 In yo @-@ yo club fashion , Luton were to return . A team including Bruce Rioch , John Moore and Graham French won the Fourth Division championship in 1967 – 68 under the leadership of former player Allan Brown ; two years later Malcolm Macdonald 's goals helped them to another promotion , while comedian Eric Morecambe became a director of the club . Luton Town won promotion back to the First Division in 1973 – 74 , but were relegated the following season by a solitary point . Former Luton player David Pleat was made manager in 1978 , and by 1982 – 83 the team was back in the top flight . The team which Pleat assembled at Kenilworth Road was notable at the time for the number of black players it included ; during an era when many English squads were almost entirely white , Luton often fielded a mostly black team . Talented players such as Ricky Hill , Brian Stein and Emeka <unk> made key contributions to the club 's success during this period , causing it to accrue " a richer history of black stars than any in the country " , in the words of journalist Gavin Willacy . 
