Today we are delighted to welcome Arts Council England, the National Literacy Trust and Naz Knight, Bedfordshire’s Poetry Champion, to Kenilworth Road.
They are here as part of our Poem for Your Club partnership project, celebrating Luton Town’s heritage through poetry. Over the past year, the project provided an opportunity for fans from across generations and from different communities to come together to tell their stories about Luton Town and have them recognised and celebrated through poetry.
Naz led workshops and discussions with a range of community groups - including local schools, the Community Trust’s programmes and the Supporters’ Trust. Poetry contributions were also gathered from across the wider community, and Naz attended Luton Town matches to incorporate the supporters’ experiences into the poem.
The aim of the project was to unite community poetry workshops, local poetry contributions, and matchday experiences into a cohesive, collaborative poem that reflects the spirit, pride and identity of Luton Town and its supporters, strengthening links between the club, fans and the local community.
Naz Knight, Bedfordshire’s Poetry Champion says: “Our lives are poetry, written across the echoes of the stadium and the silences between our thoughts.
“Football is poetry in motion – bringing people together in ways that transcend language and background. The past is a poem, holding the stories that shape our loyalty, our identity and our dreams. Through this project, poetry becomes the crystallised perfume of our shared emotions, connecting us back to ourselves and our community.
“By inviting fans and families to write alongside poets, we celebrate the hope and belonging that football inspires and create space for creativity to thrive in the heart of our club. This is why I cherish being part of a project so rooted in the passions and voices of our people.”
Bert Klemmer, Programmes Manager - Education, Learning and Employability, at Luton Town FC Community Trust said: “We are proud to be working alongside the National Literacy Trust, Arts Council England, and Naz to bring our community together through creativity and football.
“This project captured the passion, loyalty, and spirit of Luton Town, and it has been inspiring to see fans from across generations and different communities come together to share their stories, and to have them recognised and celebrated through poetry – celebrating our club in such a powerful way.”
Commissioned by Arts Council England and funded by The Compton Poetry Fund, A Poem for your Club was an exciting new collaboration between the National Literacy Trust and five football clubs. A Poem for your Club was designed in response to declining writing levels, focused on inspiring a love of creative writing in children, families, and others in the local community.
THE HATTERS' CALL
I’m proud to be a Hatter, feeling strong and proud,
Come on, you Hatters, lift your voices loud!
I’m proud to be a Hatter, in orange, green and blue,
They see us as the underdogs, but we show what we can do!
In a town where both dreams and planes take flight,
We harness our passion, our hearts burning bright.
Through streets of our Luton, with scarves held high,
Our footsteps like drumbeats, our songs touch the sky.
With belief as our compass, we are charting our course,
Fuelling our journey with unstoppable force.
We stand and cheer, and we’ll shake the ground,
As we rally together, our spirits unbound.
From the famous Eric Morecambe, that star on our screens,
To the orange sunrise, fulfilling our dreams.
Past terraced red bricks where the town sings loud,
We push toward the ground, proud in the crowd.
Through the highs and the lows, we stand side by side,
Chasing glory, powered by pride.
At the turnstiles we gather, the Hatters unite,
Kenilworth calling, its lamps burning bright.
I’m proud to be a Hatter, feeling strong and proud,
Come on, you Hatters, lift your voices loud!
I’m proud to be a Hatter, in orange, green, and blue,
They see us as the underdogs, but we show what we can do!
As the whistle blows, hear the roar of the crowd,
We’re your 12th Man, with our heads held proud.
The stadium opens, the bowl comes alive,
Where echoes of history and passion survive.
We wear our colours, bright as the sun,
With the heart of a Hatter, we’re second to none!
From terrace to terrace, our anthem takes flight,
Together we thunder, together we fight.
Respect for the struggle, sharing the grind,
In the pursuit of our goals, our dreams are aligned.
Focused on triumph, we chase what is ours,
Under these floodlights, we reach for the stars.
Luton Town shines, and our dreams take a stand,
With passion and pride, the Hatters’ together band.
This is our temple, where legends are told,
In orange and blue, our fire takes hold.
I’m proud to be a Hatter, hear the thunder roar,
With passion unbroken, we will give them more!
I’m proud to be a Hatter, our colours burning bright,
With hearts united, and victory in sight!
From humble roots, this club has grown,
From the streets of the Town we’ve made our own.
Through every setback, we rose again,
The spirit of Luton will never bend.
Luton Town, our voice, our song,
At Kenilworth Road where we all belong.
From past to present, the fire burns clear,
Each win is sweeter, each roar sincere.
I’m proud to be a Hatter, let the rafters shake,
For the spirit of Luton, no rival can break!
I’m proud to be a Hatter, forever we’ll stand,
With one voice united, the pride of this land!
I’m proud to be a Hatter, hear our story told,
The Town and its people, with hearts of gold.
I’m proud to be a Hatter, raise your scarves on high,
For Luton forever, we’ll reach for the sky!
