The 2016–17 season was the 131st in the history of Luton Town Football Club, a professional association football club based in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. Their 11th-place finish in 2015–16 meant it was the club's third consecutive season in League Two and 91st season in the English Football League. The season ran from 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017.
Luton finished the season in fourth-place in the League Two table. This meant they qualified for the play-offs, losing to Blackpool in the semi-final. The club were eliminated in the second round of the EFL Cup, the third round of the FA Cup and the semi-final of the EFL Trophy.
Background and pre-season
The 2015–16 season was John Still's third start to a season as manager of Luton Town, having been appointed in February 2013. Still was sacked in December 2015 with Luton 17th in League Two after four straight defeats. He was replaced by Nathan Jones, who had been first-team coach at Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion. Luton finished in 11th-place in the 2015–16 League Two table.
At the end of the 2015–16 season, Luton released Jake Howells, Alex Lawless, Paul Benson, Isaac Galliford, Scott Griffiths, Ryan Hall, Mark Onyemah, Luke Trotman and Curtley Williams. Matt Robinson was initially placed on the transfer list, along with Mark O'Brien and Magnus Okuonghae, before he was released one year early from his contract along with Elliot Justham one week later. Zane Banton signed a new one-year contract, with the option of a one-year extension, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu signed a new two-year contract, and Craig King had a one-year option on his contract taken up. Paddy McCourt was later released one year early from his contract by mutual consent. Luton made eight summer signings, including goalkeeper Christian Walton on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, defenders Glen Rea from Brighton & Hove Albion, Alan Sheehan from Bradford City, Johnny Mullins from Oxford United, midfielder Jake Gray from Crystal Palace, and strikers Danny Hylton from Oxford United, Jordan Cook from Walsall, and Isaac Vassell from Truro City.
+ Pre-season match detailsDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendancePaksiAD0–0—Bedford TownAW9–0Potts 5', McQuoid 27', McGeehan 35', Hylton 44' pen., Banton 50', Marriott (3) 52', 58', 63', Hawkes 56' o.g.812Boreham WoodAL0–1—Brighton & Hove AlbionHW2–1Marriott (2) 1', 58'2,372WokingAD1–1McQuoid 25' pen.547WalsallHL0–11,651
Review August Luton began the season away to last season's League Two play-off finalists, Plymouth Argyle and won the match 3–0. Danny Hylton opened the scoring in the 50th minute from close range after Plymouth failed to clear O'Donnell's cross. Jack Marriott scored from a side-footed shot before Jonathan Smith scored a third goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time. The next match saw Luton play newly relegated Championship club Aston Villa at home in the first round of the EFL Cup, with the visitors taking the lead in the 13th minute through a scuffed shot by Jordan Ayew. Luton responded with an equaliser in the 35th minute through Jake Gray who scored with a neat finish before Cameron McGeehan put Luton ahead with a tap-in goal after an attempt on goal by Gray rebounded off goalkeeper Mark Bunn and Jack Grealish into his path. An own goal in the 66th minute by Jores Okore secured a 3–1 win for Luton. This was followed by Luton's first home league match of the season as they were held to a 1–1 draw by Yeovil Town. Stephen O'Donnell opened the scoring with a 25-yard shot in the 26th minute before Tom Eaves converted a Kevin Dawson cross to score the equaliser. McGeehan scored a penalty to give Luton a 62nd-minute lead at home to Newport County, before the visitors equalised eight minutes later through Jennison Myrie-Williams. After a challenge on Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, McGeehan scored another penalty and Luton's second goal in second half stoppage time to secure a 2–1 win.
Luton suffered their first defeat of the season after losing 2–1 away to local rivals Stevenage. McGeehan scored the opening goal in the 15th minute from a deflection that wrong-footed Jamie Jones before the home team equalised through a Connor Hunte header on 53 minutes. After Olly Lee hit the crossbar, Matt Godden scored the winner in the 96th minute from a Tom Pett counter-attack, a result that saw them earn their first ever home win over Luton. This was followed by a 1–0 defeat at home to Leeds United in the second round of the EFL Cup, who scored in the 23rd minute through debutant Tyler Denton. Luton returned to winning ways after a 3–0 win away to Cambridge United. Josh Coulson scored an own goal on 62 minutes to put Luton in front before Marriott scored a minute later from outside the box into the top corner to beat goalkeeper Will Norris. Hylton scored the third goal with a powerful shot in second half stoppage time. Luton's first match in the EFL Trophy was away to Gillingham, which they won 2–1. Frankie Musonda scored his first professional goal with a header to give Luton a 10th-minute lead before Smith doubled the lead on 24 minutes. Darren Oldaker scored a consolation goal for Gillingham in second half stoppage time, before Connor Tomlinson came on as a late substitute for Luton to become the club's youngest player to make his first-team debut at 15 years and 199 days old. Newcastle United midfielder Alex Gilliead, an England under-20 international, was signed on loan until 7 January 2017, and defender Jack Senior was signed on a two-year contract from Huddersfield Town. Cameron McJannett, a second-year scholar, joined Premier League club Stoke City for an undisclosed fee after signing his first professional contract, and Magnus Okuonghae was released after his contract was cancelled by mutual consent.
September Luton moved back to the top of the table after a 4–1 win over Wycombe Wanderers. Hylton converted a Mpanzu cross to open the scoring in the 10th minute before he doubled the lead on 56 minutes with a tap-in goal after Jamal Blackman parried a low shot from McGeehan. Matt Bloomfield scored a consolation goal for Wycombe seven minutes later, before Hylton won a penalty, which he converted in the 88th minute to complete his hat-trick, and in stoppage time Jordan Cook scored Luton's fourth goal. Transfer listed defender Mark O'Brien joined National League club Southport on a three-month loan. Luton's unbeaten home record came to an end after a 2–1 defeat to Grimsby Town, who took the lead in the 29th minute through Omar Bogle, after a shot from Luke Summerfield rebounded into his path. Glen Rea equalised in the 59th minute with a shot from 25 yards into the bottom corner, before Bogle scored their winning goal with a header from Kayden Jackson's cross on 82 minutes. Luton lost 2–0 away to Crawley Town, who scored in each half through James Collins and Enzio Boldewijn. This was followed by a 3–1 home win over Doncaster Rovers, with the visitors taking the lead on 21 minutes through James Coppinger from close range, before McGeehan scored the equaliser in the 36th minute from Lee's cross. Marriott gave Luton the lead on 41 minutes after slotting the ball under goalkeeper Marko Maroši, and in the second half McGeehan scored a penalty in the 81st minute. Luton moved up to second in the table after a 1–1 away draw with Hartlepool United, who took the lead in the first half through Nathan Thomas, before Alan Sheehan equalised for Luton with a free kick in the 78th minute.
October Luton were held to a 1–1 draw away to Cheltenham Town, and took the lead on 52 minutes through Hylton after rounding goalkeeper Russell Griffiths, before Daniel O'Shaughnessy equalised with a powerful shot 12 minutes later. Progression to the second round of the EFL Trophy came after a 2–0 win over West Bromwich Albion U21 in their second group stage match, in which Gilliead opened the scoring with his first goal for Luton in the 60th minute, before Gray doubled the lead two minutes later. A third successive league draw followed after Luton were held 1–1 at home by Crewe Alexandra, in which Hylton gave Luton the lead shortly before half-time, before Ryan Lowe equalised on 64 minutes from George Cooper's cross. McGeehan scored with a shot into an empty net to give Luton a 30th-minute lead away to Leyton Orient, after Marriott had a shot blocked by goalkeeper Alex Cisak. Hylton doubled the lead on 74 minutes with his eighth league goal of the season, before Ollie Palmer scored a consolation goal for Leyton Orient five minutes later with a shot in off the post. Luton drew 1–1 at home to Mansfield Town, with the visitors taking the lead in the ninth minute through Matt Green, his eighth goal of the season with a header, before McGeehan equalised in the 77th minute with a shot from 25 yards. This was followed by a 0–0 away draw with Notts County, in which Christian Walton saved a Vadaine Oliver penalty.
November Luton won 3–1 away in their first-round match of the FA Cup against Exeter City, with Hylton scoring an 11th-minute penalty to give Luton the lead, before Reuben Reid equalised for Exeter on 39 minutes after a long-range shot from Ethan Ampadu hit the post, which fell to Reid who tapped in the rebound. After Rea restored Luton's lead in the 71st minute, Hylton scored a second penalty on 86 minutes after Craig Mackail-Smith was fouled by Troy Archibald-Henville. This was followed by a 3–1 defeat at home to Millwall in the third and final EFL Trophy group stage match, in which Luton took the lead on 57 minutes when Mackail-Smith's cross resulted in an own goal from Shaun Hutchinson. Fred Onyedinma equalised for Millwall in the 71st minute from Gregg Wylde's cross, before two goals later in the second half from Harry Smith on his debut finished the scoring for the visitors. McGeehan scored in the 75th minute from a James Justin cross as Luton beat Accrington Stanley 1–0 at home to extend their unbeaten league run to eight matches. Luton were fined £15,000 by the English Football League after they failed to field a full strength team in each of their EFL Trophy group stage matches, deducted from the £20,000 prize money awarded after their opening two wins in the competition.
Goalkeeper Liam Gooch joined Southern League Premier Division club Hitchin Town on a one-month loan. Hylton scored with a curling shot past goalkeeper Barry Roche to give Luton a 26th-minute lead away to Morecambe before Isaac Vassell doubled the lead on 60 minutes with a close-range header, the match finishing a 2–0 win. Midfielder Arthur Read signed a three-year professional contract with the club. Luton lost 3–1 at home to Portsmouth, despite taking the lead in the seventh minute when Hylton scored with a header. Michael Smith equalised four minutes later with a side-footed shot from 20 yards before Gareth Evans scored shortly before half-time after Luton failed to clear a corner. Kal Naismith scored on 85 minutes to secure a win for the away team. Luton then drew 0–0 away to Exeter City.
December