Luton Town faced Cheltenham Town in League Two six years ago on the 24th of February in a 2-2 draw, now Luton are a Premier League side facing Man City in an FA Cup fifth-round game.
Luke Berry is the only player from the two starting XI who are still at either club. Berry has played five times for Luton in the Premier League this season.
Luke Berry has agreed a new contract to remain at Luton Town ✍️🟠pic.twitter.com/gRiQJuR0UV
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) June 23, 2023
Cheltenham have also had a rise, not like the Luton rise, in 2021 Cheltenham were promoted to League One for the first time in 12 years.
The Robins have seen drastic changes to their team from that day with no players from that XI still playing for Cheltenham.
The Robins picked up a well-earned draw in this fixture, Cheltenham Town correspondent Jon Palmer said “There was a bit of gulf between the two teams even though they had recently just come up.”
Cheltenham’s promotion to League One nearly three ago has seen them stay in the third division of English football but now they are fighting in a regelation battle this season.
Since this fixture six years ago Luton have had quite the rise making it to the Premier League, they are in the same situation as Cheltenham being in a relegation battle. Palmer said, “I didn’t think they would get back to the topflight”.
Palmer was at the game six years ago he said, “They only just recently came up from the Conference.” The Hatters finished second in the 2017/18 League two season gaining promotion to the third division.
No one gave Luton a chance to fight for survival saying they would break the record of Derby’s with the lowest points, they sit in 18th being four points off safety and in a 5th round FA cup tie against treble winning Manchester City.
Kenilworth Road was the venue of the fixture six years ago and with it the venue of the FA Cup tie tonight, the home team will be hoping to create an atmosphere in the stadium which is located in the middle of a housing estate.
Palmer spoke about his experience of the ground “I remember going there in the away end as a fan in 2001 and it was bizarre”.
Palmer has high praise for the Hatters with their rise into the topflight saying “They should probably be a decent league one team, to get into the championship and do what they have done under Rob Edwards is incredible”.
Palmer also praised the efforts of Cheltenham since that day six years ago “They were struggling in league two, they had a strong team that year”
The result on that day was unexpected but with Cheltenham going two nil up, Palmer said “In the end, Cheltenham were a bit disappointed.
“They would’ve taken it, Luton were flying at the top of the league, Cheltenham were worrying about going down.”
There were some international players in the making on show in the game, James Justin and Joe Rodon being the standout players. “He looked quality on the ball, people calling him the Welsh John Stones. When he came up against some more physical players it was definitely a learning curve for him.”
The difference since that day is something special with now both teams in action tonight with Luton playing against Man City in the FA Cup 5th round and Cheltenham taking on Wycombe Wanderers in a must-win League One game.
