Worshippers from a local mosque handed out refreshments to celebrate Luton Town Football Club’s 120th anniversary amid rising islamophobia and racism across the UK.
Members of Madina Masjid which sits next to Kenilworth Road stadium, joined residents of the Bury Park district to distribute over 1,000 drinks, chocolates, and biscuits. Both Luton Town fans and travelling Plymouth Argyle supporters enjoyed the hospitality during Saturday’s celebrations.
The secretary of Luton Council of Mosques, Abdul Ghafoor, said: “Football is the ultimate equaliser. It brings us together – it doesn’t matter what background you’re from, what language you speak, the sport is something that brings everyone together.
“As communities in Britain, and everywhere around the world, it’s the same message: we’re all stronger together.”
The gesture came despite Luton’s 2-3 defeat to Plymouth on Saturday. The fixture was symbolic, as Plymouth also played Luton in the club’s very first match on 4 September 1905. Children from the mosque even read out the team sheets to the press, reflecting the spirit of inclusion at the event.
By Friday, worshippers had raised £1,000 for Stepping Stones, the Hatters’ designated charity for 2025, which supports vulnerable women and children. Supporters described the warm welcome as a true reflection of the club’s community spirit.
A town known for unity and division
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Luton Town Football Club has long been a focal point for the town’s diverse communities. But the same town also produced figures who symbolised division.
The notorious far-right Islamophobe, Tommy Robinson, grew up in Luton and was once an active football hooligan in the town.
Real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, Robinson founded the far-right English Defence League (EDL) in 2009, a group notorious for its anti-Muslim marches and street violence.
For some years, EDL demonstrations in Luton often clashed with the now-proscribed group Al Muhajiroun, which also had a strong presence in the town. These confrontations cast a shadow over Luton’s cohesive multicultural reputation, painting it as a flashpoint of religious and racial tensions.
Against that backdrop, events like Saturday’s anniversary celebrations take on added significance.
Where once Luton made headlines for religious extremism and the far-right, mosque members and football supporters now offered a more accurate picture of a harmonious community.
