Luton Town Set to Face Saudi Pro-League Side Al-Kholood in Pre-Season Friendly

This Saturday, Luton Town will engage in their third pre-season friendly match, and it promises to be an exciting encounter. The Hatters will be facing Al-Kholood, a Saudi Pro-League team, in Murcia, Spain. This will be the first time Luton Town will be playing a team from the Middle East. To get acquainted with their opponents, here are a few key facts about Al-Kholood: their full name is Al-Kholood Football Club, and they are nicknamed the Pride of Ar Rass. The club was established on 18 March 1970 and is owned by the Harburg Group, with Ben Harburg serving as the chairman. Des Buckingham, who was born in Oxford, is the head coach of the team. Buckingham has had a varied career, playing youth team football for Reading and Oxford United, although he never played professionally. He has managed several clubs, including Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand U20, New Zealand U23, Melbourne City, and Mumbai City. His most recent role before joining Al-Kholood was as the manager of Oxford United, where he became the youngest manager in the Saudi Pro League. Looking at the squad, Al-Kholood has a few English players, including John Buckley and Adam Berry. Buckley, who is 26 years old, started his career at Blackburn Rovers and also played for Sheffield Wednesday on loan before joining Al-Kholood in August 2025. Berry, who is 20 years old, was born in Ashton-Under-Lyne and plays as a winger. For those who cannot attend the match in person, it will be possible to watch it live via a link that will be provided. The question on everyone's mind is what strategy Jack Wilshere will employ for this game. Will he field a different team in each half, or will he opt for a more settled starting lineup? Fans are invited to share their thoughts on the matter in the comments section below. The author of this piece, Mad Hatter, has a rich background in the aviation industry, having spent nearly 44 years working in the field, both on the shop floor and in the offices. Writing has been a passion of his since the inception of Vital Football, and for the past decade, he has been serving in an editorial role at Vital Luton Town.