Rob Hadgraft

“Our younger players are a bit up and down, and with a number of big names still injured we would regard a draw as a good result” Author and Luton fan Rob Hadgraft drops in for a chat ahead of the first Hatters derby since 2013

Dropped in for a chat with Stockport's Des Hinks, who represents the OTHER club who call themselves Hatters! He sat me down and pinned my ears back with 20 tricky questions about Luton Town. Here's the result:
open.substack.com/pub/thescarf...

At Luton when things go bad, they go really bad . . . . Imagine taking a penalty and the opposition goalkeeper saves your kick with one hand tied behind his back! 😲😲😲 (Pic: David Horn)

Troubled times at Luton Town lately..... but things are looking up! Not only has the club hired a new manager, today is publication day of my new book, chronicling the 9 years when the only way was up! 😉 Get it via Amazon or publisher Amberley: bit.ly/48rH33d www.amberley-books.com/luton-towns-...

Let's hope this is not going to be a 'Wayne Rooney at Plymouth' type of scenario! Perhaps 2020 are thinking of putting an experienced old hand in as his assistant/advisor (like Paul Hart and Mick Harford were for Nathan)?

Life’s never dull at Luton Town ….. This week the manager got the boot, there’s a couple of local derbies (sort of), and some new books coming out! 😁⚽️📚

In 51 years as a supporter I've seen 21 different Luton Town managers. Is this man to be the 22nd?

Well I recognised TEDEN MENGI on his return to the team, but nearly missed CAMERON McGEEHAN - who looks like he's shrunk since we last saw him 😆😆😆 #COYH

AAH "not back on the grass yet" according to the gaffer

Liam Walsh's training injury means Luton have TEN first-teamers out with "long-term" injury. This has been going on for so long- is it really just bad luck? (Walsh/Baptiste/Adebayo/Walters/Jones/Odoffin/Brown/Mengi/ Lockyer/Al Hamadi). Two more (Doughty/Holmes) left recently & immediately injured!

Luton suffered a total deduction of 40 points in a very short period .... I very much doubt a big club like Chelsea will get anything draconian like that - probably just a fine that can easily be afforded

Hope I'm proved wrong this afternoon - but having Longwijk and Nelson starting line-up while Naismith and Walsh are on the bench is baffling....

THROWBACK THURSDAY (No.396): This week’s choice of ancient vinyl is PREFAB SPROUT’s acclaimed 1984 debut SWOON - which is exactly what many folk are doing in this week's heatwave . . . Sadly the band's tuneful album output ceased long ago, but people certainly don’t forget that weird band name 🥹☀️🎸

The funeral of BRIAN OWEN is this Friday (8th) in Essex. He was a unique & well-liked figure who had an amazing six decades in professional football (at Watford,Colchester,Wolves,Ipswich,Luton,Cambridge,C.Palace & the FA). Here's my story of his stint at Luton: hattersheritage.co.uk/longer-reads...

THROWBACK THURSDAY (No.394): This week’s ancient vinyl getting a spin is the unmistakable JETHRO TULL's big-seller ‘War Child’ of 1974. Multi-millionaire singer Ian Anderson MBE (the Laird of Strathaird) has come a long way since life in a Luton bedsit earning £5 a week cleaning cinema toilets! 😟 🎸

Josh Keeley the sponsors' man of the match? Can't recall him having a save to make!

Soccer Books and annuals from the 1940’s to the 1960’s Soccerbooks.co.uk offers an extensive catalogue of upcoming soccer book releases extending into 2026. Each title comes with a convenient pre-order option—a feature that's become increasingly valuable ...

Book can be pre-ordered now - from Amazon, publishers Amberley Books, or even the splendid people at soccerbooks.co.uk ! 😁

I humbly tip my hat to www.soccerbooks.co.uk for this generous write-up about my forthcoming book in their marketing catalogue! 👍

THROWBACK THURSDAY (No.392): This week’s choice of ancient vinyl for the office turntable is STRAWBS, an all-time favourite band of mine. Vocalist and songwriter DAVE COUSINS died earlier this week, sadly another addition to the long list of 1970s music icons who have left us recently 🙁 🎸

“Most of our fans are demanding Waitrose purchases (because of all that Premier League and parachute cash) but that doesn’t seem to be happening” Author and Luton fan Rob Hadgraft drops in for a chat

Invited into the hot-seat this weekend by the excellent 'Scarf My Father Wore' blogsite. They wanted to know about Luton Town's prospects for 2025-6. Click here to see how it panned out ........

The club describes the new away shirt as 'navy, white & black', but in the photos it looks green, white & black. Is this something to do with the Slovenian sun, or maybe I need to change my computer screen settings?

Long journeys for away games in January are always unwelcome ..... but the EFL fixtures computer has contrived to give Luton Town TWO trips to Devon (Exeter & Plymouth) and TWO to Yorkshire (Doncaster & Huddersfield), all 4 of them in the space of 28 days in January 2026! 😲

THROWBACK THURSDAY (No.388): This week’s ancient vinyl getting a spin is a green re-issue of the 1976 LP that was the biggest seller on the entire planet for over 30 years! They are called ‘EAGLES’ by the way, not ‘THE EAGLES’, as most people think! (Highly recommend Mick Wall's new book on them) 🎸

Kinnell sot! 😝☀️

THROWBACK THURSDAY (No.387): This week’s ancient vinyl on the office deck is a slice of outrageous 1970s American glam-punk. Top bands of this genre like NEW YORK DOLLS crashed & burned, but THE TUBES are still at it 50yrs later! They used to be so scary that even Cher fled the theatre in terror! 😯👄

THROWBACK THURSDAY (No.386): This week’s ancient vinyl on the creaky turntable is #HEART, whose stunning debut ‘Dreamboat Annie’ is 50 years old this summer! 😳 This album LITTLE QUEEN followed it in 1977. Despite setbacks galore, they are ploughing on in 2025 -another big tour underway this week! 🎸🎤

Not seen that 72-3 Yearbook before. Published by the club, or by the local paper maybe?

THROWBACK THURSDAY (No.385): This week’s ancient vinyl on the creaky turntable came out 50 years ago this week - at a time the biggest stars didn’t even bother putting their name on the cover! This WINGS album gave PAUL McCARTNEY the tough task of following up his '73 classic ‘Band on the Run’ 🎸

It's only a minor point, but worth mentioning that out of the last SIX clubs to be relegated from the Premier League, Luton Town amassed the highest PL points total (26)! And this despite only spending peanuts in the transfer market and having only half a defence for half of 2023-4! 😁

THROWBACK THURSDAY (No.384): This week’s ancient vinyl on the creaky turntable is DAVID BOWIE. His alter ego (Ziggy Stardust) debuted on stage in Aylesbury in 1972, but was killed off a year later at the Hammersmith Odeon. That shocking moment is recorded for posterity on this live double-LP! 🎸🎷🎤