2011 - Manchester City - top of the Premier League and apparently the richest club right now in the world. Luton Town - after several years of financial uncertainty which saw deducted points, they suffered three back to back relegations and have ended up in the Conference (now Blue Square Premier).
1983 - 28 years ago and both teams are battling against relegation from top flight football going into the final game of the season. City have been living off of past glories whilst Luton were trying to survive in their first season since promotion.
In this last match of the season, City were one point ahead of Luton. Swansea and Brighton were already doomed but with this head to head confrontation on the final day City - also with home advantage only needed a draw to stay up.
With just five minutes to go the scoreline was still 0-0 in a match that City would claim that they should have put to bed. Ageing stars such as Dennis Tueart and Asa Hartford were included in the City line-up and both along with big money signing Kevin Reeves had failed to convert any of the chances that they had created.
It was with five minutes to go that the atmosphere of Maine Road would change dramatically thanks to a much lesser known player - the Yugoslav (Serbian) Raddy Antic. His goal would be decisive and send Manchester City down to Division 2 and produce an infamous and uncontrollable dance of joy and emotion from Luton manager David Pleat at the final whistle.
Antic - already in his mid-30's would stay just one more season at Kenilworth Road before retirement but it was in management he would really make his name. Nearly all of his managerial career has been in Spain and he has been the boss at just about all of the big clubs including both Real Madrid and Barcelona and three spells at Atletico Madrid. In 2008 he took over the reigns as the Serbian national coach and led them to the World Cup Finals in South Africa. However, a disappointing finals display saw the Serbs eliminated early and Antic was soon gone too.
1983 - 28 years ago and both teams are battling against relegation from top flight football going into the final game of the season. City have been living off of past glories whilst Luton were trying to survive in their first season since promotion.
In this last match of the season, City were one point ahead of Luton. Swansea and Brighton were already doomed but with this head to head confrontation on the final day City - also with home advantage only needed a draw to stay up.
With just five minutes to go the scoreline was still 0-0 in a match that City would claim that they should have put to bed. Ageing stars such as Dennis Tueart and Asa Hartford were included in the City line-up and both along with big money signing Kevin Reeves had failed to convert any of the chances that they had created.
It was with five minutes to go that the atmosphere of Maine Road would change dramatically thanks to a much lesser known player - the Yugoslav (Serbian) Raddy Antic. His goal would be decisive and send Manchester City down to Division 2 and produce an infamous and uncontrollable dance of joy and emotion from Luton manager David Pleat at the final whistle.
Antic - already in his mid-30's would stay just one more season at Kenilworth Road before retirement but it was in management he would really make his name. Nearly all of his managerial career has been in Spain and he has been the boss at just about all of the big clubs including both Real Madrid and Barcelona and three spells at Atletico Madrid. In 2008 he took over the reigns as the Serbian national coach and led them to the World Cup Finals in South Africa. However, a disappointing finals display saw the Serbs eliminated early and Antic was soon gone too.
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