The Hatters’ promotion from the fourth tier stirs memories of being a ballboy when they won the League Cup with an underdog comeback worthy of Rocky
Tuesday marks the 30-year anniversary of one of the great Wembley cup finals – perhaps even the greatest. It was Luton versus Arsenal in the League Cup, underdog versus coming force, and to these eyes it had everything: four goals and a penalty save in the last 19 minutes, a whirler‑twirler of a match that swung one way and then the other and ended in a shock 3-2 win. Then again I am horribly biased, given I enjoyed my only experience as a ballboy that day.
Even as a 13-year-old it felt like an out-of-body experience. How many kids are fortunate enough to get changed in a Wembley dressing room – in my case swapping a Luton Schools Under-13 side shirt and tie for an official white and green Littlewoods Cup tracksuit? Or, as a few of us did before the game, get to play keepie‑uppie with the Luton midfielder, Danny Wilson, in the Wembley tunnel?
Related: Arsenal fans ambivalent despite win as Arsène Wenger starts long goodbye | David Hytner
Luton celebrated by partying for 48 hours and damaging the trophy. We ballboys had to settle for some cold chips
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