Last eight showdown at Ewood for Hatters youngsters
The Town Under-18s’ FA Youth Cup quarter-final away to Blackburn Rovers will take place at Ewood Park on Tuesday 23rd February (kick-off 7pm).
Entry at Ewood Park will be £4 for adults and £2 concessions. Our scheduled Youth Alliance League Cup semi-final at home to Swindon has subsequently been rearranged and will now take place at Kenilworth Road on Thursday 3rd March (7.30pm).
Paul Driver’s side booked their place in the last eight by beating Preston North End on penalties, and travel to face a Rovers side who lie fourth in the Premier League's Under-18 North Section. The Ewood Park outfit are a category 1 academy. The Hatters remain the only category 3 side left in the competition.
Their win over Preston meant the Town's class of 2016 became only the third Luton youth team to reach the quarter-final stage of the FA Youth Cup - and the first since the 1997.
That year the quarter-finals were the fifth round which – meaning the Town class of 2015/16 have played more matches to get to the same stage this season.
In 1997 the Hatters beat Watford 5-3 on penalties at Vicarage Road in a quarter-final replay to earn a semi-final place for the second time in the club’s history.
A side containing Matthew Upson, Emmerson Boyce, Matthew Spring, Gary Doherty, Liam George, Michael McIndoe and Stuart Fraser were beaten over two legs by eventual winners Leeds, who fielded a team including Paul Robinson, Jonathan Woodgate and Harry Kewell.
If you want to go to Ewood Park - a ground the Hatters haven't played at since a 1-0 win in 1981 - The Bobbers Travel Club will be running a coach to this game. Their fare is £29 for adults and £26 for concessions. Leaving the bus interchange (bus stop LS12) at Luton railway station at 12.30.
Other pick-ups - Ampthill, Flitwick, Westoning and J11 (opposite the Travelodge) at the usual amount of time before the Luton departure. Click here for more information.
Town supporters will use Turnstile ‘L’ of the Jack Walker Stand and can park in Car Park ‘B’ at the Darwen End of the stadium.
Click here for the Youth Team fixtures and results.