Highlights
- From the depths of non-league to the Premier League, Luton Town’s rise has been remarkable over the last decade thanks to dedication and hard work.
- Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, a Hatters legend, made history by going from the fifth tier to the Premier League with Luton, showcasing his perseverance and talent.
- Ruddock Mpanzu’s journey with Luton epitomizes dedication and loyalty, as he played a key role in all of the club’s promotions, becoming a fan favorite.
Luton Town have been on a wonderful journey over the last decade.
If you were to rewind back to the start of the 2013/14 campaign, Luton Town were at their very lowest.
They were about to compete in their fifth consecutive non-league season, having fallen from grace a few years prior.
Eventually, the Hatters clinched the Conference title and rightfully returned to the Football League after five disastrous years.
This was just the beginning of their meteoric rise though, as after four seasons in League Two, Luton achieved back-to-back promotions to the Championship.
Somehow, the Hatters’ incredible journey did not stop there, as the 2022/23 campaign saw them achieve an unprecedented promotion to English football’s top flight via the Championship play-offs.
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Luton really made a good account for themselves last season, showing heart and desire in every contest. Rob Edwards oversaw the side, and despite being unable to avoid relegation, they could hold their heads high.
As expected, a lot has changed at Luton Town over the last decade as they have risen through the divisions, but there is one thing on the pitch that has remained the same.
This season, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu earned an achievement that may never be repeated as he became the first player in history to go from the fifth tier to the Premier League with the same club.
It goes without saying that the 30-year-old is a Hatters legend.
He has been there for every single one of Luton’s achievements over the last decade, and has continued to be a fan favourite. No one could ever have expected that when he arrived at Kenilworth Road in 2013, he would go on to make such an impact.
A blessing from West Ham United
Ruddock Mpanzu began his career at non-league Boreham Wood, but in 2011 he had a successful trial with West Ham, who were in the Championship at the time, and subsequently signed a professional contract with them.
The defensive midfielder made his West Ham debut in the League Cup in 2013, but the next month he was sent out on loan to get some real first-team experience.
Fortunately, it was Luton Town that secured his services for a month on a temporary basis, and this turned out to be a stroke of genius by the Hatters.
Ruddock Mpanzu played a handful of games on loan in the Conference, and impressed Luton enough to want to purchase him for an undisclosed fee in January 2014, with the club eyeing up promotion to the Football League.
Ruddock Mpanzu’s time at Luton Town
The 30-year-old played a huge part in Luton’s promotion from the Conference, featuring regularly in midfield for the second half of the season and even grabbing a couple of goals.
This was his first of four promotions with Luton in the space of a decade. Aside from suffering a couple of injuries, Ruddock Mpanzu became a regular starter for the Hatters over the next couple of seasons. The 2016/17 campaign saw him grab seven assists as the club reached the League Two play-offs, but unfortunately they fell short to Blackpool in the semi-finals.
The following two seasons were incredible for both the player and Luton Town as they achieved back-to-back promotions from League Two to the Championship. Ruddock Mpanzu was a mainstay in midfield through these successful times, especially in their League One winning season.
That campaign was arguably the best of his career, as he started all 46 League One games, scoring five goals and assisting five. The following season was an eye-opener as it clearly showed that Ruddock Mpanzu was able to step up into each division they got promoted to. He made a total of 108 league appearances over the next three seasons which ultimately ended in an unprecedented promotion to the Premier League.
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Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu’s Championship stats, as per transfermarkt |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Apps |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2022/23 |
30 |
3 |
1 |
|
2021/22 |
34 |
1 |
2 |
|
2020/21 |
44 |
2 |
3 |
|
2019/20 |
44 |
3 |
0 |
Luton had pulled off a tremendous achievement, and the 30-year-old was there to witness every single step of the journey. Once again, he made the step-up into the next division, as he made 27 top-flight appearances last season to become the first person in history to go from the Conference to the Premier League with the same club.
The defensive midfielder is nothing short of a Luton Town legend, having made 399 appearances in all competitions, across five different divisions.
To the delight of Hatters supporters, his contract still has one year remaining, so they will undoubtedly see him in the Championship next season.
Looking back, the deal made in January 2014 to bring Ruddock Mpanzu to Kenilworth Road on a permanent deal was a stroke of genius.