Adebayo believes Kenilworth Road will be a 'baptism of fire' for Premier League teams

Luton striker Elijah Adebayo expects Kenilworth Road to be a ‘baptism of fire’ for any Premier League side who will be heading down to face the Hatters on their own patch next season.

The 10,356 capacity stadium will be hosting top flight football for the first time since the 1991-92 campaign, just over 30 years ago, with Town having beaten Coventry City in the play-off final at Wembley last month.

Adebayo, who signed for Luton back in February 2021, is more than used to the tight surroundings of the club’s home stadium, but on what it will be like for the stars of Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool, who have no doubt never experienced playing in such a confined stadium before, he said: "A baptism of fire for some people I think, but until then!”

Although being back in the top flight will have stunned most outside of Bedfordshire, Adebayo revealed the squad all believed they could achieve the dream, especially when manager Rob Edwards took over in November.

Interviewed by Sky Sports following the thrilling victory over the Sky Blues, he continued: “This group is special, commiserations to Coventry, they gave us a hell of a battle, they pushed us all the way, but this group, we’d been practising all week on penalties and we stuck to the routine.

“Since the gaffer came in he's said, ‘listen, you guys are going to do it, you've got to believe it,’ and days like that are special, special.”

Adebayo had started out at a Premier League side in Fulham, but with first team football not on the cards at Craven Cottage, he had to drop down the leagues to get his opportunity, with loans at Cheltenham Town, Swindon and Stevenage, eventually heading permanently to Walsall in June 2019.

Moving to Luton on transfer deadline day in January 2021, asked after the shootout victory if he had imagined making such a swift return to the top flight, he added: "If you look at Luton, every year they seem to improve that position in the league every single year.

"I just wanted to come here and give my best and hopefully try and reach where we are today and fortunately for me and this wonderful team, we’ve done that.

"For the fans, especially the ones who’ve been there since they got relegated to the Conference, days like today, this is for them, this is for them, this is perfect.”