Luton boss wants supporters to get Kenilworth Road 'rocking' against Everton

Luton boss Rob Edwards has urged supporters to get to Kenilworth Road early this evening and make sure the ground is ‘rocking’ for his side’s absolutely crucial Premier League contest with Everton.

The Hatters go into the game knowing they simply have to win the fixture if they are to give themselves a realistic chance of staying in the top flight this year. Victory would see Town climb out of the bottom three for 24 hours at least, moving them two points above Nottingham Forest who travel to already relegated Sheffield United tomorrow, and four above Burnley, the Clarets hosting Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon.

The Reds still don’t know if they are going to get any of the four points, recently deducted for breaching profit and sustainability rules, back, with the outcome of their appeal yet to be made public. With that in mind, Luton themselves are doing their bit to try and ensure it’s another magical and intimidating night under the lights, with a buy one get one free offer on drinks inside the ground from 6.30pm to 7.30pm, while Town are also treating supporters to a light show or ‘pre-match illuminations’ from 7.50pm as well.

Edwards himself wants it to be noisy from well before kick-off too, as he said: “Our supporters will be huge for us, no doubt about it. I’ve mentioned that in my programme notes and we’ve spoken a lot about it throughout our time here. Kenilworth Road is a real different type of stadium, different type of atmosphere to many grounds, especially at this level now and our fans know the important role they can have.

"Under the lights it’s a different feeling, it is intimidating, it is close, but Everton themselves have got brilliant supporters as well and when they’re with them, Goodison Park can be very similar. We’ve got to make it rocking, I want them in early, I want them in in the warm up, making that noise and making themselves heard as they can be a 12th man for us.

"I think it’s really, really important as it’s not all going to be plain sailing. We’re going to have to dig in, we’re going to have to defend very, very well. It might be a bit nervy at times, we don’t know, those moments are when we’re going to need our supporters, they can make a huge difference.”

Town’s fans have had little to celebrate in terms of results this term, with just six wins from their 35 top flight matches so far, an injury-hit Luton currently on a run of 10 defeats from 13 which has seriously hindered their chances of staying up.

The support both home and away has never wavered though, the Hatters getting wonderful ovations whatever the result, with the response at Chelsea earlier in the season, plus those at Arsenal and Manchester City in recent weeks, particularly spine-tingling moments for the players and management staff when they have gone over to applaud their travelling followers.

Asked for a message for the supporters ahead of the final three games, Luton at West Ham and then hosting Fulham on the last day, Edwards added: “Just believe and a big thank you as well as they’re special our supporters and they’ve stuck with us. We’ve given them some great times, not just now, before I was in this seat over the last few years too and I think they really appreciate the position that we’re in. But we all want to still be here next year as well, so thank you, keep believing and keep backing us and they’ve done that all season long.

"I love them, I really do and I’m really lucky to have a great rapport with our supporters. It’s special, it doesn’t always happen, especially when you’ve lost the number of games that we have done, but I think everyone’s got some realism and understands the position we’re in and the situation that we’re in. So yes, thank you, keep believing and back us.”