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Luton Supporters Trust ‘disappointed’ by message on flag covered up during England U21 match

The Luton Town Supporters Trust say they have been left ‘disappointed’ by the message on a flag was covered up during an England U21 match.

The LTST board discovered that the bottom part of the ‘Betrayed by the FA’ flag that proudly hangs in the corner of the Main Stand at Kenilworth Road was covered up during the England under-21 friendly match against Austria on Monday evening.

Journalist Henry Winter and a number of the Championship club’s fans posted about it on Twitter, @JoolsofLuton also uploaded a photo of the flag’s message being unhidden.

Luton Town Supporters Trust said in their statement: “The LTST board is disappointed to discover that the bottom part of the ‘Betrayed by the FA’ flag that proudly hangs in the corner of the Main Stand at Kenilworth Road was covered up during the England under-21 friendly match against their Austria counterparts on Monday evening.

“Our members, along with the wider support base, have expressed their outrage at such an action.

“The flag is a symbol of how our club fought back from the brink of extinction and acts as a reminder of the past, fuelling us as a fanbase.

“LTST strongly condemns the covering up of the flag and as such we have asked the club for some background behind the act.

“Once we have this information we will relay it in a further statement.”

The Loyal Luton Supporters’ Club also said: “Loyal Luton is left deeply disappointed and dismayed by the covering of the “Betrayed by the FA” flag during the England U-21 match. We were led to believe it would be displayed in full.

“This flag symbolizes LTFC’s remarkable rise from near collapse, and its message is crucial—a reminder of the club’s history and the struggles we’ve overcome. LLSC demands an explanation of who made the decision to hide it and why.

“The flag represents more than a grievance—it’s a voice for supporters still hurt by the FA’s 2008 actions. Silencing it for an external event is deeply disappointing.

“Never forgive, never forget.”

LUTON STATEMENT:

Luton Town Football Club would like to clarify the situation regarding the unauthorised folding of the flag in the corner of the Main Stand for last night’s England Under-21 international at Kenilworth Road.

The ‘Betrayed by the FA 2008’ message printed at the bottom section of the flag has a meaningful significance to our supporters and the Club, as it is a representation of the most poignant event in the Club’s history and is a symbolic relic of the largest points deduction the FA has issued any club.

As time has passed, the Club’s relationship with the FA has arrived at a place where games such as last night’s England U21 international may be hosted at Kenilworth Road. Events such as these are positive for the Club’s local community – particularly for younger supporters in the area – and are events the Club wishes to conduct more of moving into Power Court.

In agreeing to use Kenilworth Road for last night’s fixture, the Club was obliged to hand the operation of the fixture and the Club’s entire facility to the FA under their specification which included adding the application of England branding throughout the stadium. However, it was requested that the banner in question would remain in place, just as it did when Kenilworth Road played host to the FA Women’s National League Cup final on March 23rd.

In the final build-up to the match, the FA asked for the flag to be taken down, a request that the Club rejected.

Instead, the corner was folded, which meant the flag remained in place, but the full extent of its meaning was compromised. This action was demanded by the FA and carried out by a member of Club staff who didn’t appreciate the true significance of the action. Had the request been escalated it would have been declined.

The Club understands the subsequent reaction from the fanbase and is extremely disappointed the FA felt the need to hide the message, which is also a poignant part of its own history. We will never forget what happened with the points deductions, and we apologise to any of our supporters who were offended by this action and to those who own the flag.

Ultimately, it was not the Club’s decision but the FA’s very late insistence in their staging of the fixture.

Finally, the Club would like to be able to offer Kenilworth Road as a hosting venue for similar fixtures in future but would only do so on assurance that the Club’s wishes to acknowledge its history are observed.

The game itself saw Morgan Rogers scored twice as England’s U21s beat Austria 4-1 at Kenilworth Road, with the Aston Villa winger netting in both halves, either side of Thierno Ballo’s equaliser for Austria; while James McAtee and Tom Fellows rounded off the scoring.

England U21s interim manager Ben Futcher, per Sky Sports: “We were better second half. We were disappointed to go into half-time one each because we had a number of chances which were clear cut and we didn’t take them.

“Second half, we were ruthless, it could’ve been more, it was a really good performance and we have some smiling faces in there, which is good. We stepped on the gas, were more ruthless and got a deserved four goals.

“I thought we played some good football, we moved the ball across the pitch well, we were patient when needed and we created some really good chances. We have top players who expressed themselves and that’s what I asked of them to do.

“There’s some top talent in there and Morgan is one of them. It’s good to see him on the scoresheet – he was excellent tonight but so were other players as well. It was a positive night with a good team performance so we can go away happy.”

Here’s how Twitter users reacted with the Luton Supporters Trust ‘disappointed’ by a message on their flag covered up during the England U21 match on Monday…

@IainHaldane: Betrayed by the FA, never forget 🎩

@killawat: Does it really matter? It’s a banner. Having it up or down changes nothing. The world and the FA are well aware of our feelings about what happened. At the same time, this happened many years ago. We have moved on and up. Maybe we should focus on that rather than the past

@McShabby: I am amazed that Luton decided to host a game, I would say the same if it was Wimbledon. Luton were swept out of the football league and Wimbledon had their whole status taken away from.

@sonic_sinclair: I can see the frustrations are still raw, it’s right of us to speak up and what happened back then, But, for me we won’t get justice but the only way is to move forward and to do better, I don’t want to see this at our new home, but if something else occurs hang it up……

@justrapsaking: Embarrassing the club have let this happen

@p_clark60: Never forget.

@AdamDriscoll92: They had no respect for us back then, yet we roll out the red carpet for them now. Wow. Great work @LutonTown. Still, at least the new kits are in stock… 😂

@platter11: Shame. Never forget.

@HartyDFC: #fucktheFA

@johnnylegs11: Sure it will mean more questions due to being folded to those that don’t know/understand. Betrayed by the FA

@Jago20122: BETRAYED BY THE FA!!! SAY IT LOUD AND CLEAR.

@Darwen88: This is actually completely disgusting @FA. How dare you? #COYH

@perry39222681: It was unfurled in the second half. FUCK THE FA OVER AND OVER AND OVER!!!!!

@shepltfc:
WTF is going on here?
Rather fold the club then the banner.
Pathetic.

@robmoss1989: Club have bottled it here. All this crap about look where we’ve come from….. idiots have covered up the biggest part

@PaulSparks1964: Doesn’t change the fact that @LutonTown were hung out to dry….betrayed….in order to try and make an example of them. Perhaps the FA may make an example of Man City…..will they b*****ks!

@LTFC_johnson: Woke nonsense

@DelBoy1976: GS having his minions cover this up bottle job

@Nathanltfc1: Whoever gave this the go ahead at the club should be sacked asap

@george12413051: Embarrassing @LutonTown

@wfcbr: Betrayed for what! You dodgy bunch

@Robertson_1985: We’ve gone fucking soft, should have told them to shove it up their arse. Seems like our soul does have a price after all, fucking joke.

@CallWanker: Took us MONTHS to get that flag off of the weirdo who took loads of money to have it made and then hung it in his garage in Yorkshire.

@dwright75: And in doing so emphasising the FA don’t really want to understand the real fans and their thoughts

@AJH85_: Right then, who the fuck’s let this happen? If you’re in there as a Luton fan, get it unfolded

@Lewiskr_: Barrasin, clubs gettin woker by the day.

@LTFCTixExchange: Wankers. Never forget.

@LewisT_Williams: We won’t forget. Never.

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