Luton Town fan's definitive catalogue of the club's David Pleat years

He’s been a fanatical football fan for more years than he cares to remember, so who better to write a book on the Hatters’ David Pleat era than former kit manager Phil Duffy?

The first of a two-volume project entitled They Played for David Pleat at Luton Town has just been launched and the second will be published in May next year, to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the legendary match when Luton won 1-0 against Manchester City, relegating City instead of the Hatters from the top flight.

David Pleat, in his beige suit and slip-on shoes, was so elated that he danced across the pitch to embrace skipper Nobby Horton – a clip that’s often repeated and is on YouTube.

It’s the first time Leighton Buzzard-based Phil, 50, has put pen to paper and he took to it like a duck to water

But it required a lot of patience and respect over a two-year period, waiting for some players to have time to talk to him.

They included big names like Brian Stein, David Moss, Clive Goodyear, Brian Horton, Ricky Hill, Wayne Turner, Kirk Stephens, Mal Donaghy, Mike Saxby, and Paul Walsh.

Father-of-two Phil admitted the interviewing and the writing were easy. It was what came after that tested his endurance: “Everything from proof-reading to professional editing, which led to hours of Zoom calls going over every single change, edit and re-structuring of my enthusiastic but sometimes wayward writing.”

On the whole the Amazon project team member is pleased with the outcome and he’s already been approached by a former footballer asking for help with his autobiography.

"It’s nice to have some things in the diary already. And now feels like a good time with this book going on sale and out in the public domain,” he smiles.

The book came about when it emerged that several players were keen to spend time documenting their stories and memories from inside the dressing room.

Phil conducted about 60 interviews, producing enough material to fill two volumes.

It left him with a feeling of almost absolute respect for David Pleat, the coach and manager: “And, with the benefit of time, an understanding of the many tough decisions he had to make with the club as his first priority.

"As a man, he wasn’t that much older than some of the players. He could be quirky and at time eccentric.

"There are stories of contract negotiations in the days before agents when David sat players on chairs with shortened legs to put them at a disadvantage when they looked across the table at him.

"And also of a young player he’d released going through dark times and visiting him in prison, with other staff and former players, to let him know he was still part of the Luton Town family and support was there if he needed it.”

Phil first went to Kenilworth Road as a young lad of seven, with a friend whose father was a steward.

He recalls: “It was a Football League Division Two match – a fully fledged, reach-out-and-touch it, blood-sweat-and-tears live football match.

“It was so exciting being waved into the car park, waiting outside the Stewards Only area, and the players coming through and ruffling our hair.

"We were always too shy to ask for autographs – long before the days when kids started badgering players for selfies.

"I remember the thrill of meeting John Motson when he arrived with the BBC Match of the Day team.”

The former Rotherham High pupil – the youngest of three boys – had to fight his older brothers for his share of the Topps chewing gum football cards, Panini stickers and Shoot magazine LeagueLadders.

He says: “I was allowed to read match programmes, brought home by my elder brother. I didn’t only read them, I devoured them. Every image and every word, memorising the team line up and the glorious statistics pages at the back.

"Every match score home and away, the attendance, who played, who scored, who was sub (only one was named) and the remaining fixtures to be played that season.

"Then finally came the glorious day when I was told I could go to a match, after a deal was struck in the local launderette between my mum and the mother of a lad I went to school with, who unbeknown to me was a steward.”

His top memory as a young fan? “Being privileged to see the whole of the brilliant 1981/82 promotion and the championship winning side.

"They played with such style and swagger and swept the league that year.”

Phil went on to become kit manager with Luton Town ladies’ team for three seasons.

He also worked for National League team Oxford City in the same capacity in the men’s game, where former Luton Town player David Oldfield was his manager.

And his best professional memory is with David at Oxford, beating Northampton Town in the FA Cup first round. That same season, they got to the quarter finals of the FA Trophy, losing 3-1 to Notts County.

He laments: “Both took place behind closed doors because of Covid restrictions, but it was a great experience playing against two clubs with a long history in the Football League.”

> They Played for David Pleat at Luton Town by Philip Duffy costs £19.95 from the club shop and online through the publisher at www.curtis-sport.com/books

Or meet the author this Saturday (December 17) at Luton’s Indoor Market, plus Luton Town’s three big supporting pubs – The Wheelwright’s Arms, The Bricklayer’s Arms and The Brewery Tap – also stock copies.