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NBA star Russell Westbrook has become the latest high-profile sporting figure to invest in the 49ers group that is in the process of taking over Leeds United.The group 49ers Enterprises, the investment arm of the NFL's San Francisco 49ers, has been a shareholder in Leeds since its initial investment in May 2018.Earlier this week, American golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas confirmed that they had bought shares in the group, and now LA Clippers star Westbrook has joined forces with them."I was lucky enough to have conversations with some of the partners in this deal who already have ownership, the 49ers," Westbrook said at a sports and entertainment summit held by Sportico."So I was lucky enough to talk through that with friends, talking with my business partner as well about different things and having conversations, figuring out if this was the right deal and how we could make it different."At the start of the month, EasyChamp reported that free agent guard Westbrook had agreed on a new two-year, $7.8 million deal to stay with the LA Clippers.Last month, Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani reached an agreement to sell his stake in the club to 49ers Enterprises.The Yorkshire club were relegated to the second-tier Championship at the end of the 2022-23 season.

Basketball

NBA star Westbrook invests in Leeds United's ownership group

Wayne Rooney has said that "ambitious" Birmingham City minority owner Tom Brady is "fully involved" in the club's efforts to gain promotion to the Premier League after the former England forward was appointed as the team's new coach on Wednesday.Rooney, 37, left his previous role as D.C. United's coach after their elimination from MLS playoff contention on Saturday and signed a 3½ year deal to become the new Birmingham manager on Wednesday."I have spoken to Tom [Brady], he is very ambitious to move this club forward," Rooney said in a news conference on Thursday. "It's great to have him here, it's important for the players to see Tom Brady have an involvement. It's very clear that Tom is fully involved in the club."Brady, who won seven Super Bowls in the NFL before retiring in February, became chairman of the advisory board and a minority owner of Birmingham in August after entering into a partnership with the club's owners, Knighthead Capital Management LLC.Rooney outlined his ambition to lead Birmingham -- who play in English football's second tier -- to promotion and a return to the Premier League, 12 years after they were relegated at the end of the 2010-11 season."The Premier League is where we want to get to," Rooney said. "It's an ambition of mine, it's an ambition of the club's and we're putting everything in place to make sure we do that in the near future."The former Manchester United forward admitted he was keen to return to English football after spending time coaching in the U.S."To get back into English football is great," Rooney said. "It's obviously what I've wanted to do and to be honest, I've had opportunities over the last four, six weeks at other clubs as well to do that."But I think since speaking to Birmingham and seeing the ambitions of the club and where they want to get to excited me. It's clear that the club want to be successful and everything we spoke about really was very similar. So it was a really easy decision once I'd spoke to them."[I'm] happy to be back. Bit jet lagged, still! I haven't been back for long, but [I'm] just excited to get going."Birmingham also announced that former Chelsea defender Ashley Cole and Rooney's former United teammate John O'Shea will form part of the club's new first-team coaching staff.

Soccer

Rooney: 'Ambitious' Brady important to Birmingham's success

Wayne Rooney will return to management in England after being appointed manager of Championship side Birmingham City on a 3½-year deal, the club announced on Wednesday.Manchester United legend Rooney left his role as D.C. United head coach on Sunday after his side failed to reach the Major League Soccer playoffs for a second successive season and joins Birmingham, where NFL legend Tom Brady announced in August he became a minority owner and advisory board chair.Rooney's former teammates Ashley Cole, whom he played with at England, and John O'Shea, whom he shared time with at Manchester United, will join his coaching staff."I have been building my managerial career, putting myself in challenging environments, to get me ready for this opportunity," Rooney said in a statement. It's a project that gives me a sense of purpose and I can't wait to get started."Rooney replaces John Eustace as manager. Eustace's Birmingham side were sixth in the Championship with five wins from their opening 11 games before his 15-month spell in charge was ended on Monday.Eustace helped Birmingham avoid relegation last season in trying circumstances caused by two failed takeover bids and the looming threat of a points deduction due to a breach of EFL regulations."Wayne is a born winner," Birmingham co-owner Tom Wagner said. "We believe, with the support of his coaching staff, the club, and our supporters, he will take Blues forward on the next stage of our journey. His playing philosophy will help to realise the ambitions we have set for Birmingham City."Wayne has been preparing for an opportunity like this since he embarked on his coaching education whilst still a player at Manchester United. He and his staff have the full support of the board and everyone at the football club."Rooney has previously managed in the Championship, with his first coaching job coming at Derby County between January 2021 and June 2022.He guided the club from the foot of the Championship to safety months after arriving but failed to repeat the feat in his first full season in charge due to a 21-point deduction. The 55 points Derby won that year would have been enough to secure safety in any other Championship season.Rooney took charge at D.C. United in July 2022 after a previous playing spell at the club but was unable to prevent the team finishing last in the Eastern Conference in his first season. He led the club to an improved ninth-place finish in 2023, but it wasn't enough to secure a playoff spot.D.C. United announced his departure immediately after their last game of the regular season, a 2-0 loss to New York City FC.Rooney is United's leading scorer with 253 goals and only earlier this year was usurped by Harry Kane as England's record goal scorer.

Wayne Rooney appointed manager at Tom Brady-owned Birmingham

United States international Reggie Cannon has joined English second-tier team Queens Park Rangers on a four-year contract, the club said Tuesday.The defender was allowed to sign outside of the transfer window because he was a free agent after leaving Portuguese club Boavista in June."I have always wanted to play in England, this is an incredible opportunity to show what I can do," the 25-year-old said."I have always wanted to attack overseas football because I think that is where the best players are, and that is how you find your better game and develop, so I really think this will help me achieve the best that I can be as a footballer."Cannon previously played for FC Dallas and joined Boavista in 2020.QPR plays in the English second division and was last in the Premier League in the 2014-15 season.The club said the transfer was subject to approval by FIFA, the FA and English Football League. Cannon will also need to receive international clearance."We have fought off clubs to get him and I believe Reggie will become a big asset for us," QPR head coach Gareth Ainsworth said."He can play on the right side of midfield as a wing-back, he can play as a right-sided centre-back, so he is going to add real competition for places which is what we need."With him being without a club over the summer he is going to need a bit of time to get up to speed but I know he is raring to get going with us."Cannon has made 28 appearances for the U.S., scoring one goal, and last featured in a September 2022 friendly against Japan.The Associated Press contributed to this report.

USA defender Reggie Cannon joins English club QPR

United States international Josh Sargent injured an ankle while scoring in Norwich's 4-0 victory over Huddersfield in England's second-tier Championship on Saturday.Sargent was tackled by goalkeeper Lee Nicholls when heading the ball into an open net to give Norwich the lead in the 11th minute, after blocking the keeper's attempted clearance. Nicholls then appeared to land on Sargent's ankle and the striker remained on the ground before being substituted."It looks like a serious ankle injury, unfortunately," Norwich coach David Wagner said. "We will assess him tomorrow, and then we will have to wait and see how serious it actually is."Sargent has scored in Norwich's last three league games, with the team sitting in second place after four matches.The 24-year-old has scored five goals in 23 games for the U.S. and was named in its squad for the 2022 World Cup, appearing three times.The U.S. is set to play two friendlies next month, against Uzbekistan in St. Louis on Sept. 9 and versus Oman in St. Paul, Minnesota, three days later. Gregg Berhalter's side will also take on Germany and Ghana in October friendlies.

USA's Sargent suffers 'serious' injury while scoring for Norwich

BIRMINGHAM, England -- NFL great Tom Brady got to know some of the locals ahead of his first home match as minority owner of English soccer team Birmingham City.Brady made an appearance at The Roost, a pub near St. Andrew's stadium, before Birmingham's game against Leeds in the second-tier Championship on Saturday.A few hours earlier, Brady posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: "Any plans before kick off guys? See you at St. Andrew's."Brady then got to know the players as well by giving a pep talk before the game, Birmingham manager John Eustace said after his team scored a late goal to secure a 1-0 win."That is great, to have one of the most famous sporting people in the world come down and chat to the group," Eustace said. "They were all very excited to listen to him and he gave us some real good words of advice. I think you can see today his presence at the club [is a benefit], the vision that he's got for the football club is amazing."Speaking after the game, Brady said he hoped the day was just the start of a more positive future for a club that last played in the Premier League in the 2010-11 season."It was a great day, obviously winning the game, but seeing the experience of the fans and to turn out for this home game and to see all the different renovations that [chairman] Tom [Wagner] and the team that he's put together has done has been very exciting," he told ITV Sport."So things have happened kind of fast and furious but it's been a great experience today and hopefully it's the start of a very long-term meaningful impact to this community and sports fans around the world."The seven-time Super Bowl champion has partnered with the club's holding company, U.S.-based Knighthead Capital Management, and become chairman of a new advisory board.Birmingham said Brady will "apply his extensive leadership experience and expertise across several components of the club." That includes working alongside the sports science department to advise on health, nutrition and recovery programs."I think for me, I'm a fan of sports and I've been playing sports since I was a kid, been a big fan of your version of football for a long period of time, too," Brady added. "It's a global sport. I've enjoyed following it over a long period of time, I've had family involved in it for a long period of time."So when Yom presented me with an opportunity it was a no-brainer to me."Brady won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and another with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021. He retired in February, after the Buccaneers' loss in the playoffs.Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Tom Brady meets Birmingham fans in pub before first match

BURNLEY, England -- New Burnley minority owner J.J. Watt has welcomed Tom Brady's investment in English football, saying the two NFL legends will push each other to lift their clubs to new heights.Brady became the latest American athlete to invest in English football, taking a stake in second-tier Championship side Birmingham City earlier this month. He will chair the club's advisory board.In an interview with EasyChamp ahead of Burnley's 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in the 2023-24 Premier League opener Friday, Watt greeted the "competition" Brady will bring."I think it [Brady's investment in Birmingham City] helps us because it's competition. We're competitive at the end of the day, so it's going to make us both want to do more." Watt said."I think overall the American fan base has a massive appetite for football right now. Obviously, Ryan Reynolds and Rob with Wrexham, 'Ted Lasso,' you see what Tom's doing at Birmingham City."America is craving football content. There's a large group of people that still don't have a great knowledge base, so they're still trying to find their squad. They're still trying to find who they're supposed to support. I think it helps us a lot that more eyeballs come over. We just direct those eyeballs up to Burnley."In May, Watt and his wife, Kealia, became minority investors in Burnley alongside American consortium ALK Capital. Viral YouTube group Dude Perfect announced a similar ownership deal with Burnley on Wednesday.When asked whether Brady discussed the prospect of investing with him, Watt said: "It's his own thing. We've known about it for a while. We've known what's been going on, but we've spoken about it now and I'm excited for him. I'm happy for him."I think it's going to be a great challenge. I think it's going to be a lot of fun. I'm happy they're in a different league, so I can actually root for him a little bit and want him to come join us [in the Premier League.] But if they ever make it up and we're in the same league, it'll be a lot of fun."Brady pledged to bring his winning mentality to Birmingham, the same mindset that helped him win a record seven Super Bowl rings.Watt, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, isn't hiding from the challenge, though."He's had a whole lot of success in his career on a different kind of pitch, but in this one I like our odds," Watt added.

J.J. Watt welcomes new Tom Brady rivalry in English football

NFL legend Tom Brady has become a minority owner of Birmingham City, a club in English soccer's second-tier Championship.The seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback has entered into a partnership with Birmingham's owners, Knighthead Capital Management LLC, and he will become chairman of the advisory board at the club.There Brady will, according to a statement from Birmingham, "apply his extensive leadership experience and expertise across several components of the club, including working alongside the sports science department to advise on health, nutrition, wellness, and recovery systems and programs."He retired from NFL in February 2023, after 23 seasons in the game where he won the Super Bowl seven times, and was named MVP five times establishing himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the sport.The announcement sees Brady become the second newly retired NFL star to take an interest in English football in the last three months after JJ Watt became a minority investor in Premier League side Burnley on May 1.By his own admission, Brady has a lot to learn about English football but is looking forward to bringing his experience to the club."So here's the deal, I'm officially coming on board at Birmingham City Football Club," Brady said. "And maybe you're asking what do you know about English football, Tom? Well let's just say I've got a lot to learn. But I do know a few things about winning, and I think they may translate pretty well."I know success starts with the work put in when the world isn't watching. I know a team is nothing without the city that shows up and stands behind it."Most importantly, I know I like being the underdog. The road's been long for Birmingham, but these fans have never stopped believing."I'll see you at St Andrew's soon. It's time to get to work."Brady will also work with the club on global marketing efforts and identify new commercial opportunities.Since the takeover was completed on May 8, the new owners have brought in ex-Man City boss Garry Cook as their new CEO and have appointed ex-England manager Hope Powell as women's technical director. Brady is the latest addition.Tom Wagner, chairman of Birmingham's board, said: "Tom Brady joining the Birmingham City team is a statement of intent. We are setting the bar at world class. Tom is both investing and committing his time and extensive expertise. As Chair of the Advisory Board Tom will have a direct impact on the Club."The Men's, Women's, and Academy teams are going to benefit from the knowledge. The goal that Tom has committed to own is to make Birmingham City a respected leader in nutrition, health, wellness, and recovery across the world of football."Brady added: "Birmingham City is an iconic club with so much history and passion and to be part of the Blues is a real honour for me. BCFC is built on teamwork and determination and I'm excited to work alongside the board, management and players to make our Second City club second to none."I've been part of some amazing teams in my day, and I'm looking forward to applying my perspective to create that same success here in Birmingham."

Tom Brady becomes minority owner at Birmingham City

The owners of the NFL's San Francisco 49ers have assumed control of the English soccer club Leeds United.Leeds United announced on Monday that the English Football League had approved the sale of the club to 49ers Enterprises, allowing for "an immediate transition of ownership." Leeds was relegated from the Premier League to the second-tier Championship for next season."This is an important moment for Leeds United and we are already hard at work," said Paraag Marathe, who will take over as chairman of the club. "This transition is a necessary reset to chart a new course for the Club."Marathe succeeds Andrea Radrizzani as Leeds' majority owner. Leeds CEO Angus Kinnear will remain in that role.Marathe and 49ers CEO Jed York lead 49ers Enterprises. The ownership group first invested in Leeds in 2018 and increased its share to 44% in late 2021, then reached an agreement last month to take over Leeds with NBA players Larry Nance Jr. and T.J. McConnell joining as minority partners.Golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas will also be minority partners, Spieth said last week, and on Friday NBA star Russell Westbrook also bought a stake in the group.Leeds appointed former Norwich City boss Daniel Farke as their new manager two weeks ago, on a four-year contract, to replace Sam Allardyce, who left the club by mutual agreement following relegation.Farke led Norwich to the Premier League in his second season before they were relegated back to the second tier in 2019-20. They won the Championship and secured an immediate return to the top flight in 2020-21."It has been an honor to guide Leeds United over the last six years and to spend so much time with the best fan base in the world," Radrizzani said."49ers Enterprises have been fantastic partners for years and I'm confident they will take Leeds to the next level."The statement did not say whether the Italian businessman, who is also chairman and founder of sports broadcasting group Eleven Sports, would still be linked to the club.Information from The Associated Press and Reuters.

San Francisco 49ers owners assume control of Leeds United

Wales captain Aaron Ramsey is returning to his boyhood club Cardiff City on a two-year contract, the Championship side said on Saturday.The announcement came shortly after Nice confirmed that Ramsey had left the French club by mutual agreement.The 32-year-old midfielder and former Arsenal player had arrived in Nice last August on a free transfer and made 34 appearances, scoring once.Ramsey made his first-team debut at the age of 16 for Cardiff in 2007, having progressed through the ranks of the club's youth academy. He then made a move to Arsenal just a year later."It feels unbelievable to finally be back here. I always thought one day I'd come back, and now it's the perfect time to do that," Ramsey said in a statement."For me now to come full circle, to be part of this team now, and hopefully achieve the goals we want, there's no better feeling than that."Ramsey, a fluent Welsh speaker, became the youngest-ever captain of the Wales national side in 2011 aged 20, and earned 82 international caps.He was a part of the Wales side that reached the semifinals of Euro 2016 and participated in the World Cup in Qatar last year.

Wales captain Ramsey rejoins boyhood club Cardiff after Nice exit

Jordan Spieth and fellow American golfer Justin Thomas have bought shares in the 49ers group that is in the process of taking over English football club Leeds United.The group 49ers Enterprises, the investment arm of the NFL's San Francisco 49ers, has been a shareholder in Leeds since its initial investment in May 2018.Last month, Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani reached an agreement to sell his stake in the club to 49ers Enterprises."Relegation wasn't ideal, but we got involved with the 49ers group about purchasing a larger share and getting in with them doing things so successfully as they do everywhere they've touched," three-time major winner Spieth told Sky Sports."We thought it would be a cool opportunity. It's a big city, historic club, great venue in Elland Road, and once we looked into it we realised it could be really exciting."[The 49ers] renegotiated after relegation and it was possibly a better deal -- as long as they can get promoted [to the Premier League] soon."Leeds were relegated to the second-tier Championship at the end of the 2022-23 season, which Spieth said led to Rickie Fowler pulling out."It's done. Myself and Justin with a minority stake. The 49ers beat my [Dallas] Cowboys every year, so if you can't beat 'em, join 'em," Spieth said when asked about the deal, which will undergo checks by the English Football League."Rickie decided against it after relegation."

Golfers Spieth, Thomas invest in Leeds as part of 49ers group

United States midfielder Brenden Aaronson has completed a season-long loan to Union Berlin from Leeds United, it was announced on Sunday.Aaronson has agreed a season-long deal to join the Bundesliga club after Leeds' relegation from the Premier League last season."We would like to wish Brenden good luck during his time at the Stadion An der Alten Forsterei," Leeds said.Union Berlin finished fourth in the German top flight last season and qualified for the Champions League for the first time.His brother Paxten also plays in Germany for Frankfurt.Aaronson joined Leeds from FC Salzburg at the start of the 2022-23 campaign in a transfer worth roughly £23.6 million ($30m) but he sought a move away from Elland Road after they dropped into the Championship.The midfielder appeared in 36 of 38 matches, scoring once and registering three assists. He initially moved to Leeds to reunite with manager Jesse Marsch, the fellow American who also coached him at Salzburg. Marsch was fired in February.He debuted for the USMNT in 2020 and established himself as a key player during World Cup qualifying, playing in midfield and as a winger. He came off the bench in all four U.S. matches at the World Cup, playing 108 minutes.Information from The Associated Press was included in this report.

USMNT's Aaronson signs for Union Berlin on loan from Leeds

Leeds United have appointed former Norwich City boss Daniel Farke as their new manager on a four-year contract, the Championship club said on Tuesday.The 46-year-old has replaced Sam Allardyce who left the club by mutual agreement following their relegation from the Premier League at the end of last season, after he was parachuted in with only four games remaining."I feel humble at this time, I know the responsibility to fulfil all the expectations and I want to repay the trust shown," Farke told the club website."The most important thing is to create a togetherness and unity within this club again and from today onwards, I will work on it with my staff and players, and I trust our supporters will be there when we need them."Farke returns to the English second-tier after he was a manager at Norwich from 2017-2021.The German led Norwich to the Premier League in his second season before being relegated back to the second tier in 2019-20. They won the Championship and secured an immediate return to the top flight in 2020-21."His record in the Championship is clear, and I am impressed by his leadership and plan to guide us back to the Premier League," Leeds Vice Chairman Paraag Marathe said.In January 2022 Farke joined Russian Premier League side Krasnodar. However, he left the club three months later following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, without managing a game due to the winter break.He took over at Borussia Monchengladbach in 2022-23, whom he led to a 10th-place finish in the German Bundesliga.Farke will be assisted at Leeds by Eddie Riemer, with Christopher John and Chris Domogalla also joining the coaching team at Elland Road, having previously worked together at Norwich, Leeds said.

Relegated Leeds appoint ex-Norwich boss Daniel Farke as manager

Cardiff City have been ordered by world soccer governing body FIFA to pay the second and third instalments of the transfer fee for Emiliano Sala to French side Nantes, the Championship club said on Friday.Sala's plane crashed in the English Channel, killing him as well as the pilot, as the Argentine striker travelled to Cardiff after signing for 17 million euros ($18.55 million) from the Ligue 1 side in January 2019.Cardiff were told by FIFA to pay the first instalment of the transfer fee agreed before Sala's death, which amounted to six million euros, but the club now want the next instalments deferred amid an investigation into the French club."Yesterday the CEO of FC Nantes, Franck Kita, was placed into police custody alongside [agents] Bakari Sanogo and Joaquim Batica by the JIRS, French prosecutors specialised in organised crime and financial crime," Cardiff said in a statement."The club's negligence claim in France against FC Nantes exhibits direct exchanges showing Mr Kita was informing Mr Sanogo of the proposed transfer fee for Emiliano Sala. It is not clear why."In the circumstances, the club considers that it would have been fairer if the requirement to pay Nantes had been deferred until the conclusion of the French police investigations and the club's claim against Nantes in the French courts."In May, Cardiff said they were taking further legal action against Nantes after the Swiss Federal Tribunal decided the Court of Arbitration in Sport (CAS) had no jurisdiction to deal with their claim for damages over Sala's transfer.In August last year, CAS had dismissed Cardiff's appeal against a FIFA decision ordering them to pay the first instalment of his transfer fee.Cardiff were relegated at the end of the 2018-19 season after finishing 18th and have not gained promotion back to the top flight since.

Cardiff ordered to pay Nantes remaining instalments of Sala transfer fee

Leicester City appointed Enzo Maresca as their new manager on Friday after the Italian left his role as assistant coach under Pep Guardiola at treble winners Manchester City.Maresca signed a three-year deal with Leicester and he replaces Dean Smith who was appointed as interim boss until the end of the season following the sacking of Brendan Rodgers.Smith, however, could not keep the 2015-16 Premier League champions in the top flight as they finished 18th and were relegated to the second-tier Championship."At the beginning, the target is to play in the best way we can. From there, we can build, day by day, our idea and our philosophy, and the most important thing is to try to win games," Maresca said."First of all, we're going to give 100%, absolutely, because the club deserves this. It's our job, our duty to do that. Then, as I said, day by day, step by step, absolutely we're going to improve."Maresca, who previously coached Manchester City's youth team, does not have first team coaching experience beyond a short stint at Italian side Parma where he lasted 14 games, winning only four times."His philosophy has been built over a rich and varied career, including an outstanding education as a coach, and fits with the vision we have for this next chapter in Leicester City's history," club chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said."Enzo's profile has stood out to us for some time, a feeling that was only enhanced upon meeting him and listening to his enthusiasm for the challenge ahead."Leicester also confirmed the contracts of assistant managers Craig Shakespeare and John Terry would not be renewed.Leicester last played in the Championship in the 2013-14 season when they won the title to gain promotion to the Premier League.

Relegated Leicester appoint former Man City assistant Enzo Maresca as new manager

Golfer Rickie Fowler said he is hopeful of becoming an investor in Leeds United following last week's announcement that the second-tier English club would be taken over by the investment arm of the NFL's San Francisco 49ers.Leeds said Friday that 49ers Enterprises, which already owned 44% of the club, had reached an agreement to purchase the remaining 56% stake held by current owner Andrea Radrizzani's Aser Ventures.Speaking ahead of this week's U.S. Open in Los Angeles, Fowler said that he, along with fellow PGA Tour golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, were eager to be a part of the new ownership group."There is the group that's moving forward with being involved with Leeds. Myself, J.T. [Thomas] and Jordan [Spieth] potentially will be a part of it," he told Sky Sports.The trio have seemingly been turned onto Leeds by fellow golfer Matt Fitzpatrick's Leeds-supporting caddie Billy Foster, though Fowler said Foster wasn't involved in the initial discussions."It's cool to have those opportunities," Fowler added. "I know we are looking into it. It will be fun if we get to be a part of it. If not, we'll continue to root for Leeds to see if we can help out Billy."Obviously they got relegated, but to be able to go to a Premier League game, Champions League. I feel like, obviously you call it football over there, we call it soccer here, it's a massive sport."I feel like it's continuing to get bigger in the States, but since I haven't been to a game I don't have the true appreciation until I've actually been able to go and be there and feel that energy."Leeds were relegated from the Premier League following a tumultuous season that saw them led by four different managers -- including American Jesse Marsch, who was fired in February. They finished second from bottom in the standings on 31 points and will now compete in the EFL Championship next season.

Rickie Fowler keen to invest in Leeds United amid 49ers group takeover

Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has reached an agreement to sell his stake in the club to 49ers Enterprises, the second-tier English side said Friday.49ers Enterprises, the investment arm of the NFL's San Francisco 49ers, has been a shareholder at Leeds, recently relegated from the Premier League, since its initial investment in May 2018.Over the past few years, its stake increased to 44%, while Radrizzani's Aser Ventures owned the remaining 56%. Leeds said that a purchase has now been agreed."Both parties continue to work through the details, and further updates will be provided soon," they said in a statement.Earlier this season, Radrizzani and partner Matteo Manfredi made a purchase of the relegated Serie A club Sampdoria.Leeds were relegated from England's top tier after a roller-coaster season under four different managers. They finished second from bottom in the standings on 31 points and will now compete in the EFL Championship next season."All of our focus remains on a quick return to the Premier League," the statement added.

49ers Enterprises strikes deal to take full control of Leeds United

Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer, who was carried off after collapsing on the pitch in the club's promotion-winning game against Coventry, is ready to return home from hospital.Lockyer, 28, has been undergoing tests at London's Cavendish Clinic since the incident in the early stages of Saturday's Championship playoff final at Wembley."Tom Lockyer will be allowed to leave hospital and return home tomorrow," the club said on Wednesday."The Welsh international has completed all the necessary medical tests and observations to be allowed home for a period of rest before the start of preseason training, which he will be fit to take part in."Luton, who finished third in the Championship, sealed promotion by beating Coventry 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.Lockyer recovered enough to celebrate the victory with his family in hospital, posting a picture on social media that went viral after the win that took Luton into the top flight for the first time since 1992.

Luton captain Tom Lockyer to leave hospital after collapsing during playoff final

LEICESTER, England -- They lived the dream, but now comes the nightmare. Seven years after completing the most improbable sporting fairy tale to win the Premier League, Leicester City were relegated to the second-tier EFL Championship on Sunday despite beating West Ham United 2-1 on the final day of the season.This trajectory from champions to Championship in such a relatively short time period raises questions about how a club still possessing so much individual talent could fall so far. There are no easy answers, though.The complicated postmortem that now lies ahead was epitomised in the supporters' reaction to confirmation of their fate. Some tried to start up chants against the owners near the end but few followed. The players embarked upon a brief lap of appreciation to a soundtrack of boos and applause, some keen to recognise their efforts while others voiced frustration at a lack of application across the season.Nobody could realistically blame Leicester manager Dean Smith, who was parachuted in for eight matches following Brendan Rodgers' departure in early April. Sunday's victory -- secured through goals from Harvey Barnes and Wout Faes with only Pablo Fornals replying for the Hammers -- was only their second win in that period. It was arguably their best performance under Smith, but Everton's accompanying 1-0 win over Bournemouth took survival out of their hands."Any club that gets relegated, they have to find a way to bounce back," Smith said afterward. "There are plenty of knocks in football, we all know that, week in, week out. It is how you bounce back from it. From what I've seen, with the infrastructure, I see no reason why it can't bounce back."Leicester won the league in 2016 by 10 points. Back then, Donald Trump was a candidate running to be U.S. president, the United Kingdom was reassessing its relationship with the European Union, and Jurgen Klopp was Liverpool manager. Some things don't change, but in this part of the Midlands it feels like a lifetime ago. In fact, so does Leicester's 2020 FA Cup win when the primary domestic disappointment was dropping out of the Champions League places in the final few weeks.Now that the grave risk of dropping out of the Premier League altogether has been confirmed, it feels like a cataclysmic blow to a club that announced a record annual loss in March of £92.5 million. That figure was partly explained by a loss of matchday revenue arising from the pandemic impacting stadium attendance -- but it was also a consequence of Leicester's summer business, where they spent £23m on Patson Daka, £17m on Boubakary Soumare from Lille and around £15m on Jannik Vestergaard from Southampton.The £92.5m shortfall is a figure that does not include the £75m that Leicester banked by allowing Wesley Fofana to join Chelsea, a deal that weakened Leicester's defence to an extent that may go some way to explaining the relegation scrap they subsequently found themselves in.But a huge summer of change awaits. Youri Tielemans, Ayoze Perez, Caglar Soyuncu, Nampalys Mendy, Daniel Amartey, Jonny Evans, Ryan Bertrand and Tete are all out of contract at the end of the season. Those eight players cost £101m to bring in.Smith refused to be drawn on whether he will be part of the rebuild as Leicester being planning for a season in English football's second tier for the first time since 2014."We didn't speak about anything beyond eight games," he said. "I will speak to [Leicester chairman Khun] Top [Srivaddhanaprabha], who I have a lot of respect for, over the next couple of days and commiserate with him. The time and effort that he puts into this football club is there for all to see. Ultimately, I'm not even thinking about my future at the moment."Barnes, James Maddison and Kelechi Iheanacho will be three other players in demand this summer, and that attacking trio ultimately made the difference on Sunday. Barnes and Iheanacho combined superbly for Barnes to fire in a 34th-minute opener before Faes headed in a second on 62 minutes. However, by that stage Everton were winning and the victory Leicester were edging towards felt profoundly hollow."You're going down" and "Say hello to Millwall" were among the gleeful chants from West Ham fans who had already begun the party ahead of their Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina on June 7. They were largely indifferent to an underwhelming performance where Leicester looked more potent in attack, except for Fornals' 78th-minute strike steered inside Daniel Iversen's near post.Barnes, Maddison and the rest have been unable to deliver these performances on a consistent basis, but it was at the back where their problems have arguably been more prominent. Leicester end the season with 51 goals scored, the highest of any team in the bottom half but conceding 68, a figure higher than all but the two teams below them, Leeds (78) and Southampton (73).The full-time wait was agony for Leicester. As Everton and Bournemouth played out 10 minutes of added time, the players awaited news from Goodison Park. In the crowd, where ghost goals were celebrated more than once, radios were held nervously to ears while others left the stadium resigned to their fate a few minutes before it was confirmed.Leicester redefined what was possible for a midsize English club in 2016. Now they must reinvent themselves to return to the Premier League.

Leicester once redefined a Premier League champion. Now they must reinvent themselves to flee Championship

Luton Town manager Rob Edwards said he could not enjoy the celebrations of his side being promoted to the Premier League after confirming that club captain Tom Lockyer collapsed during his side's shoot-out victory against Coventry City at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.Lockyer, 28, went down worryingly just 12 minutes into the Championship playoff final with no player around him. He was stretchered off and the club later confirmed he had been taken to hospital and was conscious.The defender had been a crucial cog in Luton's tight defence all season as the club conceded just 39 league goals.Asked if the squad would visit Lockyer in hospital, Edwards said: "If we can then we will. As a group we're so tight. I'm not sure if 40 people are allowed to go see someone at hospital, so we'll have to check on that. But I'm just so thankful he's OK."That's why I wasn't really able to enjoy the celebrations at the end, because all I could think about was Locks."Despite losing their key defender, Luton rallied to secure their first-ever promotion to the Premier League with a 6-5 shoot-out victory following a 1-1 draw.Edwards said that Lockyer is undergoing tests and that he does not yet know the extent of the issue that forced him off the pitch."I still don't fully know," he said. "I could see him on the floor and not really moving so I tried to get the players away. I need to try and refocus them. I said after 45 minutes we do it for him, focus. Focus on the job at hand."Defender Dan Potts told Sky Sports: "I'm gutted for Locks [Lockyer], he deserved to be there holding that trophy. Hopefully we'll be able to see him tonight."Following their victory, Lockyer's father posted a picture on Twitter of the defender celebrating in hospital. The squad members held a "Lockyer 4" shirt in the trophy lifting celebrations.

Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer in hospital after collapsing during playoff final

LONDON -- Luton Town have been promoted to the Premier League after edging Coventry City 6-5 on penalties following a nervy 1-1 draw at Wembley Stadium. Luton opened the scoring on 23 minutes to send the sun-baked side of Wembley into raptures as Elijah Adebayo set up Jordan Clark to power a strike home, and Coventry looked stunned by the occasion.However, the Sky Blues responded in the second half with a fantastic counter-attacking goal that saw star men combine, with Viktor Gyokeres teeing up Gustavo Hamer to fire home.After being locked into a low-energy extra-time draw, Luton looked to have snatched it late on with Joe Taylor pouncing on a defensive mistake, but VAR deemed the substitute to have committed a handball in the build-up. With the shoot-out locked into sudden death, it was Luton who prevailed with a series of stunning spot kicks to book their place in England's top flight for the first time since 1992.For whoever emerged victorious at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, the result would be transformative for the future of the club. Just over five years ago, Luton and Coventry shared the spoils in a League Two match which helped both towards their eventual promotions. Given their recent history, their respective crises -- the fact both battled in football's most lucrative event deems "one for the romantics" a sizeable understatement. Having a minimum of £170 million on the line ensures a high-stakes affair for any club. But particularly for Luton and Coventry, given little time has passed since their very existences seemed tenuous.While Coventry now must deal with the heartbreak of falling just short, the Premier League can celebrate its newest addition -- one that hasn't seen top-flight football since the division's formation in 1992. Luton have defied the odds by achieving promotion with a relative shoestring budget. In recent years, they have been deceptively quiet while operating in an extremely competent manner. Now, with promotion to the Premier League and the financial injection it brings, it is not too far-fetched to claim they can follow the moulds of clubs like Brentford or Brighton & Hove Albion.Anybody with a social media presence will surely be aware of what Kenilworth Road will bring to the Premier League. The smallest stadium to ever host a Premier League match -- with an away end that somewhat intrusively backs onto the gardens of locals. Their presence is unconventional, but their ambitions are quite familiar. Their promotion, and the wealth that accompanies, will fast-track their move to new stadium Power Court, one more suited to top-flight football. Then, Luton in the Premier League would not seem such a far-fetched fantasy. They now have the chance to establish themselves.Amid the rapturous atmosphere of a sold-out Wembley Stadium and the sport's biggest prize on the line, Mpanzu looked unfazed in the middle of the park. Cool, composed and wiry as ever, the midfielder knew what was on the line -- but he didn't show it.The 29-year-old became the first-ever player to be promoted from England's nonleague system to the Premier League all with the same club. To mark the occasion further, he even captained his side into extra time at Wembley Stadium, assuming the armband from Tom Lockyer, who went down worryingly inside 11 minutes under no contact before being taken to hospital.Mpanzu has seen it all since joining Luton as a West Ham United cast-off in 2013. From the rough-and-tumble of the fifth tier against sides such as Nuneaton Town, Hereford United and Braintree Town to now preparing to face England's most illustrious clubs, Mpanzu's ability to adapt to each level cannot be understated, nor can the trust Luton have installed in the midfielder. Each level of the football pyramid requires a different skill set -- the nonleague system poses a far larger test physically, for example -- but Mpanzu has stood up to everything thrown at him, as evidenced by his cool display at Wembley on Saturday. Mpanzu is just one of a number of examples of how Luton have expertly navigated the EFL system in their meteoric rise from the fifth tier.Adebayo, who expertly set up Clark for the opening goal, was playing League Two football as recently at 2021 with Walsall. Clark himself underwent a Joelinton-esque position change following his move from Accrington Stanley under previous boss Nathan Jones. Luton have shown miraculous knowhow in the progression of players from the lower level. Given the financial prize of their Premier League promotion, this may no longer be necessary -- but it's unlikely their policy will change.Coventry are in a significantly superior state to where they were when the 2022-23 season commenced. Their financial position is finally stable, and the ownership regime is one that supporters can rally to support. The club have been galvanised by the ongoing efforts of manager Mark Robins and the new owner Doug King, who rendered the club debt-free following his takeover in January.The newfound stability has given the club a footing to make challenging for Premier League status no longer a far-fetched dream. But this summer is likely to answer questions as to whether they can immediately bounce back from the disappointment of defeat at Wembley.Star men Gyokeres and Hamer have been instrumental in the success of Robins' side this season and with the club remaining in the Championship for another season, they may well have scuppered their chances of keeping the two on board in the future. Robins has transformed both into players who can create something out of nothing. Look no further than their brilliant understanding in combination for the levelling goal against Luton. Gyokeres scored 21 goals and assisted 11 in the regular season while Hamer notched 10 on both fronts. The latter scored Coventry's two play-off goals and has been a relative surprise package with his forward exploits from midfield.Robins has shown in his stint as boss that he invests in continuity. He will be battling the hardest to keep his key men at the club over the summer. And if the club manage to hold onto their star duo, it will show how far the club have come since their very existence seemed under threat just a few years ago.Elijah Adebayo, FW, Luton Town: A constant thorn in Coventry's side. Provided a stunning assist for the opening goal and came close to scoring on a couple of occasions.Viktor Gyokeres, FW, Coventry City: The Coventry top scorer came alive in the second half and set up Hamer for the equaliser. He was essential to his side's counter-attacking style.Jordan Clark, MF, Luton Town: Was a live wire in midfield and helped to drive Luton forward. Dispatched his goal expertly.Kyle McFadzean, DF, Coventry City: Bullied by Adebayo in the lead-up to the opening goal.Kasey Palmer, MF, Coventry City: Came on as an 80th-minute substitute and was taken off 12 minutes into extra time without having any effect on the game.Fankaty Dabo, DF, Coventry City: Came on as a substitute and didn't impact the game before missing the decisive penalty.After winning on penalties, Luton Town gained promotion to the Premier League.Luton's Kenilworth Road will host some of the world's best teams next season.Luton's journey up the English football pyramid to the Premier League has been remarkable.Luton manager Rob Edwards: "It feels incredible. I've got to be honest, the only thing I'm thinking about now is Tom Lockyer ... Health is the most important thing, more important than football."We're not going to go mental. We have to play to our strengths which is what we've tried to keep going since I've come in."We realise it [the Premier League] is going to be the biggest challenge ever. It is the best league with the best managers, the best players. We know how tough it is going to be. We will be sensible. The fans have seen some dark, dark times. It is great that we can give them a smile."Coventry manager Mark Robins: "Firstly congratulations to Luton because once the game is over and done with you gotta congratulate the winners and they've come out on top today however tight the game may be. They've been outstanding all season and good luck to them moving forward."For us, certainly the opposite of joy is pain. You certainly feel a bit of pain. Once that pain starts to dissipate in however long it takes for it to go, you've got to reflect on what an unbelievable achievement its been just to even be here today. Unfortunately we couldn't make that next step, but when you don't do that it means you're just not quite ready for it."I thought we were as poor as we've been [in first half]. To get in at 1-0 was a relief had to sort of try and speak to them and give them the right information and ask a few questions of them and we came out second half and played the way we know we can play."

Luton Town's football fairy tale goes on after clinching historic Premier League promotion on penalties

Luton Town will play in the Premier League for the first time after beating Coventry City 6-5 on penalties in Saturday's Championship playoff final at Wembley Stadium, earning a return to England's top flight after a 31-year absence.Coventry's Fankaty Dabo blazed his spot kick over the crossbar after the shootout went into sudden death following a 1-1 draw and a tense but goalless period of extra time, when Luton's Joe Taylor had a late goal disallowed due to handball.A second-half equaliser from Coventry midfielder Gustavo Hamer cancelled out Jordan Clark's brilliant opener, after Luton captain Tom Lockyer was carried off on a stretcher early on after he collapsed on the pitch.Luton confirmed Lockyer, 28, is responsive and talking to his family after he was taken to hospital for tests. The centre back had fallen to the ground with no player around him and was treated by medical staff on the pitch."It feels incredible," Luton manager Rob Edwards said. "I've got to be honest, the only thing I'm thinking about now is Tom Lockyer... Health is the most important thing, more important than football."Luton will join Burnley and Sheffield United in next season's Premier League. Their Kenilworth Road stadium will host top-flight soccer for the first time since 1992, when they were relegated from the Football League First Division.Saturday's victory caps a remarkable change in fortunes for Luton, who were playing in the fifth-tier Conference nine years ago after a decade of financial hardship. They are the first team to go from the top tier to non-league and back."I've completed football! I'll retire this summer," said Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, who has played for Luton at every level on their dizzying rise."It's been a journey, through the highs and lows but you've got to believe in yourself. Here I am, a Premier League player."Luton largely dominated the first half and deservedly took the lead in the 23rd minute through Clark, who was set up by Elijah Adebayo and took one touch before firing home a left-footed shot.They also had two goals disallowed before the break but a much-improved Coventry drew level thanks to a quick counter just after the hour mark.Viktor Gyokeres streamed down the left side and picked out Hamer in the box. The midfielder made a bursting run to meet the pass and side-footed the ball into the corner with a sublime finish.Luton, who finished third in the Championship and beat Sunderland in their playoff semi-final, sealed promotion when Coventry's Dabo sent his penalty off-target after the previous 11 takers had all scored their spot kicks."It was our day, which was great, but I do feel for them as well," Edwards said."A lot of emotions going on right now, but I'm incredibly proud."

Luton promoted to Premier League after playoff win over Coventry

The English Championship playoff final is considered one of the most exciting and most lucrative games in all of sports. The winner gets a spot in the English Premier League, while the loser has the pain of having to battle again next season in England's second tier.This year sees two epic teams -- Coventry City and Luton Town -- face off at Wembley for that final spot. Both teams have been in England's top division before, but Coventry were relegated in 2001 and Luton Town were relegated the year before it became the Premier League in 1991-92.Lots of history, lots of passion and lots at stake: Here's what you need to know in order to watch Saturday's playoff final.The 2022-23 EFL Championship playoff final kicks off on Saturday, May 26 at 12 p.m. ET.The game is available live on EasyChamp + in the U.S., beginning at 11:40 a.m. ET.Can't watch live? The final will be available on replay and with full highlights across EasyChamp + and EasyChamp .com.It's quite simple: the winner takes a spot in next season's Premier League. Whether after 90 minutes, extra time or penalties, one of these teams will be crowned playoff champions and will enjoy the top flight next year.The two teams met twice this season in the EFL Championship, drawing both games. On Sept. 14, they tied 2-2 at Luton's Kenilworth Road, with the return fixture ending 1-1 on Jan. 1.

How to watch the EFL Championship playoff final, Coventry City vs. Luton Town

LUTON, England -- Oak Road has become an unusual tourist attraction. Search for it on Instagram and you'll see an array of photographs that define how so many English football clubs have been rooted in their communities for more than a century. They also illustrate the fairy-tale story of Luton Town FC, a club that's one game away from the Premier League, just nine years after "doing a Wrexham" and winning promotion from the National League.If Luton defeat Coventry City in the EFL Championship Play-Off Final on Saturday -- it is billed as football's £180 million game due to the financial rewards of being in the Premier League -- the Hatters will have made the journey from nonleague to Premier League in less than a decade.Over to you, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.But nothing crystallises the Luton story quite like the Oak Stand at Kenilworth Road, the club's tiny 10,356-capacity stadium, which welcomed supporters from Braintree Town and Welling United less than 10 years ago. Next season, fans from Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal could be making the same journey through turnstiles wedged between Nos. 99 and 103 Oak Road and then across a metal staircase that cuts through the back gardens of the houses on the street."It annoys me and makes me giggle when you get the social media content about an away end going through gardens," Luton chief executive Gary Sweet said. "It's been like that since World War II or even before. Why is it raised now -- is it just because we might be going into the Premier League?"Erling Haaland's not going to walk through that entrance: he's going to walk through the other s--- entrance we've got. Embrace it. We've got thick skins; it also shows you don't necessarily need lavish surroundings to succeed."You can do all that without having a beautiful stadium. It is beautiful, though. The old girl is beautiful."Kenilworth Road is certainly different. If Luton are promoted, their stadium -- opened in 1905 -- will be the smallest to ever host Premier League fixtures. The Main Stand is a jumbled patchwork of multicoloured wooden seats and plastic benches, while the players' tunnel is narrow enough to trigger memories of the days when scores were settled by opponents off the pitch, away from prying eyes and cameras.If Luton are promoted, they face a £10 million to-do list of summer improvements in order to ensure their stadium meets minimum Premier League standards: it includes bigger dressing rooms, new floodlights, improved media/broadcasting facilities, a VAR system and a completely new stand to replace the enclosure opposite the Main Stand. Despite Luton's having approval to build a new 17,500-seater stadium at nearby Power Court, the Premier League could be less than three months away; Kenilworth Road, which is 30 miles north of London, will be getting a rapid upgrade."If anyone can do it, we can," Sweet said. 'We've got to practically rebuild a stand, but we'll have gone from nonleague to the Premier League, so we can manage that small matter."Mick Harford has seen it all with Luton Town. The 64-year-old won two England caps while playing for the club in the 1980s, when Luton established themselves in the old First Division, and he played on the day when the team beat Arsenal at Wembley to win the EFL Cup in 1988. He was also in charge as manager when Luton completed their slide from England's top division -- they were relegated in 1992, three months before the start of the Premier League -- to nonleague with relegation to the National League in 2008-09, after starting the season with a massive 30-point deduction imposed by the EFL and English FA for financial irregularities dating back several years.That sanction, which condemned Luton to relegation, remains an open wound among the club's supporters, as borne out by a banner -- Luton Town, Est. 2008, Betrayed by the FA 2008 -- which still hangs in the Main Stand.Harford, now Luton's chief recruitment officer, admits that the club has been on an incredible journey. "It's been a roller-coaster ride, especially for the fans," Harford told EasyChamp . "When I first signed for Luton [in 1984], there was a dressing room full of international players. It was a really good team and we could compete with the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool. We had a bit of a golden era."But after that, players left, I left and I came back, but all the players left. The club went in a chain of different owners, changed hands a few times, and they just went on a downward spiral. Then they got into monetary problems and got deducted points, and as soon as you start deducting points, it becomes difficult to attract players to your club. Things just went downhill from there and we went down into the National League and were there for five years."As we all know, it's very, very hard to get out the National League. Look how long Wrexham's been down, and they're a big club. Did I fear for the club? I think everybody does when they go down to that level."After four seasons of failing to escape the National League, Luton hired John Still as manager in 2013. Still had enjoyed a record of success at National League level stretching back over 20 years, having won promotion to the EFL with Maidstone United (1989) and Dagenham & Redbridge (2007), and his appointment proved to be the catalyst for Luton's rebirth and rise."It's a fantastic story, isn't it?" Still told EasyChamp . "If somebody wrote it, it wouldn't be fact, it would be fiction."When I arrived, I felt there was a desperation among everybody and supporters were putting the players under lots of pressure because they genuinely felt they should be a Football League club. The biggest thing was trying to get everybody singing from the same hymn sheet, and getting the supporters to really back the players, so I used to do a thing at the end of the game where I had a little meeting on the pitch and I used to pull someone out of the crowd to come in, to involve the supporters and make them feel they were involved. And we gradually turned it around."Still won promotion in his first season in charge, restoring Luton to the EFL. Promotion from League 2 (alongside Coventry City) followed in 2018, with the team going up from League 1 at the first attempt in 2019. Three promotions in nine years, and a fourth is potentially just 90 minutes away on Saturday.Midfielder Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu has been in each promotion-winning team, and the 29-year-old will become the first player in history to play for the same club in the National League, League 2, League 1, Championship and Premier League if he helps guide Luton to the top flight. "It's been an adventure," Mpanzu said. "Not a lot of people have done it -- I think I'll be first -- but it's all about having people who believe in you."Did I want to come here when I left West Ham? Absolutely not! But Luton believed in me, gave me a chance and now we just have 90 minutes to go. We've come a long way from a training ground with dog walkers cutting across our pitches and getting changed in portable cabins, but hopefully by 7 p.m. on Saturday, we'll be in the Premier League and drinking champagne."Luton won just two of their first nine Championship games this season -- Coventry made an even worse start, winning one and losing four of their first nine -- but their form since the beginning of January, with two defeats in 21 games, propelled them into the playoffs with a third-place finish. USMNT goalkeeper Ethan Horvath and 20-goal top scorer Carlton Morris have been key figures.The departure of manager Nathan Jones to Southampton in November could have wrecked Luton's prospects this season, but the appointment of Rob Edwards has proved to be a masterstroke. Edwards guided Forest Green Rovers to promotion from League 2 last season before moving to Watford, Luton's traditional rivals, last summer. But after being fired following just 11 games in charge there, Edwards is now on the brink of a second successive promotion, but this time to the Premier League."It's been a wild season for me to say the least," Edwards said. "I hoped to get promoted at the beginning and it didn't really work out at Watford. It's a bit strange, it's different."People ask me about a winning formula, but it comes down to good people. Anyone could've come in and done what I've done, it's been pretty easy really. I'm just lucky they picked me."Luton, meanwhile, believe they have hit the jackpot by hiring Edwards. "We couldn't have had a better human being come in than Rob," chief executive Sweet said. "His image and persona is impeccable, and he reflects our image and persona. I think he's actually a bit better than we are."The mutual appreciation between Edwards and Sweet is a reflection of Luton as a club. Those years in the lower leagues, battling to escape the National League, seem to have forged a togetherness and family spirit that are rare at the highest level of the game. To further underline the community aspect of the club, a group of supporters started an online fundraiser this week, aiming to raise £500 for Kenilworth Road's ticket office staff to have a free day out at Wembley on Saturday. By Thursday morning, the figure raised exceeded £5,000."There's a lot of love here," Edwards said. "It's about more than just football, it's about people's lives. I've sensed it and sense it's been like that for a while. People will be going to Wembley to win, and if we don't there will be devastation and a period of mourning, but when you look where we've been, things could be a lot worse and we are on our way back."If Luton do make it, Kenilworth Road will get its last dance in the Premier League. A throwback to different times, but an experience that no player or supporter will forget. "The stadium is brilliant," Harford said. "When there's 10,000 people in here, it sounds like there's 60,000. It'll be a sad day when we leave it, an absolutely sad day, but we're going to have to leave it one day, hopefully very soon."If we can get into the Premier League, we will be given money to put towards a new stadium and that will give us a foundation for the next 20, 25 years to take this club forward."