Sad News: former Luton town head coach David Pleat was announced death this morning just minutes ago due to….. rest in peace legend…….

Rob Edwards’ side beat Sunderland 3-2 on aggregate and will face either Middlesbrough or Coventry at Wembley.

Pleat, now 78, managed the Hatters in the top flight of English football in the 1980s and 1990s.

“The manager’s done wonderfully well, the recruitment is superb,” Pleat told BBC Radio 5 Live Sport.

“They’ve bought players from the lower leagues, they’ve integrated them in the team, fought and had a great spirit.

“What they’re going to do with the big boys, if they do get past Middlesbrough or Coventry, we’ll just have to see. Imagine the likes of Manchester City coming here.”

Luton trailed 2-1 following the first leg of the play-off semi-final but their intensity, allied to the passionate support of their fans, saw them dominate the return match at Kenilworth Road, which they won with goals from Gabriel Osho and Wales international Tom Lockyer.

“Luton played hard and fast, created a bit of mayhem in the box. They (Sunderland) couldn’t quite deal with it,” said Pleat, who also played for the club in the 1960s.

“To score a [second] goal on the cusp of half-time was a massive, demoralising blow to Sunderland. They needed to stay in the game really, as long as possible. You need a balance and Sunderland didn’t have the power or the punch.”

Luton have estimated they will need to spend £10m on their Kenilworth Road home for next season, should they reach the topflight, prior to a proposed move to a new stadium at Power Court for 2024-25.

“It’s wonderful for the town. If we can get promotion, we always know the town does better when the club does better, so fingers crossed,” chairman David Wilkinson told BBC Three Counties Radio.

“The Premier League means everything. Financially it means we can move on quicker with all of our plans so it would be tremendous, but, feet on the ground [at the moment].”