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Whether Luton Town can even afford to sack Matt Bloomfield after £450m Power Court commitment

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EFL Analysis can reveal what Luton Town’s position is on Matt Bloomfield.

The Hatters have had an underwhelming start to life in League One following their back-to-back relegations.

Luton were busy in the window but are 11th in the third tier with four wins and four losses from their first eight games.

There are not huge demands for Bloomfield to go, but the longer they languish in midtable, the more likely the Kenilworth Road crowd will turn.

Matt Bloomfield, Luton Town manager, looks frustrated after the game against Lincoln City
Photo by Andrew Vaughan/Getty Images

Luton Town not looking to sack Matt Bloomfield

Everyone at Luton would’ve hoped for a better start to the season, but the Hatters’ hierarchy are still putting their faith in the former Wycombe Wanderers manager.

Chief Football Correspondent Graeme Bailey told EFL Analysis that there is pressure for Bloomfield to succeed, but they are not looking to sack him anytime soon.

Bailey added that things could change if results don’t improve then a decision may be taken. However, after hefty investment in the summer transfer window, they are willing to give him a chance to climb back up the table.

Luton Town’s new stadium build won’t affect managerial decision

One stumbling block that could affect any decision is the ongoing construction of the Power Court Stadium.

The Hatters will make £15m in matchday revenue at the new ground, but they won’t feel the benefit of it for years to come.

EFL Analysis’ chief finance correspondent Adam Williams suggested that there is money to spare if they need to pull the trigger.

Williams said: “Luton are an unusual case in that the last set of accounts we have for them, they were a Premier League club.

“They made a big profit that year of just under £50m and they managed to keep the wage bill low – in Premier League terms – at around £57m. They also had £34m cash in the bank at the holding company level.

“The wage bill will have come down considerably too, looking at the profile of player they signed versus those who they let go, combined with the contractual wage cuts that followed relegation from the top flight. The same will presumably have happened this summer, and they have generated a player trading surplus.

“And, crucially, they are in their second year of parachute payments, which don’t stop because the club is now in the third tier. So they are going to have revenues of £50-60m with expenses much smaller than that.

“So if they were considering sacking Matt Bloomfield, his compensation wouldn’t touch the sides.”