LOCALS who live near a well known football stadium have said they dread fans from one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs.
The famous English ground has undergone a £10m transformation overhaul after three decades away from top flight football.
PALuton Town’s Kenilworth Road home has undergone a £10m transformation programme[/caption]
AFPIt’s exactly 30 years since the Hatters were in the top flight[/caption]
But as Luton Town prepare for their game tomorrow night against West Ham, locals have spoken out about the away fans they dread.
John Wilson, a Luton season-ticket holder, speaking to The Athletic, said:“The London teams were the worst (for causing disruption), especially Chelsea.
“I used to see brand new fences on the road getting hammered down by 30 to 40 fans.”
John also had anxious memories of Millwall fans. He added: “I remember when I had to guard six of my mates from Millwall fans, who pulled the seats up from the stadium and were rowdy. They stopped in the end, but it gave me a shock.”
Luton’s home game against Millwall in March 1985 ended in a riot as rival fans fought each other.
“The players were escorted from the pitch as police dogs were unleashed to chase the fighting fans away.”
John added:“A lot has changed since then but I’m worried about the London teams causing damage.
“No one will like coming to our ground though. I remember seeing Stanley Matthews here and he hated it.”
Other residents spoke to The Athletic about issues which arose on match days near the famous ground.
Faisal Mohammed has lived near the ground for the last seven years. He said: “I don’t follow it often (football).
“There are a lot of police, especially on a match day. That can sometimes be a bit intrusive.
“We also get a lot of coaches down the road (away supporters). That blocks up the road a lot.
“At the same time, the amount of police on the road usually means there is no trouble. It feels like we have a lot of security.”
Mokbol Hossain, 52, lives on Oak Road, said: “I have always liked where I live. My family is settled here and there is a sense of community.
“I’ve not experienced any crime. The only thing is that it is dirty (the street) when a match is on.
And we always have to move our car. That is annoying.”
Kal Patel said: “It is a nightmare for residents (on a matchday)
“It is a mixture of the club’s and council’s fault.
“I’ve personally had no trouble but I’ve seen it when home and away fans aggravate each other. It is convenient (to live here) but, if I had the opportunity to, I would move.
“There are a lot of police on the road usually.
“The road usually closes on a matchday. If it is a midweek game, it wouldn’t open back up until about 11pm. It’s a nightmare. Some people then have to start work at around 5am to 6am.”
Luton are eventually planning to move away from Kenilworth Road, with plans in place to build a 20,000-seater stadium at Power Court, close to the town centre, in time for the 2026-27 season.
PALuton have been on a wild ride of their own[/caption]