Luton finally open their new Bobbers stand during Carabao Cup win over Gillingham with the game used as a test event as part of £10m revamp of Kenilworth Road
- Luton fans get first glimpse of brand new Bobbers stand in Carabao Cup tie
- The stand was part of a £10m revamp of Kenilworth Road after club’s promotion
- Would Mohamed Salah ‘do the dirty’ on Liverpool by leaving? And what about Man United ‘diving’?: Listen to It’s All Kicking Off Mail Sport’s new podcast
Luton Town fans got their first glimpse at Kenilworth Road’s new look, as the Bobbers stand was opened for the time for their Carabao Cup tie against Gillingham.
Following promotion to the Premier League with June’s Play-off Final win over Coventry, the Hatters had to upgrade their stadium to meet the league’s requirement’s for broadcasters.
They were forced to postpone their first game back in the top flight against Burnley, because the £10m upgrade to the Bobbers stand wasn’t ready, but finally opened its doors for a test event for the Carabao Cup clash.
The new stand was at 75% capacity for the game against Gillingham, and will now make its Premier League bow when Luton host West Ham on Friday night.
Fans inside didn’t have to wait long to see the first goal, whilst sitting in the newly revamped stand as Luton opened the scoring inside two minutes thanks to Jacob Brown’s opener.
Luton Town were finally able to open the new Bobbers stand for their Carabao Cup tie
The stand is part of a £10m revamp required after they were promoted to the Premier League
The stand’s opening was classed as a ‘test event’ for the match against Gillingham
Your browser does not support iframes.
Further goals from Alfie Doughty and Cauley Woodrow saw Luton beat League One Gillingham with a first home victory of the campaign.
Upon the opening Luton CEO Gary Sweet told the club’s official site: ‘The cup tie and test event in the Bobbers represents a significant landmark in the development of this side of Kenilworth Road ahead of the planning for our first home game in the Premier League next week,’
‘Given the huge demands and the time and space constraints placed under us, we appreciate supporters’ patience in waiting for information.’
Kenilworth Road has been Luton’s home since 1905, but had a capacity of just 10,356 last season. However, the upgrade on the Bobbers stand has increased the seating to beyond 11,300.
The new capacity means the ground won’t be the smallest in the Premier League, with the increased capacity moving it about Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium.
Luton hope to complete a move to a brand new 26,000 capacity stadium by 2026 at Power Court, close to the city centre.
IT’S ALL KICKING OFF!
It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, launching with a preview show today and every week this season.
It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify
Your browser does not support iframes.
Source: Read Full Article