt. – It will probably be a bit of nail-biting this weekend, he says to news. – Praying on my knees Soltvedt is one of three Norwegians who have played for Coventry City (Runar Normann and Leo Skiri Østigård the other two). He went from Rosenborg to Coventry City in 1997. He has really felt the enthusiasm of the Coventry fans on his body after two seasons in the light blue kit. He believes the city of Coventry, with its barely 350,000 inhabitants, will stand on its head if they return to the Premier League for the first time in 22 years. – It will mean an enormous amount for the whole city. It’s going to be a big uproar, I can promise you that. – Luton is also a big club and it was a top team when I was young. It will be exciting anyway, but I think it sounds better with Coventry than Luton in the Premier League, he says and laughs. Trond Egil Soltvedt played for Coventry City from 1997 to 1999. He also played for Southampton and Sheffield Wednesday in England. Photo: Morten Hval / NTB Scanpix For Soltvedt, it was a bit of a shock to come to Coventry City. Despite the fact that in his debut he helped beat Chelsea, and later in the season lowered Tottenham, Manchester United and Blackburn, he underestimated the importance of an 11th place in the Premier League. – When I was sold from Rosenborg to Coventry, I was used to winning titles. We finished 11th that season and the supporters were so happy. But I was really disappointed. I thought “hell, we should have been higher up”. It is only afterwards that I have realized how big it was, he says. Coventry have not held a higher position in the top tier since the 1997/98 season. – They have struggled tremendously since. It has been a difficult time for everyone in the club, says Soltvedt, and adds: – I am praying on my knees that Coventry comes back up. Coventry City’s light blue heroes beat Middlesbrough in their playoff semi-final. Photo: CRAIG BROUGH / Reuters Insane sums One of these traditional clubs is going up to England’s most expensive company. It is not easy to make the step from level two to the Premier League, but in return there is a tremendous financial gain for those who manage it. The playoff final is often referred to as football’s most lucrative game. And it is perhaps not so surprising, because a promotion to England’s top level is worth at least NOK 2.4 billion over three seasons. Should the team that wins the playoff final stay in the Premier League, the sum could, according to Deloitte, rise to NOK 3.9 million. In addition, it often has positive ripple effects off the field: According to ITV, the city of Brighton received an economic boost of 200 million pounds – the equivalent of 2.7 billion Norwegian kroner at today’s exchange rate – after the goals from the south coast moved up. It comes from the fierce interest in Premier League football. More supporters visit the city, use public transport and spend money on food, drink, accommodation and other things. Don’t worry It’s no understatement to say that a lot is at stake, both financially and sportingly. Nevertheless, Jan Halvard Aase, president of Luton’s Scandinavian supporters’ club, is completely calm. – I have no nerves at all. I feel confident that this will work, he says to news. Luton Town manager Rob Edwards (left) with president of Luton’s Scandinavian supporters’ club, Jan Halvard Aase. Photo: Privat Aase has been a Luton supporter since 1974 and has a season ticket at Kenilworth Road, Luton’s home ground. He is not going over to England to follow Saturday’s playoff final, but says that there are around 30 from Luton’s supporters’ club who are making the trip to Wembley. Luton’s Scandinavian Supporters’ Club currently has 170 paying members and organizes annual trips to see ‘The Hatters’ play. Aase hopes Premier League opposition awaits the next time he makes the trip. – It would have been fantastic, he says, and praises the work that has been done at the club. – Luton is a big club without a big stadium. But the club has very loyal supporters, and they are the ones who own the club. And the work they have done, with so few resources, is absolutely fantastic. Here Tom Lockyer celebrates after scoring against Sunderland in the playoff semi-final. He and his teammates are looking for more cheers on Saturday. Photo: LEE SMITH / Reuters – Had gone bananas Luton Town’s Supporters Trust owns the club, and they have done so since 2012. Then Luton was outside the league system. This season they finished third in the championship series. And should the season be crowned with a promotion, there will be some wild celebrations in the city. – The city is already upside down, he says. – How will you celebrate if things go your way? – I am the quiet and calm type when I am in Norway, but if I had been in England it would have been different. Then I would probably have gone bananas, laughs the president of Luton’s supporters’ club. Championship series expert Eirik Aase believes Coventry and Luton are about to make the impossible possible. – The very greatest achievement is to make it to the championship series – and then make it to the Premier League. Because the financial difference at the top and bottom of the championship series is so great that it makes it almost impossible. But one of them is going up. It will all be decided on Saturday evening.
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The Premier League can be played here – “culture shock” is predicted for the stars – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
