Former West Ham United midfielder Pelly Ruddock Mpanu is now 90 minutes away from returning to east London with Luton Town next season.
Mpanzu spent just over two years in the Hammers’ academy between December 2011 and January 2014 after winning a contract with the club following a trial as a 17-year-old but left two years later to join Luton permanently, shortly after a brief loan spell with them.
Now 29, Mpanzu has spent almost a decade as a Hatter and has gone on to make 366 appearances for the club in all competitions, first joining them when they were in the Conference (now National League) and now helping them to the brink of a place in the Premier League.
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In Mpanzu's spell at Luton, they have won three promotions from the fifth tier of English football to the Championship, a run that saw them win the Conference Premier in 2014, before earning back-to-back promotions, in 2017/18 and 2018/19, the latter of which ending in a League One title at the first time of asking.
Should Luton beat Coventry City at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, Mpanzu would be the first player to play in all five of England’s top five leagues with the same club and would be up against his former side West Ham next season in England’s top-flight.
Mpanzu left east London still a teenager and with just one senior appearance to his name when joining Luton on loan, playing the duration of an EFL Cup fourth round win away at Burnley in October 2013.
Now, Mpanzu is on the brink of being back in the Premier League, only this time on merit and as one of Luton’s most-capped players in their history, sitting just 20 shy of David Preece (386) in tenth place on the all-time list.
Mpanzu feared his career was as good as over when swapping West Ham for non-league permanently nine years ago.
"Dropping out of West Ham, you think 'uh oh, here I am out of the league', but to get promoted first season in that first six months I was here was a great achievement," Mpanzu told BBC Three Counties Radio .
"Then we just ran through the leagues, [but] that heartache of losing in the play-offs to Blackpool, drawing 3-3, conceding a goal in the last couple of minutes was tough.
"It's been a great rise and everyone has played a part. The fans have played a part, the community, all the staff members, it's been a real town effort and we've got one more [game] to make it a wonderful summer for everyone. I don't think the party will stop on Saturday if we win."
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