Rob Edwards: Luton Town manager leaves by mutual agreement after slipping to 20th in Championship

Luton Town manager Rob Edwards has left by mutual agreement after just over two years in charge of the club.

The 42-year-old was appointed to the role in November 2022 and achieved promotion to the Premier League in his first season in charge of the Hatters after beating Coventry City in the play-off final.

Luton suffered relegation from the top flight in the following campaign and after dropping back into the Championship Edwards' side have slipped to 20th in the table, with just seven wins from their opening 26 fixtures.

Luton released an official statement confirming Edwards' departure, which read: "Luton Town Football Club can confirm that Rob Edwards has left his role as manager by mutual agreement.

"We could have not wished for a better man to understand what it takes to be manager of Luton Town, one who acted as an ambassador for the club and community in the glare of the world's media spotlight.

"The current campaign back in the Championship has clearly not progressed as anticipated, and after holding amicable talks following Monday's defeat at QPR, the board and Rob have agreed to part with immediate effect.

"While the process to appoint a new manager is already under way, Paul Trollope and Richie Kyle, aided by Mick Harford, will take charge of the squad for Saturday's FA Cup third-round tie at Nottingham Forest."

Shortly after the news was announced, Edwards released a statement of his own.

He said: "It's been a privilege to manage Luton Town Football Club, but now is the right time for me to move on, for the club and me.

"I'm really proud of what we achieved, not only winning a play-off game which the club had struggled to do, but winning the final and gaining promotion to the Premier League at Wembley was the most amazing experience!

"The club is in great shape, financially, in a really strong position with an exciting new stadium on the horizon. I really hope I will be able to return as a fan."

The Hatters suffered their fourth defeat in a row against QPR on Monday evening, which proved to be Edwards' last game in charge of the club.

VidSport Live' EFL Editor Simeon Gholam:

"It is rare for a club to get relegated from the Premier League in any situation and there to be no question marks whatsoever regarding the position of the manager, but that shows the esteem that Rob Edwards was held in at Luton Town over the summer. He even signed a new four-year deal at the club in June.

"Hopes were high at the start of the season that he could navigate a quick return to the top flight, or even a strong challenge, but things started badly and they have gotten worse since.

"They were beaten 4-1 at home by Burnley on the opening day, and collected just a point in their first four games. Their 1-0 win at Millwall in mid-September was their first of the season. Remarkably, that was the last time they picked up even so much as a point on the road. Defeat at QPR on Monday night was their 10th in a row away from Kenilworth Road.

"Fair play to Luton, though. They stuck by their man far beyond the point most hierarchies would have gotten twitchy. But they have lost their last four in the league, and find themselves just two points and two places above the bottom three. Three of the four sides below them also have games in hand. So the situation could look even more perilous before they play Championship football again.

"The glorious promotion at Wembley to bring an end to all those years of struggle, and the famous Premier League wins at Everton, and over the likes of Newcastle and Brighton at home, now seem a long, long way away.

"Edwards had the look of a man who knew the writing was on the wall. He simply just could not turn around the slide, and Luton could not any further risk a slump back into the third tier."