Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu’s career has come full circle. In December 2013, he made his debut for Luton Town in the Conference, having been sent out on loan by West Ham United after a single League Cup appearance. Now, nearly a decade later, the 29-year-old has become the first player to go all the way from the National League to the Premier League with the same club, following their penalty shootout play-off final win at Wembley.
Mpanzu was substituted during extra time but saw his side win 6-5 on penalties to secure their place in the top flight. He told Sky Sports afterwards: “I feel like I’ve completed football, I can retire. I’ve been through highs and lows, but you’ve got to believe in yourself and here I am.”
Since that match at Alfreton, watched by a crowd of 1,279, Mpanzu has gone on to make more than 360 appearances for the Hatters and gained two caps for DR Congo. His importance to Luton is undeniable; following their 3-2 aggregate win over Sunderland in the Championship play-off semi-finals, the club posted a celebratory tweet saying: “One more 90 minutes until this man makes history.”
Mpanzu’s move was made permanent by then manager John Still in January 2014 and he scored his first Luton goal in a 7-0 win over Hereford the following month. The Hatters went on to win 30 of their 46 games and earn 101 points, 19 more than runners-up Cambridge United. After losing to Blackpool in the 2017 play-offs, they went up from League Two 12 months later under Nathan Jones.
Mpanzu told reporters following promotion from League Two in 2018: “I’m surprised I’m still here.” He has since become a “massive cog” in the team and a reassuring presence in the dressing room. He said: “Every league is different, from National League, to League Two, to League One, to the Championship, all through the leagues you’ve got to adapt your game.”
At Wembley, Mpanzu and midfield partner Marvelous Nakamba did a near faultless job of shielding their defence as Sunderland tried in vain to summon a goal to level the scores in the closing stages. His sense of enjoyment has helped establish him as an “iconic figure” at Luton and he said: “You’ve got to enjoy life. You never know what’s round the corner. Live life to the full every day and if someone needs to be cheered up, I try and do that.”
Now Luton can look forward to Premier League giants such as Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United facing a hostile environment at Kenilworth Road next season, before the club’s planned move to a new home at Power Court in 2024-25. Mpanzu will take time to make the most of the remarkable achievement which has capped what he described as a “crazy journey”. He said: “I’m a Premier League player. I told you we were going to do it and it’s going to be a party all summer in Luton.”