Hatters fans are tipping Luton to suffer a second successive relegation

With just 12 games to go, Luton fans have consigned themselves to a second successive relegation back into League One.

The Hatters, who were plying their trade in the Premier League last term, are rock bottom of the Championship, five points from safety, ahead of their home game against Portsmouth this afternoon. After that Town have further home matches with Middlesbrough, Leeds, Blackburn, Bristol City and Coventry, with trips to Burnley, Cardiff, Hull, Stoke, Derby and a final day encounter against West Bromwich Albion. Luton’s 2-0 defeat to local rivals Watford last Sunday saw Matt Bloomfield’s side stretch their winless run to 12 matches, as a poll on the Luton News X page asked Town fans if they believed the Hatters would stay up this term. With almost 2,000 voting, an overwhelming 84.9 percent said no, with just over 15 percent believing the Great Escape was on.

Giving their reasons as to why, @JasonTomlin said: “We’ve had no win run over the last 33 games. Can’t see any difference in the next 12 games unfortunately.” @jamotweets: “Because we haven’t shown any fight this season bar Watford home….. we lucked out against Derby but for me that’s it. Too much of a PL hangover, other relegated teams got rid, spent money and reset to change mindsets, we retained and are suffering for it.”

@Captainmeatpie7: “Because you need to win games, and we are not doing that. League 1 it is next season.” @Fuzztone: “All season - can't score, can't defend and have lost the fighting spirit along the way . I can't help but think if we had invested in our premiership year we could have stayed up and grown this season-not to be because we went cheap.” @andy_jones23: “No. Because we’ve shown no signs of being capable of picking up the necessary points over the season, so I can’t see that changing with 12 games to go.”

@hatt3rs1988: “No, of course not. Mainly due to the fact they are the worst team in the division by quite some margin currently. We need to win as many games as we have all season....which simply isn't going to happen.” @ltfcltfc: “We’d struggle to stay up in League 1 at this rate. Not a chance in hell we stay up this year.” @PCollinson24: “No chance. Only won 7 all season, no chance we’ll win that many in the next 12 - which is what we will need!”

@ryan_king_85: “No chance. 90% of the squad are absolutely gutless, at this point I’d rather just play the kids and see if we can get a couple of them ready for L1 next season.” @Miown_Thoughts: “Time and time again this season we have gone into “must win” or “must get something “ games and have left empty handed. Players seem so disconnected from the reality of relegation and worryingly don’t seem bothered.”

@HappyLuton1982: “I’d love to say yes but the players have lost confidence there is no fighting spirit in that team and you could see that on Sunday. I dread to think it but we’re in a sinking ship and at the minute it’s on its way of hitting the bottom very fast.” @MikeJFanning: “Sadly we’re going down . We can’t defend and we can’t score goals. Story of our season . Teams fighting for their lives all around us and we’re not.” @chrismitch99: “Personally, I can only see one outcome as the fight and passion have long gone. Football is all about confidence and momentum and we have none of either. Add in a new manager who has taken us backwards and it’s a pretty disastrous mix!!”

@DavidMosque: “There's more chance of Pelly tap-dancing on the moon. A key thing to staying up is actually winning the occasional game or two or three. We've scored something like 6 goals in the last 13 games. If we had scored 13 in the last 6 then we might have a chance.” @tonysoprano1966: “Simply - not good enough....and I'm a fan !!!” @GregoryTek: “Complete mismanagement from top to bottom since the January window 23/24 has led to this terrible decline. Chance of staying in the prem utterly wasted & the season of chaos that has ensued afterwards needs answering. Total mess pre season onwards.”

@NigelAtha: “They don’t look/play like a team and the injuries in defence have really hurt us (for a second season!)” @LTFC_Gaz: “We can, but we won't. Key players don't look interested at all. Absolutely no desire to get anything from the derby sums up their mentality, they're not even fighting to survive. Losing games isn't an issue for the club, that's a big problem.” @Richiec85: “Why? Mismanagement and incompetence from 2020. All the good they have done this is the most avoidable relegation in the clubs history, sole blame with the board. Wasted a season amongst elite CEO’s and learnt nothing. Out their depth at a high level. Director of football!?”

@lloydyhomann: “Not a chance. Been waiting for better performances since September.” @Neilcp71: “No. Watford at home apart we have seen little or nothing from the squad. Change of manager hasn’t changed anything which speaks volumes as to where we are.” @sjdhatters: “No chance. Zero signs of winning a game AND run in is not easy. Going down with a whimper.” @robbie2610: “No because we are not good enough.” @R_JLife: “No. We look defeated in advance these days. Manager sealed the loss of our identity with shifting Pelly out, one of my main hopes with RE going was him getting more minutes but to move him out is an atrocity. Such a loss of team spirit, sadly.”

@ftfrankj: “Have only watched Hatters when on TV this season (except against Stoke). So - Beat Stoke & it’ll be ok - I can’t see where Stoke’s next point is coming.” @petehatter: “Why not because this bunch of players are not good enough....simple.” @p_clark60: “No chance. Players fight gone. Recruitment team had a terrible 3/4 windows recommending injury prone & poor players. Board took too long to sack RE. Arrogance that they didn't think needed short-term fix. Dont blame MB, not been given long enough. Director of Football required.”

@justrapsaking: “The players look like they've given up already. In fact, they'd given up before the season even began.” @DaveSlater8: “We haven’t even looked remotely possible of stringing 3 or 4 wins together this season. We have no chance.” @GrantTheHatter: “No and the reason being we have nothing up front.” @FleetEvan: “No chance- worst team in the league by a mile.” @ushererofsouls: “No. We’ve fallen into the trap of blaming the manager. RE was a scapegoat, MB proves that & he was sold a pup. The problem is the players don’t give a toss & the board have lost their focus. Next season we’ll be doing the same unless there’s a massive change.”

@prishungry: “Can't defend, can't score, formation & style of play we recruited for & what MB wanted abandoned after a few games. No creativity, aimless hoofing, poor in-game mgmt. We don't look like winning another game, players beaten before the game starts.” @PaulSparks1964: “No chance of staying up. Simply not good enough. New Stadium plans apart, club is in a mess from top to bottom. Needs a restructuring throughout.” @MISTERPDW: “We have all but gone bar having a mathematical chance. The team have no confidence, form or seemingly going through the motions. No wins since Christmas, impossible to see where the 5 or 6 wins required happening. It's a deserved relegation, everyone at the club has failed.”

@Hitesh_78_: “Players have no heart. New manager little impact. No goal threat. Weak defence. Unsettled midfield. Injuries, and a total lack of confidence.” @FanHubHatter: “To be honest it feels like some of the squad gave up a long time ago. I'm not giving up, I'm just a realist. We always concede and have only scored 4 goals in the last 8 games. It's looking extremely unlikely we can stay up.” @mttjyr: “Yep, the derby was what finally convinced me we are done for this season. If you can’t show up for that then what are you showing up for?”

@ABeardedGazelle: “Too much talk from them on effort & hard work, so little on quality.” @catchingthem: “It’s all platitudes, if they meant it the performances on the pitch would be different. I don’t see anyone battling to keep us up. Just a meek surrender to League one. All Jones fighters are long gone and it shows.” @CBthehat: “Missed 1 away game all season, but after losing to them lot I’m 70/30 against on the remaining aways. The thought of travelling 9hrs round trip to Burnley to see a nothing performance is after 14 poor games (1 1/2. decent) is beginning to grate.”

@prishungry: “I know they have to say these things. The reality is that we've been heading downwards for months, there are no signs we can win one game, let alone the 6-7 we would need. We hear the same things every week & nothing changes. It's just passing time until it's mathematically done.” @SteLew75: “Its done. Short of an absolute, heaven sent, 24 carat gold miracle, its done.” @Miown_Thoughts: “Have so given up I didn’t even bother getting my Watfraud away ticket.”

@mickkent2: “Players showed us away at Plymouth that they finally lost the taste for a fight - why the hell should we.” @SimonJamesMars1: “Yes we are going down.” @PaulSparks1964: “Relegation was confirmed when Town rolled over at Boro and the club hierarchy failed to take decisive action. Failing in that moment, dithering for weeks beyond, all compounded the failure. Time now to plan for League One.” @sjdhatters: “Literally no signs of turning a corner. That's the problem. We would all desperately love to see the team get out of this. But team are showing nothing to suggest they can

There were some positives noises though from a small number of supporters, who still retained the belief that Town will be a second tier club next term. @AndyRCarlisle said: “Looks nigh impossible, especially with goal difference meaning we need an extra point….but can’t let it go. Need luck to get a result v Pompey and pray that triggers something. Every game = renewed hope. It kills me but just the way it is.” @JRLTFC: “What an emotional rollercoaster these last 2 seasons have been. Honestly had more faith that we could stay up in the Prem last season. I'm not saying we can't stay up this season but the players have got to step up big time. We need the Morris passion back!!! COYH.”

@GaretJax6: “In football you never know.. need a spark tho!” @STEVESM44528821: “I just can't give up hope. Play Nordas and he will score or create goals. Matt did my nut in the other day when he subbed him. Brown FINALLY looks like he's woke up so play them together and hopefully they click. We need Naismith and McGuiness fit and they all need to fight.” @OPWMFancott0258: “Define 'giving up'. I'm in my 59th season, this one is a crushing disappointment, I've seen worse. I'll be there are the end, bitter or otherwise. Even have a ticket for Burnley.”

@revdmbrown: “They CAN…I’m a vicar who believes in miracles and there are enough games to make mid table if we win them all… but even my overly optimistic outlook thinks that they won’t.” @Fuzztone: “We can not just roll over now 'the great escape' is on (I hope).” @Fowler1Gary: “I haven't written us off, yet. If we fail to beat Portsmouth on Saturday though, I think that will be it.” @LesterBandy: “Need to beat pompey hull and stoke. And get a few points elsewhere! I know you make your own luck but we need some now.”

@sdaveak47: “Yes we can. It’s not like we haven’t done it before.” @StretfordHatter: “Of course we can. How can we supporters criticise the players for not trying then do the same thing ourselves? 12 games is plenty of time for a turnaround and I won’t stop supporting my team and hoping for the best, difficult though it is, until the end.” @Fowler1Gary: “Haven't given up yet, but if we don't beat Portsmouth on Saturday, I will accept that we will get relegated.” @LutonTepozotlan: “Yes we can do it , i trust our Boys.” @mikedoney: “I never give up always believe until the t can’t be possible. That’s just me.”