It had been a long hard season, the Town’s second back in Division One (now the Championship) following relegation in 1992, and was full of highs and lows as the team put the supporters through all the emotions.
10, 053, a season best league home crowd were greeted to a very heavily watered pitch, by order of manager David Pleat, which had standing puddles on it as the game kicked-off.
The supporters behind the Kenilworth Road goal were in sombre mood as the last remaining standing section in the ground was to be converted to seating over the summer at a cost of £211,000.
It was all Luton in the first half as the Town put on their best attacking display for some time, but they had only one goal to show for it, a 20 yard effort from David Preece. The corner count was 11-0 in the Town’s favour at the interval and it was hoped that they would not rue missing their chances.
As to be expected West Brom levelled shortly after the break when Bob Taylor surged past both John Dreyer and Trevor Peake before firing home.
On the hour, Baggies defender Daryl Burgess was stretchered off with concussion after colliding with Luton goalkeeper Juergen Sommer, who also had to depart soon after.
It was then West Brom goalkeeper Stuart Naylor who was in the wars when he was led off with a broken cheekbone after a clash with big Welshman John Hartson.
Substitute goalkeeper Tony Lange’s first duty was to pick the ball out of the net after Julian James put it there with a header from a corner by Ceri Hughes.
A sweet first-timer by Hartson in the 76th minute made it 3-1 to the Town but the defence caved in again with Kevin Donovan running at it and hitting a shot which smacked against the post for Lee Ashcroft to hammer in the rebound.
With the Baggies throwing everyone forward the game exploded in the sixth minute of injury time when the Town’s Mitchell Thomas and West Brom’s Gary Strodder were dismissed for fighting.
This was the last meaningful action of the game and on the final whistle it was a relieved David Pleat who faced the wrath of West Brom chairman Trevor Summers who was threatening to report the Town to the Football League for overwatering the pitch.
“We did it to improve the entertainment,” said Pleat, who knew full well that the Town preferred to play a slick attacking style.
As it turned out he did not carry out his threat as West Brom won at Portsmouth on the final day to save themselves from relegation.