Nick Owen: Luton chairman stands down after nine years

Nick Owen took up the position of Luton chairman in 2008

BBC presenter Nick Owen has stood down as chairman of League Two side Luton Town after nine years in the role.

The 69-year-old was part of the consortium that bought the Hatters after they went into administration.

Owen, who will become a vice-president, said: "I have taken the decision with a heavy heart because of my love of LTFC.

"I have a significant number of other commitments and I feel that I am unable to dedicate the time and effort that I feel the role now deserves."

Lifelong fan Owen, who currently presents BBC Midlands Today, was the public face of the 2020 consortium when they took over the club in 2008 - a time when they were perilously close to extinction and in administration.

A 30-point deduction meant the Hatters were relegated from the Football League in 2008-09, but they did win the Football League Trophy at Wembley in the same year.

Luton regained their league status in 2014, winning the Conference title by 19 points.

Chief executive Gary Sweet said: "Nick has been a wonderful ambassador for us and he leaves with our very best wishes and profound gratitude.

"Of course, he will continue to be a familiar face both here at Kenilworth Road and at Power Court."

The Hatters are set to leave their traditional Kenilworth Road home, where they have been since 1905, to move to a Power Court by 2020, which is situated near the town's railway station.

Sweet says they will take their time to appoint a new chairman, as the "club now faces many different and difficult challenges as it begins to implement the move to its proposed new home and to ensure its roots within the community grow ever stronger".

He added: "We require our next chairman to help us through the next phase of our journey on the sometimes rocky road to success on and off the field."