THE NOTEBOOK: Premier League scouts watch Gyokeres and Hamer

THE NOTEBOOK: From vanishing spray to VAR, refereeing was a triumph, Luton will be the fourth ‘Town’ to play in the Premier League, and Coventry’s Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer could get a move with top-flight scouts watching closely

  • Premier League scouts watched Coventry’s Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer 
  • The Championship play-off final showed how VAR can be used in a positive way

Luton have been promoted to the Premier League after beating Coventry 6-5 on penalties in the Championship play-off final.

It means that The Hatters will play in the top flight for the first time since 1992.  

Mail Sport’s Craig Hope looks at some of the things you may have missed. 

Premier League scouts were in attendance to watch Coventry City’s Viktor Gyokeres

Familiar faces at Wembley 

The last time these teams met in the top-flight was in December of 1991. Luton were 1-0 winners at Kenilworth Road and the man who scored the only goal, Mick Harford, was here. So, too, was the goalkeeper he beat that night, Steve Ogrizovic. 

Harford is now Luton’s chief recruitment officer, while Ogrizovic is a co-commentator for regional BBC radio in Coventry. Luton were relegated that season – missing out on the inaugural Premier League campaign – and they have not been back in the top division since. They are now.

This may come as a surprise, but Luton will become only the fourth ‘Town’ to play in the Premier League. The others… Swindon, Ipswich and Huddersfield. By contrast, there have been 10 clubs with the suffix ‘City’, including Coventry.

Former Luton Town player Mick Harford is now the club’s chief recruitment officer

Scouts watch Gyokeres and Hamer 

There were a host of Premier League scouts inside Wembley. Not to file opposition reports – that can wait – but to check on the likes of Coventry striker Viktor Gyokeres and midfielder Gustavo Hamer. 

Their side’s defeat means they’ll likely move on this summer, with Brentford seeing Gyokeres as a replacement for the banned Ivan Toney. The Swede barely had a kick in the first half, but it was his driving run and cross on 66 minutes that set up Brazilian Hamer for an equaliser with the game’s first piece of true Premier League quality – you can see why so many clubs fancy them.

Coventry midfielder Gustavo Hamer was also watched by Premier League scouts at Wembley

VAR can be used positively 

Referee Michael Oliver’s vanishing spray did exactly what it said on the tin. In fact, so good was it at sticking to the product description that it lasted barely a few seconds before it was gone, rendering its use pointless with defensive walls creeping forwards before the free-kick had been taken. 

On the subject of the officials, they were aided by VAR for this game – the first time the technology has been used for a Championship fixture this season. It was needed to confirm that an early Luton goal was rightly ruled out for offside, but it was not required to deny them a second. 

Referee Michael Oliver’s vanishing spray wasn’t effective but VAR was used to good effect 

Striker Elijah Adebayo immediately confessed to it being his hand that had forced the ball home in the first half. His team-mate Jordan Clark wasn’t nearly so honest in extra-time when he dived in attempting to win a penalty. It looked like he’d been caught by the goalkeeper on first viewing. But fair play to Oliver, who flashed a yellow card on the spot.

He needed the help of VAR five minutes from time, though, after Luton’s Joe Taylor scored what we all thought was the winner. Turns out he had blocked the ball with his hand in the build-up. It would have been a huge controversy had VAR not intervened. See, it’s not all bad.

Kasey Palmer endures frustrating time 

Spare a thought for Coventry’s Kasey Palmer, the substitute who was substituted after only half an hour on the pitch. The midfielder looked utterly bewildered when his number came up and was even too stunned to throw a strop, instead accepting an explanation from coaching staff and manager Mark Robins. Whatever his grand plan, it didn’t work.

It was a frustrating time for Coventry substitute Kasey Palmer, who was substituted himself

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