Ex-Hatter Danny Wilson: Andy Dibble’s save was the main reason Luton beat Arsenal to win the 1988 Littlewoods Cup

Ex-Hatters midfielder Danny Wilson thought it was goalkeeper Andy Dibble’s penalty heroics, rather than his own goalscoring efforts, that ensured Luton lifted the Littlewoods Cup back in 1988.

With 10 minutes left at Wembley, Ray Harford’s side were trailing 2-1 to the Gunners, when Mal Donaghy was adjudged to have tripped David Rocastle inside the area, Nigel Winterburn stepping up from the spot.

However, Dibble produced a magnificent stop, flinging himself to his left to turn the low attempt behind.

Luton then went up the other end to level through Wilson, before Brian Stein won it with virtually the last kick, firing past John Lukic.

Wilson said: “That won us the game, there’s no doubt about it, it was a fantastic save.

“Yes the goals will win you the games, but moments of brilliance like that will stand out in my memory.

“It was absolutely crucial that he saved it, and it gave us all a big lift.

"What it did as well, it possibly gave Arsenal a lack of concentration and it cost them dearly late on the game.”

Wilson’s strike came with eight minutes left, as after Gunners defender Gus Caesar stumbled inside his own area under pressure from Mark Stein, his brother Brian pulled the ball back for the unmarked midfielder to head home from virtually on the line.

He continued: “It’s the stuff that dreams are made of when you’re a boy scoring at Wembley.

“Everyone talks about Gus Caesar making that mistake, but he was under enormous pressure from Mark Stein, and he didn’t have it easy.

“It just caught him on his back foot, Brian went in, if you don’t make the run, if you don’t support your strikers, you don’t get in those positions.

“Fortunately it fell kindly and it was quite an easy header to put in, you’ve just got to get there and gamble sometimes, and that’s what I did.”

Town’s day then got even better thanks to Brian Stein’s winner, as Wilson added: “What a goal as well, Ashley Grimes going down the right wing and playing with his left foot, Brian just getting in front of the defenders, it was a fantastic goal.

“It brought the house down and I think maybe all the neutral fans they enjoyed it and wanted us to win.

“I think we applied ourselves very well, so maybe on that day we were everyone’s second team.

“The unfortunate thing is it goes too quickly, it passes you by before you remember it, it’s a whirlwind, but you try and hold on to some memories which I have.

"Some are a bit of a blur, particularly the next day when we were waking up, we couldn’t remember a great deal.

"It was just one of those times when you try to keep hold of your memories, but it’s very difficult as there’s so much going on around you."

The following season, Wilson and Town were back at the home of football once more, as they reached final again to face Nottingham Forest.

This time they couldn't repeat their heroics from 12 months previously, as although Mick Harford put the Hatters in front, Nigel Clough (2) and Neil Webb scored to ensure the trophy went back to the City Ground.

Wilson added: "We were up against a very good Nottingham Forest side, but it was disappointing, we wanted to retain it, unfortunately we couldn’t.

"We had a little bit of bad luck in the game, but overall just to get there from Luton’s point of view was a massive achievement, when you look at the teams that were in the First Division at the time that were around us and we defeated them.

"It was a big achievement again, but the league position was always priority for us.

"They were all bonuses the cups, so it was disappointing, but at the end of the day we had a bit of satisfaction as we stayed up."