Luton Town L.F.C.

Luton Town
Full nameLuton Town Ladies Football Club
NicknameThe Hatters
Founded1997 (1997)
GroundSharpenhoe Road
Kenilworth Road
Capacity4,000 (160 seated)
ChairmanMark Wareham
ManagerMyles Maddix
LeagueEastern Region Women's Football League
2022–23Eastern Region Women's Football League, 2nd of 11
Websitewww.lutontownladiesfc.co.uk

Luton Town Ladies Football Club (/ˈltən/) is a semi-professional women's football club based in the town of Luton, Bedfordshire, England. Founded in 1997, Luton competes in the FA Women's National League South East Division One, with home games played at Sharpenhoe Road in a groundshare with Barton Rovers.[1] The club is affiliated with the Bedfordshire County Football Association.[2]

Luton achieved successive promotions from the fifth tier Southern Region Division One South, and the fourth tier Southern Region Premier Division during the 2003–04 and 2004–05 seasons. The club was promoted to the second tier after winning the 2008–09 South East Combination, but relegated after just one season. After nine years in the FA Women's National League South East Division One, the club was relegated at the end of the 2018–19 season. The club was promoted back to the FA Women's National League at the end of the 2024-25 season.

History

Formation and league development (1997–2010)

Luton Town Ladies Football Club was founded in 1997. After forming a partnership with Luton Town in 2000, the name Luton Town Belles was adopted in 2001, before the current name in 2006.[3] The club achieved a third place finish in their inaugural season, the 2001–02 Southern Region Division One North.[4] Luton were promoted to the Southern Region Premier Division after finishing the 2003–04 season as runners-up.[5] The club achieved a second promotion to the South West Combination following a runners-up finish in the 2004–05 season.[6] The club won the 2008–09 South East Combination, and were promoted to the FA Women's Premier League Northern Division. Luton were relegated back to the South East Combination at the end of the 2009–10 season.

Recent history (2010–present)

As a result of the restructuring of the FA Women's Premier League for the 2014–15 season, Luton competed in the newly formed FA Women's Premier League South East Division One. The club made their debut at Kenilworth Road on 15 October 2014,[7] with a 2–1 win against Bedford.[8] Luton reached the final of the 2017–18 FA Premier League Plate, but lost 5–0 to West Ham United.[9] The club were relegated to the Eastern Region Football League at the end of the 2018–19 season.[10] Rob Burton was appointed manager in June 2022.[11] Luton won the 2022–23 Eastern Region League Cup, beating Stevenage 2–1 in the final.[12] In 2023-24, Luton Town achieved their best ever performance in the Women's FA Cup - reaching the fourth round proper before being eliminated by Women's Super League side Brighton & Hove Albion.[13]

In 2024-25, Luton Town achieved promotion from the Eastern Region Women's Football League, doing the league and cup double on their way to the fourth tier.[14] The promotion saw the team play in the FA Women's National League Division One South East in 2025-26.

Stadium

For much of Luton's history, the club played their home games at Stockwood Park Athletics Centre.[15] In January 2019, the club moved to The Brache, the training ground of the men's team.[16] In October 2022, the club moved to Sharpenhoe Road, shared with Barton Rovers in Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire. With their partnership with the men's team, Luton also play some home games at Kenilworth Road.

Players

Current squad

As of 08 February 2026.[17]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK  ENG Sarah Hudson
GK  ENG Nicole Melling
DF  ENG Tanya Blacksley
DF  MLT Fiona Buttigieg
DF  ENG Jess Evans
DF  ENG Lisa Milliken
DF  ENG Sasha Smith
MF  ENG Janaye Beaufort
MF  ENG Andie Dickens
MF  ENG Kiyana Fryer
MF  ENG Amber Leighton
MF  ENG Leyah Maddix (captain)
MF  POL Natalia Makowska
MF  ENG Elizabeth Mulvaney
MF  ENG Patience Ndlovu
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF  ENG Taylor O'Leary
MF  ENG Ellie Sargent
MF  IRL Shianne Swarres (vice-captain)
MF  ENG Chloe Tambula
FW  ENG Nia Bowman
FW  NZL Katie Chellenbron
FW  ENG Tash Fensome
FW  ENG Summer Gayle
FW  GRN Shanice Lewis
FW  ENG Amy McLean
FW  ENG Carla Todd
FW  ENG Courtnay Ward-Chambers
FW  ENG Emily Wilson

Former players

For details of former players, see Category:Luton Town L.F.C. players.

Backroom staff

As of 21 March 2025.

Directors

  • Chairman: Mark Wareham
  • Secretary: David Baker
  • General Manager: Nikki Baker


Management

  • Manager: Myles Maddix
  • Head Coach: Kwesi Edubatey
  • Coach: Danny Buttigieg
  • Coach: Mikael Edubatey
  • Performance Analyst: Shaka Tavernier-Maddix
  • Physio: Tia Steadman

Managers

As of 7 September 2025
Dates Name
2001–2013 David Baker
2013–2022 Nikki Baker
2022–2024 Robert Burton
2024 Myles Maddix
2024-2025 Myles Maddix
Fadi Mazloum
2025- Myles Maddix

Honours

League

Cup

References

  1. ^ "Luton Town Ladies FC - Home Grounds". lutontownladiesfc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  2. ^ Association, The Football. "Female Teams". bedfordshirefa.com.
  3. ^ "Club history". Luton Town L.F.C. Archived from the original on 8 September 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  4. ^ "Club history 2001/02". Luton Town L.F.C. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Club history 2003/04". Luton Town L.F.C. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Club history 2004/05". Luton Town L.F.C. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Kenilworth Road Host Luton Ladies Tonight". Luton Town. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Ladies Football: Kane bags Hatters winner". Luton Today. 17 October 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  9. ^ "West Ham United Ladies win WPL Plate with Luton victory". West Ham United. 15 April 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Luton Ladies stars stayed to get us back to where we belong, says boss Baker". The Lutonian. 25 August 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Burton appointed Luton Town Ladies boss as Baker moves upstairs". Luton Today. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  12. ^ "Cup Final Special – Stevenage FC Women v Luton Town Ladies". Women's Football East. 22 May 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Luton Town Ladies vs Brighton and Hove Albion Women. The Women's FA Cup Fourth Round". Sky Sports. 14 January 2024. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  14. ^ "Ladies complete double with League Cup final win!". Luton Town F.C. 12 May 2025. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Luton Town Belles F.C." Luton Town Belles F.C. Archived from the original on 12 February 2003. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  16. ^ @LTLFC_Official (21 January 2019). "Breaking News: New Home Ground for First Team" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  17. ^ "Luton Town Ladies First". The Football Association. Retrieved 14 January 2024.