The 2012–13 season was the 127th season in the history of Luton Town Football Club. The club competed in the Conference Premier for the fourth consecutive year, finishing in their lowest ever position of seventh place.
Manager Paul Buckle left the club on 19 February 2013 after a winless run of games left the club 14 points off the top of the table. Dagenham & Redbridge manager John Still was appointed in charge of Luton shortly afterwards, though could secure only a seventh-place finish in the league – worse than the previous season's lowest ever finish of fifth in the English football league system.
The club did, however, make history during the season by becoming the first non-League team to defeat a Premier League club in the FA Cup, beating Norwich City 1–0 at Carrow Road. The club eventually reached the fifth round of the competition, the furthest they had progressed since the 1993–94 season.
This article covers the period from 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013.
Background
After a 30-point deduction and consequent relegation in 2008–09 ended an 89-year stay in The Football League, Luton Town have attempted three unsuccessful campaigns for promotion out of non-League football, losing in the play-offs each time, most recently in a 2–1 defeat by York City at Wembley Stadium in May 2012. During that season, a seven-game winless run towards the end of the campaign left Luton outside the play-off places, resulting in manager Gary Brabin being replaced by Paul Buckle on a two-year contract. Buckle's tenure saw the club win five of their next eight games, qualify for the play-offs and beat Wrexham 3–2 on aggregate in the semi-final, before the loss to York in the final.
Stating his intention to reduce the size of the squad and "bring players into the club that are not failures", Buckle released a number of players in the close-season, including Ed Asafu-Adjaye, Charlie Henry, Christian Tavernier, Danny Crow, Dan Gleeson, Shane Blackett, and Amari Morgan-Smith, while Curtis Osano rejected a new contract to sign for League Two side AFC Wimbledon. Robbie Willmott and Godfrey Poku also rejected contracts, with Poku signing a deal to join Mansfield Town. Captain George Pilkington, too, elected to join Mansfield. Most notable was the departure of Keith Keane to League One side Preston North End after nine seasons with Luton in which he had made almost 300 appearances.
Luton signed various out-of-contract players themselves, with former Stevenage captain Ronnie Henry, Gillingham players Danny Spiller and Garry Richards (Richards' transfer becoming permanent on 1 July), and Gateshead striker Jon Shaw, who had scored 35 goals the previous season, all joining the club for free. The club also bought Wycombe Wanderers forward Scott Rendell for an undisclosed fee and made striker Andre Gray's loan from Hinckley United permanent, as he joined the club on a two-year contract for a fee of £30,000. Meanwhile, Jake Howells, JJ O'Donnell, Alex Lacey and Lewis Kidd signed contract extensions.
Review
July The transfers arranged for the beginning of the month became official, with Keith Keane, George Pilkington, Godfrey Poku and Robbie Willmott all leaving the club, and defender Garry Richards joining. On 2 July, Luton signed former Torquay United defender Lathaniel Rowe-Turner on a free transfer. A day later, former Luton goalkeeper Carl Emberson re-joined the club as first team development coach, linking back up with Paul Buckle, who he had been a coach with at Bristol Rovers. Midfielder Alex Lawless and youth team graduates Alasan Ann and Newman Carney signed one-year contract extensions on 4 July. This was followed by striker Dan Walker, who had previously rejected two contracts and been placed on the transfer list, signing a one-year deal himself on 5 July. Midfielder John Paul Kissock joined Macclesfield Town on loan for six months on 9 July. Iraqi midfielder Yaser Kasim joined Luton from Championship side Brighton & Hove Albion on a six-month loan on 12 July. The club's first friendly game was against local side Hitchin Town on 16 July, ending in a 1–0 victory to Luton. Three trialists played during the match; former Luton goalkeeper Dean Brill, ex-Southend United striker Harry Crawford, and 18-year-old former Leicester City youth midfielder Matt Robinson, who had been training with the club since the end of the 2011–12 season. Robinson impressed enough to be offered a two-year contract, which he signed on 18 July. Forward Aaron O'Connor left the club to join Newport County on a free transfer on 25 July. After further pre-season victories over lower league opposition, Luton drew 0–0 at home to League Two club Wycombe Wanderers before winning 2–0 against a strong Ipswich Town side of the Championship on 28 July. On the final day of July, Luton signed Brill on a two-year contract after he featured in goal for three friendlies. Brill had started his career at Luton, playing for the Hatters 97 times between 2003 and 2009.
August On 1 August, Andre Boucaud joined League One side Notts County on loan until January 2013. Manager Paul Buckle had previously stated that "[Boucaud]'s not in our plans." Goalkeeper Lewis Kidd was loaned to Spartan South Midlands Football League side Dunstable Town on 4 August. Ronnie Henry was announced as Luton's captain for the season on 6 August. 18-year-old striker Jake Woolley, who had made his debut as a youth player in the previous season, signed a two-year professional contract on 10 August. Luton started their season once again with high expectations and as the bookmakers' favourite for promotion, but this impression was dealt a reality check within the first 35 minutes of their opening game against Gateshead on 11 August as they conceded two first-half goals, including one from former Luton striker Liam Hatch. Substitute Jon Shaw scored on his debut to halve the deficit, coincidentally against his former club, and a goal from Stuart Fleetwood meant Luton drew 2–2. A 2–0 away victory over Kidderminster Harriers came three days later, Fleetwood scoring both goals. Alasan Ann joined Southern Football League Premier side Kettering Town on a one-month loan on 16 August. On 17 August, Luton played against Hyde, coming from a goal down scored by former-Hatter Matthew Blinkhorn to win 2–1 courtesy of a first goal from midfielder JJ O'Donnell and Fleetwood's fourth of the season. Luton lost 1–0 at home to AFC Telford United on 25 August, Paul Buckle's first league defeat as manager in a game that saw Ronnie Henry and Telford defender Dan Preston shown red cards, which was swiftly followed two days later with a 3–1 win over Ebbsfleet United. Stuart Fleetwood scored his fifth and sixth goals of the season, with Scott Rendell getting his first goal for the club. Following on from the red cards in the game with Telford, both clubs were charged by the Football Association with failing to control their players. In addition, striker Jon Shaw, who began the incident but was not seen by the referee, was charged by the FA with violent conduct and banned for three matches. With defenders Ronnie Henry and Alex Lacey suspended and injured respectively, Luton signed Gillingham centre-back Connor Essam on a one-month loan on the day of the transfer deadline.
September Luton began September strongly with a 4–1 home victory against Macclesfield Town, the goals coming from Jake Howells, Andre Gray, Scott Rendell and Stuart Fleetwood. A 3–2 win over local rivals Cambridge United followed three days later, Gray scoring again and defenders János Kovács and Dean Beckwith also on the scoresheet with goals from set pieces. Injuries to strikers Fleetwood and Rendell, plus Jon Shaw's suspension, led to Northampton Town forward Jake Robinson signing on a one-month loan on 7 September. He played in Luton's first away defeat of the season the next day, a heavy 3–0 loss to Alfreton Town which caused Paul Buckle to apologise for the performance to the Luton fans. Youth team graduate Newman Carney's contract was terminated by the club on 12 September, with the defender having failed to consistently appear for training. Luton drew 0–0 at home to Wrexham on 15 September, leaving them two points off the top of the table. This gap increased to five points six days later as Luton were heavily beaten 4–1 by Grimsby Town. Central defenders Kovács and Beckwith were both criticised in the defeat, the latter scoring an own goal and the former dropped from the first-team for Luton's next game against Tamworth on 25 September. Luton won the game 2–1 with goals from substitutes Yaser Kasim and Fleetwood. With the team still conceding goals from set-pieces, Buckle signed Guiseley and England C captain and centre-back Simon Ainge on a month's loan on 27 September. On the same day, left-back Greg Taylor and midfielder Adam Watkins, neither of whom had been playing in the first-team, were sent on one-month loans to Tamworth and Kidderminster Harriers respectively. Ainge partnered fellow loanee Connor Essam in central defence two days later as Luton beat Southport 3–1, with Kovács and Beckwith not even in the squad of 16 players. Fleetwood's ninth strike of the season and two goals from Rendell secured three points.
October Connor Essam's loan from Gillingham was extended for a further month on 3 October. Luton beat Lincoln City 2–1 on 6 October with the Hatters''' goals coming from Jon Shaw, his first since the opening day, and an own goal from Lincoln goalkeeper Paul Farman. Forward Jake Robinson and defender Simon Ainge both signed extensions to their loans shortly afterwards; Robinson for one month and Ainge for two. Additionally, Ainge's parent club Guiseley reached an agreement to sell him to Luton when the transfer window in January 2013. Luton lost 3–2 at home to Braintree Town on 9 October, with Stuart Fleetwood sent off for two bookable offences early in the first-half, both controversial, leaving Luton playing the majority of the game with ten men. Four days later, Luton defeated Nuneaton Town with both goals scored in the last five minutes by midfielder Alex Lawless. On 19 October, Luton signed Macclesfield Town's Guinea-Bissau international midfielder Arnaud Mendy on loan until January, at which point the transfer would become permanent. In exchange, Luton midfielder John Paul Kissock would join Macclesfield permanently. Luton beat local rivals Cambridge United 2–0 in the FA Cup to qualify for the first round with goals from strikers Andre Gray and Shaw. Luton came from behind on 27 October to beat Forest Green Rovers 2–1, with Fleetwood equalising for his tenth goal of the season and Scott Rendell netting a last-minute penalty.
November On 3 November Luton scored a late equaliser in a 1–1 FA Cup first round draw against Nuneaton Town to earn a replay at Liberty Way. Two days later, Luton signed York City midfielder Jonathan Smith on a two-month loan. Luton lost 1–0 to Hereford United on 7 November and slipped to third in the league, four points behind leaders Newport County. The club then lost three days later at home to newly promoted Dartford, which saw them fall out of the play-off places and down to sixth in the table. Scott Rendell scored twice as Luton defeated Nuneaton 2–0 in their FA Cup replay on 13 November. They were drawn to play Dorchester Town in the second round, who were coincidentally also paired together in the FA Trophy draw. The teams drew 2–2 in their Trophy tie, meaning a replay was required in early December. In the league, Luton drew 2–2 away to Mansfield Town, with striker Andre Gray scoring both goals for the club.
December