After an expensive legal challenge failed to prevent an unwanted road trip to Aldershot Town, John Nisbet reports the latest bit of devastating news for the tenants of Kenilworth Road in Wednesday’s Independent.
Luton Town will definitely begin life in League Two on minus 30 points next month after the Football Association yesterday rejected the club’s appeal. Luton were docked 10 points by the FA last month as well as fined £50,000 for breaching regulations over payments to agents. This was followed by a 20-point penalty from the Football League last week after the club left administration without agreeing a Company Voluntary Agreement.
Luton tried to have the FA’s penalty wiped out, but a hearing in London yesterday refused to overturn the decision. An FA statement said: “The deduction of 10 points was a heavy sanction but was not excessive as a reflection of the seriousness of the breaches and the need to deter such conduct within football clubs. It is highly unfortunate for Luton Town and their loyal fans that shortly after the FA regulatory commission reached its decision the Football League quite separately imposed a 20-point deduction for entirely different actions by the club.”
Ex-captain of the U.S. national team Claudio Reyna is expected to announce his retirement from the former MetroStars tomorrow. While Reyna’s heroics in the 2002 World Cup were amongst the brighter moments in American soccer history, Reyna might only be the 8th most famous sporting resident of Livingston, NJ, trailing Byron Scott, Martin Brodeur, Brevin Knight, Richie Zisk, WNBC sportscaster Bruce Beck and former Yankees traveling secretary George Costanza.