Luton Town looking to lift Vertu Trophy at Wembley today
More than 32,000 Luton fans are making the trip to Wembley today, hoping to see their side lift the Vertu Trophy
Luton Town Football Club are set to face Stockport County in the Vertu Trophy final at Wembley Stadium today.
More than 32,000 tickets have been sold by the club, which is almost three times as many as their opponents from Greater Manchester.
Both teams hold the nicknames of ‘The Hatters’, which will be the first-ever Wembley final between two English Football League clubs who share the same nickname.
Manager, Jack Wilshere said: “There's no denying that we're going to a bigger stadium. There's no denying that it's a cup final, which means that you have to win. So, embrace it. Don't hide away from it.”
Luton Town haven’t lost to Stockport since 1968 and are unbeaten across their last 13 games head-to-head.
The Hatters also come into the match in good form, remaining undefeated in their last six games – most recently a 3-0 victory over AFC Wimbledon.
Captain, Kal Naismith told Greatest Hits Radio: “We're in real good form, everything's coming together really well at the right time, so we're excited, we're really excited.”
He added: “It will be my proudest moment to go and lift a trophy for this great club. I don't think it gets any better than that. The only way it will get better than that is if I'm back there in six weeks' time and doing it again.”
Luton last won the competition in 2009 when it was called the Johnstones Paint Trophy. Mick Harford who was manager at the time said: “It’s something special, it's a tricky place to go and play, so you're under massive pressure.
“I just think when you do win that game and you get over the line, which is very difficult in any football match but especially at Wembley, it's like a big, big relief.”
When the club last played under the famous Wembley arch, Jordan Clark’s goal helped them reach the Premier League via the play-offs.
Clark is currently the top-scorer for Luton with 12 goals in all competitions.
He says, “I'd love to score again, and obviously it'd be really special for me personally, but I'd just take winning – winning the game of football and being on the right side of the of a good victory against a really good side.”
Luton is also encouraging all supporters to join in a minute’s applause in the 13th minute of the match in memory of Noah Campbell who was killed in a crash in Flitwick last week.
In a statement the club says it is “a match Noah was due to attend, as tribute to a life taken far too soon.”
Adding: “Noah was a talented footballer who spent time training in our development centre as a youngster, and was a regular at Kenilworth Road supporting the Town with his dad, Andrew.”