“It’s very important for players to create a bond with supporters. People should never underestimate the power of the supporter. Certainly with Ireland they have helped us enormously in our qualification for the Euros, and it was the same at Filbert Street.”
– Martin O’Neill in David Bevan’s “The Unbelievables”
After Andrea Bocelli had brought a tear to Claudio Ranieri’s eye, after Jamie Vardy had made sure Leicester signed off at home with a win over Everton and after Wes Morgan had lifted the Premier League trophy it was the owner’s turn to soak up the acclaim.
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, his family and entourage enjoyed the victory lap alongside the players, Ranieri and his staff – passing the trophy between them like an heirloom they did not know they were missing until they had it in their hands.
The Thai duty free magnate lapped up the acclaim of a loyal crowd who had been won over by promotion, a well-funded and shrewd transfer policy, free donuts, free cardboard clappers, free beer, Premier League survival and, last May, the title itself.
The chairman had certainly earned his moment in the sun and, if it went on a little longer than some thought necessary, it is telling that nobody thought it jarring. Imagine a Glazer, John W Henry, Roman Ibrahimovic or Sheikh Mansour hogging the Premier League trophy for long periods of such a celebration.
The joyous scenes following that first league title in the club’s 132-year history were surreal to watch and when you hear Leicester described as “Champions” on the television, radio and in print it is still a pleasant surprise – a break from the norm.
Hill 16 moment for Dublin CEO Susan Whelan https://t.co/nFcYhp48Ih
— Mikey Stafford (@me_stafford) May 7, 2016
Following little perks like a guard of honour from deposed champions Chelsea on the final day, £93.2million in prize money, the gold badges on the sleeve and avoiding the second round of the EFL Cup (the stage at which Leicester lost at home to Shrewsbury as recently as 2014), Thursday afternoon in Monaco will bring the greatest benefit-in-kind of all.
A place in pot 1 of the Champions League draw. Little Leicester alongside Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Benfica, Paris Saint-Germain and CSKA Moscow – eight top-seeded peas in clear glass pod.
Whatever the draw Leicester will make history on the week of September 13th-14th when they kick-off in their first ever European Cup game and their first ever group stage match in a European competition.
OFFICIAL: The #UCLdraw pots ☑️
⏲ 18.00 CET
📺 https://t.co/sQezPQoaea pic.twitter.com/Ue1hOC4B5z— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 24, 2016
Bayer Leverkusen, Brugge and Legia Warsaw would be great, but Atletico, Lyon and Monaco would be fine too. The Foxes have been laughing at the odds since they found themselves marooned at the bottom of the Premier League back in March 2015.
Actually scratch that, who wants Atletico? Never mind the fact Diego Simeone has transformed them into one of the best teams in Europe, it is simply that when it comes to playing in Europe Leicester have been there, done that and bought the Atleti T-shirt.
When Spurs won the double in 1961, FA Cup runners-up Leicester got to take their place in the following season’s Cup Winners’ Cup. Having battered Glenavon in the preliminary round (which remains the club’s only European win), Matt Gillies’ side went out 3-1 on aggregate to Atletico Madrid.
The 1997 Coca Cola Cup winners were beaten 2-1 at home by Atletico in the first round of the Uefa Cup, before losing 2-0 at the Vicente Calderon – Juninho exacting some revenge for Middlesbrough’s Wembley defeat the previous season by scoring in both legs for his new club.
Under Martin O’Neill Leicester had become quite the (domestic) cup specialists but by the time they were enjoying their continental just desserts for winning the 2000 League Cup, the current Republic of Ireland manager had left for Celtic and it was Peter Taylor who led Leicester into battle against Red Star Belgrade in the Uefa Cup.
And a battle it was. The visitors’ Stevo Glogovac was sent off in the 1-1 draw in Leicester before Stan Collymore and the Belgrade keeper Aleksandar Kocic ended up squaring up to each other. The return leg had to be played in Vienna because of the safety concerns that still existed in Serbia following the Yugoslav war.
The game was still marred by vile racist chants directed towards Andy Impey and Ade Akinbiyi. A few travelling Leicester fans reacted to the taunts of the Belgrade supporters and Leicester’s then chairman John Elsom had to take to the pitch and appeal for calm. Leicester lost 4-2 on aggregate.
Not long after Elsom’s intervention Leicester were circling the financial drain, saved from disaster by Gary Lineker, Emile Heskey and some local businessmen.
The club yo-yo’d between the top two flights, even dropping into League One for a season in 2008-09 as a string of managers struggled to recapture the alchemy of O’Neill. It was all supposed to be so different when they left Filbert Street, the ground that played host to all four of those European home legs.
Another new era will begin at the King Power (nee Walkers) Stadium this season as European football makes its first appearance at a ground fast gaining a reputation for a raucous atmosphere supposedly unachievable in the modern, cookie-cutter stadiums.
As they prepare to hum along to the Champions League anthem however, City’s fans would have been given a sharp reminder of where it is they came from this week with news of the decay of the site of their former home in the Leicester Mercury.
“I saw some signs from the council saying they needed to put up high fencing, presumably to stop people just chucking stuff in there, but that hasn’t happened,” said Dave Davies, 59, of the illegal dumping ground that was once Leicester’s lop-sided, atmospheric home.
“It’s a far cry from the Leicester City stadium days.”
The whole club has moved on. To new stadiums, to league titles and Ruud Gullit/Luis Figo-studded draws in Monaco.
But as Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha approves the signings of players like Ahmed Musa and Nampalys Mendy, as he assures fans he will respect traditions and will not rename the club the Leicester Foxes or change the colour of their kits, it is good to remember the distance travelled.
Fourteen years before he was the chairman parading the Premier League trophy, there was another, on another pitch, pleading for calm on a hostile night, oblivious to the impending financial doom.
Thursday’s draw is another surreal step on a surreal journey. Just try to act surprised when they draw Atletico Madrid.
On the latest GAA Hour we look back at Mayo-Tipperary and chat to Andy Moran about his incredible, never-ending career. Listen below or subscribe here on iTunes.
