May 19, (THEWILL)- Luton Town’s fairytale English Premier League journey came to an abrupt end on Sunday as they were relegated to the Championship after a 4-2 defeat at home to Fulham. Their demotion was confirmed when Nottingham Forest secured a vital 2-1 victory over Burnley, safeguarding their top-flight status.
The Hatters headed into the final day of the 2023/2024 campaign three points adrift of 17th-placed Forest, needing an unlikely swing in goal difference to prolong their EPL adventure. Any slim hopes were swiftly extinguished as Forest raced into a 2-0 lead through Chris Wood’s early brace at Burnley.
Despite admirable performances against title contenders Manchester City and Arsenal earlier in the season, Luton struggled to maintain consistency, winning just two league games in 2024. A dismal run of one point from their final six matches proved costly, sending them straight back to the Championship after just one season.
Joining Luton in the drop are Sheffield United and Burnley, marking only the second time in EPL history that all three promoted teams have suffered immediate relegation. The previous occurrence was in the 1997/1998 campaign when Barnsley, Bolton Wanderers, and Crystal Palace made an instant return to the second tier.
Forest’s survival was particularly remarkable given the four-point deduction they faced for financial breaches and the mid-season managerial change that saw Nuno Espirito Santo replace Steve Cooper.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
