Play-off final at Wembley : York City v Luton Town

11:21am Friday 18th May 2012 in Sport

LUTON Town’s former York City defender Janos Kovacs reckons Wembley will be like a home from home for the Bedfordshire side on Sunday, writes Dave Flett.

The Hatters will be supported by almost 30,000 fans for the Blue Square Bet Premier play-off final against the Minstermen, who are expected to take a quarter of that number.

Kovacs, who played eight times for City in 2007 during a loan spell from Chesterfield, feels that presents his team with an advantage even though Luton have only won one of their last five meetings between the two teams at their Kenilworth Road base.

He said: “It’s amazing to take 30,000 fans to Wembley especially because, at the moment, we are a Conference team. It will be a bit like a home ground and it can help, as it always helps when you have more fans than away fans.

“If you look at the support they gave us through the league, our average at home games was 6,000 or 7,000. This club is much bigger than where we play at the moment and, fingers crossed, in a few days’ time, I can say we stepped up one level but first of all we need to win the game.”

Kovacs is also insistent the Minstermen’s FA Trophy final win over Newport last weekend, as well as City’s impressive record against Luton in recent times, will carry no significance in determining which club regains their Football League status.

The Hungarian centre-back added: “You can see their Trophy win from a positive point of view and a negative point of view. They have played an extra game than us, so we have had more rest.

“I’m pretty sure these little things can take you away from the most important part, which is to win on Sunday. It doesn’t matter how many days you’ve rested, we will go out and we will do the job.

“Likewise, all the results between the two teams are in the past, all that has gone. This season we played against York four times and didn’t come out on top.

“But this is just one game, just one final, and I’m pretty sure we will be the winner in this one.”

Comments(17)

Sir Alex says...
11:33am Fri 18 May 12

Yes Janos you are right.

Luton are a big club.
Its a home game for you.
You will have 30,000 fans versus our paltry 7,000.
You should not be a conference club.
You are sure to win.
York are still fatigued from last week.

Yes, Janos, you will stroll it!!:)

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YorkSteve says...
11:53am Fri 18 May 12

He talks a lot of sense for a footballer, it's quite refreshing to see as footballers struggle to put more than two words together. I eagerly look forward to Sunday's game but truth be told I don't think we will do it.

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YorkSteve says...
11:53am Fri 18 May 12

He talks a lot of sense for a footballer, it's quite refreshing to see as footballers struggle to put more than two words together. I eagerly look forward to Sunday's game but truth be told I don't think we will do it.

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nicko75 says...
12:30pm Fri 18 May 12

Hello LutonSteve again! Snore....

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Some old bloke says...
2:06pm Fri 18 May 12

YorkSteve wrote:
He talks a lot of sense for a footballer, it's quite refreshing to see as footballers struggle to put more than two words together. I eagerly look forward to Sunday's game but truth be told I don't think we will do it.
When you say 'we' I assume you mean Luton, in which case you're quite right, you won't do it.

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RooBeck says...
2:38pm Fri 18 May 12

City need to forget the crowd advantage and be philosophical - Luton is 25 minutes from Wembley, so they are bound to get more there! Thereafter, forget any comments from the opposition - they are going to be talking themselves up - so, let our football do the talking and get on to that lovely Wembley pitch and play the way that we can, winning the midfield and then getting the ball down to feet and some incisive pass/move attacks, that puts Luton on the back foot and starts putting obstacles in their minds - maybe thinking of a repeat of our 3-0 win at BC in September?! That should do it for us!! COYR - we can do it!!

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YoRkIe59 says...
3:59pm Fri 18 May 12

Hey yanos tell us something we dont know according to bbc sport yorks next game is officially away at luton which considering how weve performed away this season gives me a great deal of heart.

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paintitred says...
4:19pm Fri 18 May 12

YorkSteve wrote:
He talks a lot of sense for a footballer, it's quite refreshing to see as footballers struggle to put more than two words together. I eagerly look forward to Sunday's game but truth be told I don't think we will do it.
YORKSTEVE

41 HIGH STREET
LUTON

next to the chippy you know the one

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OLD - HEAD says...
4:49pm Fri 18 May 12

Kovacs is only saying what a lot of people are thinking. We all know that we have a tough task on our hands, and everybody, if they are honest, is a bit apprehensive. But football is never cut and dried until the final whistle has gone. The big difference this week from last week is that Luton have the players to take advantage of any defensive mistakes. But with a different club every season coming along to buy themselves out of the Conference, this is probably the best chance that we will ever have -"Good luck lads".

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goreds says...
5:18pm Fri 18 May 12

We may be apprehensive but if you had to choose a team to win it would you honestly choose Luton over York City ?
Think about it.

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PDH says...
6:40pm Fri 18 May 12

OLD - HEAD wrote:
Kovacs is only saying what a lot of people are thinking. We all know that we have a tough task on our hands, and everybody, if they are honest, is a bit apprehensive. But football is never cut and dried until the final whistle has gone. The big difference this week from last week is that Luton have the players to take advantage of any defensive mistakes. But with a different club every season coming along to buy themselves out of the Conference, this is probably the best chance that we will ever have -"Good luck lads".
I assume you mean by "and everybody, if they are honest, is a bit apprehensive" that they are having been beaten 3 times and drawn once against us this season.

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robiniorocks says...
7:12pm Fri 18 May 12

We have nothing to fear going into this game and last Saturdays winning experience is a big advantage. So far this season the reality is that we have played better away from home and even more so in the face of hostile crowds and Sunday will be no exception. I will be there with my boy and we will be singing our hearts out watching our boys give it 150%. I predict a very tight / tense game. The pressure will pile up on Luton as the game ticks away and we will get stronger. Luton will 'Buckle' in the second half as the pressure mounts and hopefully we will will turn on the style and Luton will take their 'hats' off to us as we return back to where we belong! Lets make it a magic triple! IT IS OUR TURN! COME ON CITY!!!!!!

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yorkviking says...
8:02pm Fri 18 May 12

Roobeck, Luton is not 25 mins from Wembley- more like 50. Just to nit-pick

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YO1 says...
9:10pm Fri 18 May 12

OLD - HEAD wrote:
Kovacs is only saying what a lot of people are thinking. We all know that we have a tough task on our hands, and everybody, if they are honest, is a bit apprehensive. But football is never cut and dried until the final whistle has gone. The big difference this week from last week is that Luton have the players to take advantage of any defensive mistakes. But with a different club every season coming along to buy themselves out of the Conference, this is probably the best chance that we will ever have -"Good luck lads".
I'm confident about Sunday Old Head. We have a history of adopting a siege mentality away from home in big games as the semis against Mansfield and Luton twice are evidence. We also have a manager who has instilled an unshakable belief in his players and 6k York fans who love being in the lions den and will out sing 6k Luton fans and 23k day trippers. We will win.

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OLD - HEAD says...
10:57pm Fri 18 May 12

YO1 wrote:
OLD - HEAD wrote: Kovacs is only saying what a lot of people are thinking. We all know that we have a tough task on our hands, and everybody, if they are honest, is a bit apprehensive. But football is never cut and dried until the final whistle has gone. The big difference this week from last week is that Luton have the players to take advantage of any defensive mistakes. But with a different club every season coming along to buy themselves out of the Conference, this is probably the best chance that we will ever have -"Good luck lads".
I'm confident about Sunday Old Head. We have a history of adopting a siege mentality away from home in big games as the semis against Mansfield and Luton twice are evidence. We also have a manager who has instilled an unshakable belief in his players and 6k York fans who love being in the lions den and will out sing 6k Luton fans and 23k day trippers. We will win.
I dont want to give the impression that I think we wont win. This is just my way of coping with it. I said before I went to Grimsby, Luton and Mansfield that "I felt more hopeful than confident", and we didnt lose any of those. So on Sunday at Wembley, I am sticking with the same.

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haveapasty says...
9:52am Sat 19 May 12

there is one thing that 30,000 fans brings- pressure. can luton perform under the pressure and in the knowledge we haven't lost to them in four matches this year.

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Worried of Luton says...
1:37pm Sat 19 May 12

yorkviking wrote:
Roobeck, Luton is not 25 mins from Wembley- more like 50. Just to nit-pick
Funny i pass it everyday to my office in Earls Court 20/25 minut

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