large financial loss and declining attendances, optimism was not high at the start of the 1951–52 season. However, performances were boosted by the debut of Gordon Turner and by the growing maturity of players like Syd Owen, Charlie Watkins and Bob Morton. Luton Town challenged for promotion before finishing eighth and again reached the sixth round of the FA Cup. 1952–53 marked the signing of Jesse Pye. Luton made a poor start in the league but then went on a run of excellent results. It was enough to finish third, the club's highest league finish at that time. Pye fractured his ankle in December 1953 and sat out the rest of the season; many fans believed the club would have won promotion had he stayed fit. As it was, the club finished sixth. After 21 years as chairman, chairman Charles Jeyes stepped down in 1954. In 1954–55, during replacement Percy Mitchell's first season as chairman, promotion to the top flight finally came. Jesse Pye had moved to Derby County after just eight games, but Turner had by then matured enough to fill Pye's boots. Turner scored a new club record of 32 league goals in 42 appearances as a side boasting the talents of Owen, Ron Baynham and Morton as well as Turner's own marched to promotion. On 30 April 1955, the side won 3–0 at Doncaster Rovers and thus secured promotion in second place, behind Birmingham City on goal average. Mitchell boasted that the club would be able stay in the top flight, and planned to build a new ground that would "hold 35,000 in comfort … [and] get a lot of support which goes to London at the moment". Into the top-flight (1955–1960) The backbone of the 1954–55 promotion team was retained for the club's first top-flight season and many fine performances contributed to a 10th-place finish in 1955–56. Captain Syd Owen replaced Tom Kelly as coach, but lost three months of the season as a player after a thigh injury. Other injuries and spells of bad luck put paid to the possibility of challenging for the title. There was only one big signing during the following season, as the club relied on youth development to finish a respectable 16th; Allan Brown arrived in February from Blackpool for a fee of £8,000. Meanwhile, Turner scored 30 league goals and 33 over the following season as the club rose