LUTON'S OTHER TEAM - SPOTLIGHT ON 'THE 61FC'

Luton Town will always dominate football in the Bedfordshire town with The Hatter's regularly attracting crowds of between 7,000 to 9,000 for their games. 

Just a short walk from Kenilworth Road in The Kingsway Recreation Ground home of The 61 FC whom are currently members of The Spartan South Midlands League Division Two which is seven levels down the English pyramid from their more illustrious neighbours. 

The club also have a reserve side in the Bedfordshire County League Division One and a Sunday side who play in the North Home Counties Sunday League Division One. 

The first team have been members of the SSMFL Division Two since 2004 when they were relegated due to ground grading issues and last season finished bottom of the table with just two wins in thirty league games played. They finished top of the table in 2009 but were not promoted due to their lack of facilities at Kingsway - there are no floodlights and other improvements would have to be made. 

The club were formed back in 1961 by Richard Everitt who is still involved to this day - he is currently club Chairman and was Manager up until the beginning of this season when Chris Mapp took over the reigns - Mapp has also played for one of Luton's other clubs in Kent Athletic who won SSMFL Division Two last season. They subsequently withdrew from the league and are not playing this season as far as I am aware.  

Above - Match action from back in 2009 when The 61 FC took on Southill Alexander in the Bedfordshire Senior Trophy

They are currently in ninth place of the Division Two table and have two very important Cup games coming up at the end of January and the beginning of February. If you are a Luton Town fan reading this and can't make their away games at Accrington Stanley (7th January), Carlise United (14th January) and Wycombe Wanderers (21st January) why not pop down to The Kingsway to give The 61 FC some support. Their top League crowd this season cam on August Bank Holiday Monday when 88 people saw their local derby with Totternhoe - 31 saw their Christmas Tuesday game with Hale Leys United. Their average is 27 with their lowest figure being just 5 in their game versus Clean Slate on Saturday 26th November. 

THE 61 FC forthcoming fixtures 
Monday 2nd January - Totternhoe 
Saturday 7th January - UNITE MK 
Saturday 14th January - MK GALLACTICOS
Saturday 21st January - OLD BRADWELL UNITED
Saturday 28th January - Aston Clinton (Division Two Cup Quarter Final) 
Saturday 4th February - Langford (Bedfordshire FA Senior Trophy Semi Final)

Pictures courtesy of Clive Thompson