Hatters boss urges Luton fans to turn revamped Kenilworth Road into a 'cauldron' for West Ham clash

Luton boss Rob Edwards has urged Town’s supporters to turn Kenilworth Road into a ‘cauldron’ of noise when hosting a Premier League game for the first time in its history on Friday evening.

The Hatters entertain West Ham United in front of the Sky TV cameras at 8pm, the club’s maiden top flight game in Bedfordshire for over 30 years, since Brian Stein and Mark Pembridge scored to beat Aston Villa 2-0 back on April 25, 1992, a win that kept their side up until relegation was confirmed the following weekend with defeat to Notts County.

With Town having dropped down the divisions since, and then out of the Football League for a spell as well, they have had to work their way back up to the top tier of English football once more, in what has been one of the great stories from the domestic game.

Now they are there and mixing it with the big boys once more, Edwards wants tomorrow night to be an occasion to remember for all Hatters supporters.

He said: “It’s very special, we’re really looking forward to it.

“There’s been a lot of talk and a lot of noise about Kenilworth Road and I hope people see the real positives of it and see it making a lot of noise.

“Hopefully it can bring us some points this season as well as it’s definitely going to play a big part for us this year.

“Our fans can make it a real cauldron.

"We’ve got to play our part in terms of performance, but it can really make a difference.

“We saw it at times last year in big, big games, especially towards the end of the season in the Sunderland semi-final.

"It was amazing, the noise, and I’m going to want that again.

“Our supporters, and I’ve said this a lot, have been through some dark times over the very recent history.

"So for them to be coming to the Kenny to see Premier League football, it’s really special for them.”

With Luton able to get just over 10,000 supporters into the 118-year-old stadium last season, that capacity will now be increased due to the new Bobbers Stand that was finished in time for Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup contest against Gillingham.

With an extra thousand or so taking their place behind the dug-outs, giving Luton real support on all four sides of the ground, it should give the players even more of a boost when facing an unbeaten Hammers side who were top of the table for a spell last weekend.

Edwards continued: “It’s going to get more people in, we’re going to be able to create even more of an atmosphere and that is going to help us this year, there’s no doubt about that.

"The cauldron that we can create here, we saw it last year and I know it’s happened before, but I witnessed it last year.

"We want it like Watford, Sunderland semi-final, we want it like that times 10 on Friday, we want to really enjoy these moments.”

On what it was like having the fans so close to him during the midweek second round tie, Edwards said: “Different, wet, I got soaked, it was good.

“It was great to have people around, we always felt that, felt our support before, but it was different.

"I was trying to get my bearings, I didn’t know where to stand, do I go over here? So I’ll have to check that out, but I really liked it.

"It was brilliant to be back, we love our fans and it’s great at the moment while there’s such a feelgood factor around the place.

"It’s brilliant to see the place full, which maybe wouldn't have been like that in the past for this kind of tie, but now we can look forward to Friday.”

Edwards was also keen to praise the work done by CEO Gary Sweet and the board for being able to get everything concluded in time for tomorrow evening, plus those who have actually been responsible for undertaking the building works too.

He added: “It’s an amazing achievement by everyone involved, Gary and the board, everyone, from planners and people who have done the work, it’s amazing what they’ve achieved in such a short space of time.

"A big credit to everyone, all the work that’s happened, it's very different but a big thank you to all the locals to be able to put up with the last few months.

"There’s been a lot going on, I've got to say that, and well done to all the people who have done the work, as it’s some change.

"Even the things you can see now, the (press) room here, a lot has changed that people won’t necessarily see.

"The floodlights, the ground and inside the ground as well, we’ve grown a pitch in three and a half weeks, so there’s a lot of credit that everyone needs to take for that.

"It was great to be there on Tuesday night for a cup game, but this is going to be really special, a really special occasion.

"I want everyone to, once they've got in early and seen the new stand, to focus on the game and singing and making a lot of noise.”