Kirk Stephens: We had the whole of Luton behind us at Maine Road

Former Hatters defender Kirk Stephens recalled just how emotional it was to be part of the side that kept Luton Town in the top division courtesy of a thrilling last day win at Manchester City some 37 years ago today in 1983.

As he had for all bar two games of the season, Stephens occupied the right back berth at Maine Road, as he and Town’s rearguard of keeper Tony Godden, plus fellow defenders Clive Goodyear, Paul Elliot and Mal Donaghy shut out the City front-line.

That enabled the visitors to take their late chance when Raddy Antic fired home from the edge of the box with just four minutes remaining, to claim a 1-0 victory and ensure top flight survival, relegating their hosts in the process.

Speaking to the Luton News about the build-up to the day, Stephens revealed how manager David Pleat ensured the players were left in no uncertain terms about the magnitude of the occasion.

He said: “We took about seven or eight thousand fans, apparently Luton closed down for the day.

“We’re told the Arndale put the match on the loudspeaker all through the afternoon so everybody was kept informed how we were doing.

“On the way up there, we stopped at Stoke-on-Trent on the Friday night, David Pleat purposefully stopped out of Manchester, so we could have a bit of a journey up and we could share the journey with some of the fans.

“To see the fans going up there was incredible and Pleaty started then to read some of the best wishes cards and that was quite emotional, that was really, 'wow, this means so much to so many people.'

“So that was emotional, we get to the ground, we go out and we play the game, there’s a lot of nerves and Raddy comes on, gets the winner, we all go hysterical at the end of 90 minutes, what an achievement that was.”

Antic’s winner with in the closing stages signalled scenes of unbridled joy on the Hatters bench, which carried on at the full time whistle with manager Pleat famously running on to the pitch to acclaim his players.

However, it wasn’t a party time for all, as Stephens continued: “Their players start fighting with Ricky (Hill) and Brian (Stein), so me and Nobby (Brian Horton) jump over to help, there are police on horses on the pitch and it’s all kicking off.

“The fans are all on the pitch, and we get to the tunnel, as some of their players had a word too.

“But we were man mountains then, so we got in the dressing room and then the chairman came down with some champagne for us all.”

With safety secured, Stephens admitted his memory of events afterwards remain ever so slightly blurry, as he said: “We stopped at Stoke-on-Trent again on the way back for a few drinks, by that time I’m out of it almost!

“Because I lived in Nuneaton, I asked the gaffer if I could get off at Corley Services, and I remember getting off the coach, but I can't remember phoning my missus to pick me up.

“So I’m sitting on one of the bollards with my suit carrier over my shoulder, my tie around my neck, and there's hundreds of Luton supporters wanting to talk to me, but I can't even talk!

“Then my wife came and picked me up from there and I went home.”

The match was a thrilling end to Town’s first season in the top flight after they romped to the Division Two title the previous campaign.

The Hatters made a good start to life in their new surroundings, winning three of their opening 10 games, including putting five past both Notts County and Brighton, while also picking up five draws, a 3-3 at Anfield the highlight, plus holding Manchester United as well.

However, an injury to Brian Stein, who had scored 14 in his opening 18 games, then saw Town find it much tougher, eventually heading into the predicament of needing to win at Manchester City to stay up.

Stephens added: “It’s every kid’s ambition to play professional football, but then to play in the top league, when you know you’re going to be going to the likes of Anfield, Old Trafford, Villa Park, it was fantastic.

“At Christmas we were doing really well, we started off on fire, but then people realised our strengths were Ricky Hill and David Moss, if they cut the ammunition out to Stein, (Paul) Walsh and whoever, they couldn’t score.

“When you’ve moulded a team together and one of that squad has to come out (Stein), the players who came in did a great job, but I knew when I got the ball, if Brian Stein looked at me, he didn’t have to indicate, I knew which way he was going to spin and I’d ping the ball into that space.

“You get a relationship with players on the pitch, you know their strengths, you know where they want the ball, you know where they don’t want it.

“We had a good side, we were just inexperienced for that level.

“We were playing against quality players and it is a step up to the top flight, but we took them there and stayed there for a few years.”