CLUB’S PATH IS MIRRORED BY BOSS ROB
IT’S not just the Luton Town collective writing fairytale stories of rising from Non-League all the way to the Premier League – manager Rob Edwards too has followed the same path.
While the Hatters were storming to the National League title under John Still nine years ago, Edwards was cutting his managerial teeth where, until as recently as 2018, he was in plying his trade in National League North with AFC Telford United.
The rapid rise of both club and manager has once again thrown the Non-League game in the spotlight – and Edwards was keen to revel in the journey.
“It’s one of those brilliant footballing tales,” he said after his side’s 5-4 penalty shoot-out victory over Coventry City in last Saturday’s Championship play-off final at Wembley.
“Over the years, there have been so many amazing people that have poured their heart and soul into the club to get it to where it is now. It means everything to them. “They brought this club back from the brink, there’s too many great people who have done so much over the years to name, like John Still who helped the club through the very first steps on this run or Mick Hartford’s phenomenal work on the recruitment side. “The fans have been through some dark, dark times and we are so proud to give them something incredible to smile about. “As for me, my time in Non-League was part of my journey and helped me pick up a lot from a coaching point of view. Telford had a link with Wolves when I was there so that’s how the opportunity came about. It was a superb learning curve. It was a level that I didn’t know much about and to begin with I didn’t get much right if I’m honest. “Towards the end of my time there, things started to click into place and a lot of what I picked up I implemented at Forest Green when we went up from League Two.
“Going into Non-League was a risk but a great challenge in a raw environment that I wanted to take, and it most certainly shaped me as a coach for the better”. Luton’s story is epitomised by the odyssey of their terrace hero Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu. Released by his boyhood club West Ham United at the age of 20, the Hendon-born midfielder was handed a second chance by the-then National League Hatters in 2014. Since then, Mpanzu has been an ever-present ifor the Hatters, playing an instrumental part in their remarkable climb up the divisions, racking up over 300 first-team appearances in the process.
The 29-year-old started against the Sky Blues under the Wembley arch in what was a fitting ending to an adventure fit for a Hollywood script.
“It’s so amazing for him,” added Edwards “You occasionally hear of players making it from Non-League all the way to the top, but to do it all with the same club is quite extraordinary. “He’s such an important person around the place, an incredible man and he deserves it.”