Luton Town will have to splash the cash on Kenilworth Road after securing promotion to the Premier League, with the stadium not meeting the requirements for the top flight.
The Hatters beat Coventry City 6-5 on penalties in the Championship Play-Off final on Saturday evening after a 1-1 draw at Wembley.
It is the first time that Luton will compete in the Premier League and the first time they have been in the top flight since 1992, but it does mean that they will have to spend some money before they can get involved.
With a capacity of just 10,356, Kenilworth Road was the smallest ground in the Championship, so will be dwarved by the enormous stadia in the Premier League.
It is not the size that is the issue, though, with the floodlights needing to be improved, space for broadcasters increased, wooden seats upgraded and the Executive Boxes Stand significantly revamped, to the extend where it will be pretty much rebuilt.
The club’s CEO, Gary Sweet, said the upgrades would cost around £10m to reach the appropriate standards.
‘If ignored now, Kenilworth Road would be incompliant and sub-standard, not just quaint,’ Sweet said last year, via the Daily Mail.
‘We’ve got around £8m, maybe £10m of improvements to do, which is pretty much rebuilding one stand in about less than three months, which is some task that we’ve got on our hands.
‘It’s just really to comply with the Premier League’s broadcasting requirements and some facility requirements that are needed.
‘If recruiting a new squad fit for top-tier football isn’t challenging enough, the rebuilding of the physical infrastructure in the shortest time imaginable is the hardest task on our hands should we be fortunate enough to get promoted.’
It would be a quick fix for the first season in the Premier League, while plans remain to move to a new stadium for the 2024-25 season.
Luton will look to make the most of their unique setting in the top flight, though, with goal-scorer on Saturday Jordan Clark says Kenilworth Road is an asset to the team.
‘Kenilworth Road isn’t the biggest, but when you play there, [Burnley boss] Vincent Kompany said it the best, he said you just don’t get no time on the ball,’ Clark told Sky Sports.
‘The fans are after you, it’s an unbelievable place to play and I can’t wait to play there next year.’
MORE : Luton reach Premier League after beating Coventry on penalties to win Championship Play-Off final
MORE : From football curses to the cusp of the promised land, it’s been a hell of a journey for Luton and Coventry
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