Jack Hobbs is Worthy Player of the Season

Young defender Jack Hobbs doubled up at the club’s end-of-season awards ceremony earlier this week.

Not only did the 21 year old centre-half win the Supporters Player of the Year Award, he also shared the Players’ Player of the Year with Andy King.
Both were richly deserved for the former Liverpool man, who has been a huge presence at the heart of City’s defence and he can take as much credit as anyone with City making it to the play-offs. 
Hopefully Jack and Andy will be wearing City shirts for many years to come…
On loan striker Martyn Waghorn was crowned Young Player of the Season; while Paul Gallagher scooped the Goal of the Season Award for his free-kick at home to Nottingham Forest.

Images of Promotion – Every One a Great Memory

Now that Leicester City have made the play-offs we’re getting in a promotion mood…

Can you place these promotion photos…?

Some of these photos are copyright Neville Chadwick Photograpy. Contact Neville to buy copies of these photos and many more from his archives…

e-mail: info@chadwicksphoto.co.uk
website: www.chadwicksphoto.co.uk

City Win Play Off Spot

Preston North End 0:1 Leicester City

 

On a warm, sunny day in Lancashire, Leicester secured a play off berth much to the delight of the players and couple of thousand travelling fans with more fancy dress then you could shake a stick at!

Nigel Pearson gave Vaughan his first start and the returning Dyer replaced the injured Wellens.
City were slow to settle and looked nervy and off the pace at times whilst Preston lacked urgency and so a fairly tame first half unfolded save for one awful challenge by Wallace on Morrison for which the Preston player was booked but Morrison didn’t last until half time and was replaced by Solano before the break.
The goalmouth action was limited to a few chances at either end but Vaughan was guilty of wasting City’s best opening when an acrobatic effort by Hobbs was parried away by Lonergan and fell kindly to the on-loan youngster and Vaughan somehow put the ball in to the side netting from six yards. The main talking point at half time, however, was a disallowed goal from a drop ball. Play was stopped when Wallace needed treatment and the match restarted with a drop-ball on the halfway line which was unchallenged as the intent was clear that Gallagher should play the ball back to Lonergan in the Preston goal. Unfortunately Gallagher overhit his back pass which sailed over the off-guard keeper and in to the net. Referee Hegley then “bottled it” and ordered the drop ball to be taken again when clearly there was nothing actually wrong with the accidental goal. This time Gallagher’s back pass was caught just under the bar by the embarrassed Lonergan.
The second half saw a more urgent approach from City who stepped up their game and started to dictate the pattern more, especially in midfield. Waghorn was guilty of a horrendous miss after Gallagher had set him up with a perfect cross on to his toe but he skied his six yard shot over the bar. The goal wasn’t long in coming though when King picked up the ball on the halfway line in the 63rd minute and set off on a direct run to the edge of the Preston area where he was heavily challenged but he got up and won the ball back and planted a curling right foot shot past sub ‘keeper Henderson in to the bottom right hand corner. Cue pandemonium in the away end as suddenly it didn’t matter about scores elsewhere.

City should have increased their lead as first Waghorn and then Vaughan, failed to convert one-on-one chances when they were clean through. But by now Preston looked spent and City saw out the game comfortably as the defence once again did a magnificent job. The final whistle brought scenes of joy and the vocal City fans were rewarded as the players and management walked across to join in the party. It is a remarkable achievement to secure a play off spot at the first attempt back in the Championship and to go on and claim a Premier League place will be a big ask but as any Leicester fan knows, anything can happen in the play-offs…

Preston: Lonergan (Henderson 46), Ward, Jones, Davidson, St. Ledger, Williams, Ross Wallace, Treacy (Mellor 66), Mayor, James, Parkin (Brown 66). Subs Not Used: Hart, Mawene, Miller, Dougan.
Leicester: Weale, Brown, Berner, Hobbs, Morrison (Solano 36), King, Dyer (Adams 71), Spearing, Gallagher, Vaughan (N’Guessan 83), Waghorn. Subs Not Used: Logan, Bruce, Kermorgant, McGivern.

Referee: G Hegley (Hertfordshire). Attendance: 14,926.

13 Years Ago… One Night in Sheffield

After a disappointing 1997 League Cup Final at Wembley ended in a 1-1 draw with a late equaliser from Emile Heskey, Leicester and Middlesbrough replayed at Hillsborough ten days later on 16th April.
20,000 City and 20,000 Boro fans descnded on Sheffield to witness an exciting encounter between to evenly matched sides… one moment seperated them. Steve Walsh won an aerial duel with Nigel Pearson and Steve Claridge was in the right place at the right time (again) to guide the ball into the net.

It was City’s first major honour in 33 years and, incredibly, Martin O’Neill had delivered on his promise of getting City into Europe just 16 months into the job.
Apparently Juninho still wakes up in a cold sweat after dreaming that Pontus Kaamark is following him around….

City Draw Hornets’ Sting

Leicester City 4:1 Watford

City took a big stride towards the play-offs at Filbert Way on Saturday, comfortably beating Watford 4-1 with goals from Martyn Waghorn, Paul Gallagher, Jay Spearing and James Vaughan despite playing the second half with ten men…

Nigel Pearson stuck with a winning formula, picking the same side for a third game running.
The opening half hour saw an even contest with Gallagher going close a couple of times; Weale saving well from Lansbury and Graham sending a shot narrowly wide.
But City got a fortunate break in the 35th minute when DeMerit was judged to have brought Wellens down in the area, when it looked as though the Watford man had reached the ball first.
Waghorn took the spot kick and confidently stroked the ball to Loach’s left.
Five minutes later City doubled their lead when a shot from Howard was blocked and the ball looped up high in the air before being volleyed sweetly into the bottom left hand corner by Gallagher from 18 yards out.
There was more drama in time added on when Howard was guilty of a clumsy challenge on Jenkins. He was unfortunate to get a straight red card, perhaps partly due to the fact that the foul had taken place in the away fans corner, and they reacted strongly having already been wound up by a battle with the stewards.
So City faced a whole second half with ten men and Vaughan replaced Gallagher.
However, City didn’t seem to need eleven men and they stretched their lead just six minutes into the second half.
A weak clearance went to Spearing who had time to chest the ball down and then volley it past Loach for his first City goal, before setting off on a delighted celebratory run.
In the 67th minute City’s other young on-loan Merseysider also got on to the scoresheet for the first time. Vaughan’s pace and persistence saw him beat Mariappa to the ball before slotting it past Loach to wrap up the three points.
The Hornets’ only consolation came in the 77th minute when Taylor nodded in at the far post from a corner, but it had been City’s afternoon.
Although Blackpool won and are still in the race for a play-off place, City’s fate is in their own hands, and they are looking very assured at present.
Nigel Pearson remained cautious: “We are not quite there yet, but we are in a decent position. We’ve worked hard to be in this good position and now we’ve got to make sure we see that through.”

Leicester: Weale, Brown, Berner, Hobbs, Morrison, King, Wellens (Adams 58), Spearing, Gallagher (Vaughan 46), Howard, Waghorn (Kermorgant 65). Subs Not Used: Logan, Solano, Bruce, N’Guessan.
Watford: Loach, Demerit (Taylor 56), Mariappa, Harley, Bennett, Hodson (Helguson 50), Eustace, Lansbury, Cowie (Bryan 69), Jenkins, Graham. Subs Not Used: Lee, Hoskins, McGinn, Noble. 

Referee: Nigel Miller (Co Durham). Attendance: 24,765.

FOX 170 – On Sale Now – Chris Powell Interview

FOX 170 – the April/May issue – is now in the shops will be on sale at tomorrow’s game against Watford…

This issue features: An interview with City player-coach Chris Powell; a Tribute to Bobby Smith; Soccer Stars 76-77 – the full set of stickers; Fox Covers from History – the 80’s; Fully Programmed; Fox Diary; the latest from the Foxes Trust; Tales From the Riverbank; An old war-horse in Fox Philosophy; the Chris Lymn Column; The Peter Shilton Scrapbook; Our Man in a Van; your letters and Bentley’s Roof and Fanatical Frank as you never thought you’d see him…

Excerpt from the Chris Powell Interview…

FOX: In 2001 Sven Göran Eriksson, picked you to play for England. The London Evening Standard weren’t very kind with a ‘Chris Who?’ headline. Did it come as a surprise to you to be picked at 31 years of age?
CP: When Sven first came in he said he was going to watch every club, and I believe that he did. I know he’d been to a few Charlton games and I was playing very well at the time. We thought Sven was probably keeping an eye on Richard Rufus who was performing very well at centre-back. I did wonder if he was watching me but I couldn’t really see it at my age. And Charlton players didn’t get chosen to play for England.
I turned up at training on Friday, drove in and there were journalists everywhere. The Daily Mail had apparently said there would be a couple of shock names in the squad and one was me, but I hadn’t seen the papers that morning and had no idea. As soon as I got out of the car the press officer was there saying, don’t say anything, come straight in. The word was that I was in, but I had to get on with training, we were playing away at Coventry the next day.
When I finished training Alan Curbishley called me up and said: “We need to see you.”
I thought, they’re not dropping me are they?
I went up to see him and he said: “I’ve got a fax from the FA with your name on it, you’re in the England squad.”
I’ve still got the fax at home. I started shaking to be honest. Then I came down and told the lads and they were really complimentary. Then I realised the eyes of the football world were on me. I’ve always tried to be accessible to the press, but my phone didn’t stop ringing all day and in the end I had to turn it off.
I knew everyone was watching out for me to make a mistake against Coventry and I was getting nervous. Curbs and Mervyn Day said to me: “Don’t worry, you’ve played really well for us, this is where you have got to learn to cope with a different sort of pressure.”
We drew 2-2 with Coventry and I played alright.
The press took two different angles – some said it was great that Sven was looking at different clubs for his players, others said it was wrong that he was choosing players from an unfashionable club.
Then I found out that I was actually starting the game and the pressure increased even further. It went really well, but then I had to come off at half time with a calf injury. Sven told me afterwards that he would have kept me on for the full 90 minutes. It was the best 45 minutes of my life…

Permanent Frank…

To the bloke who wanted a Fanatical Frank tattoo, here is the image you were asking for… I wouldn’t do it myself like, but feel free, and send us a photo…

City Beat Posh Neighbours

Peterborough United 1:2 Leicester City

City ended the day with a four point lead over seventh place Blackpool after winning a scrappy encounter at Peterborough with goals from Steve Howard and Andy King…

Nigel Pearson named an unchanged side for the short trip to already relegated Peterborough.
Quite early on it became clear that we weren’t going to see an exciting game of free-flowing football, on a terribly bumpy pitch. The ball spent much of its time in the air either hoofed forward out of defence or in protracted games of midfield head tennis.
Chances were rare and the first one fell to Posh, but Green didn’t connect well with a shot and Weale saved comfortably.
At the other end a chance opened up for Gallagher but he fired his effort over the bar.
Torres then capped a fine run with a poor final ball and Berner cleared a Morgan header off the line.
It looked as though the sides would go in goaless at the break when City made a 40th minute breakthrough.
Wellens fed Howard down the right and the big striker sent a low shot beyond the reach of Posh keeper Lewis and into the bottom left hand corner.  

Howard then had another chance just before the break but sent his shot over.
Peterborough pressed forward after the break with City sitting back. Mackail-Smith almost went clear but for a tackle from Brown and Hobbs had a busy spell heading several high balls clear. United’s pressure paid off with an equaliser in the 64th minute.  Unable to get through the City defence Rowe simply ran round it, latching on to Wright’s through ball and placing the ball past Weale from a couple of yards out.
City soon made amends for this slack bit of work however. Three minutes later Gallagher sent over a hanging cross from the left, Morrison nodded it back across goal from the far post and a completley unmarked King had the simple task of heading over the line from two yards out.
Weale saved bravely at the feet of the impressive Mackail-Smith as Posh sought a second equaliser but City were not ot be denied the points.
With Blackpool losing at Newcastle City’s position now looked much stronger than it had at 3 o clock.
Nigel Pearson summed up: “It was a pretty ugly game, but all that matters at this stage of the season is picking up results. We managed to do that and people can make their own minds up about whether we deserved it.”

Peterborough: Lewis, Morgan, Griffiths, Bennett, Geohaghan, Torres (Wright 57), Lee, Rowe, Green, Simpson, Mackail-Smith. Subs Not Used: McKeown, Crook, Appiah, Mills, McCrae.
Leicester: Weale, Brown, Berner, Hobbs, Morrison, Andy King, Wellens, Spearing (Oakley 86), Gallagher (Adams 86), Howard, Waghorn (Vaughan 62). Subs Not Used: Logan, Bruce, N’Guessan, Kermorgant.

Referee: G D Scott (Oxford). Attendance: 9,651.

Admiral Shilts

This will be familiar to City fans of a certain age. There was a time when our goalkeeper was so famous that he had his own logo – the Admiral ‘PS’, which featured on Peter Shilton’s strikingly unique all-white strip.

Legend has it that Shilts abadoned the strip when someone suggested to him that it made him easy for strikers to pick out…

This photo appears courtesy of John Hutchinson and the LCFC Digital Archive.

Waghorn Punishes QPR

Leicester City 4:0 Queens Park Rangers

Leicester returned to form and halted their losing streak with a 4-0 over QPR, a goalkeeping error tipping a finely balanced game in City’s favour…

Nigel Pearson made three changes to his starting line-up for this vital clash, with Neilson, Oakley and Dyer making way for Brown, Gallagher and Spearing.
City desperately needed an early goal instil some confidence after a run of four defeats and it duly arrived in the 5th minute. Wellens lobbed a ball into the penalty area and Howard rose to nod it down into the 6 yard box where King inched in front of his marker to prod the ball past Ikeme.
The rest of the half saw few chances in a tight encounter, but the tide turned in City’s favour just before the break.
Although Rangers had the ball in the net when Leigertwood’s long range effort deflected off Simpson, wrong-footing Weale, the lonesman’s flag was up for offside.
Soon after this the on-loan Wolves keeper handed control of the game to City on the stroke of half time. Ikeme made a dreadful hash of his clearance as he sprinted out to meet a long hoof forward from Brown. He didn’t connect properly and presented the ball to Waghorn who carefully guided it into the unguarded goal from 40 yards out.
Five minutes into the second half Waghorn struck again and this time it was one for the scrapbook. The youngster was fed down the right by Wellens and he cut inside before unleashing a terrific shot into the top left hand corner. 
QPR tried to come back, but the defence were in a mean mood. Simpson had a shot blocked by Weale on one of the few occasions they got through.   
Waghorn almost completed his hat trick with two near misses inside a minute. One effort crashed against the bar and another fine shot arrowed over the left hand angle.
At the other end Taarabt brushed the outside of the right hand post with a low shot on the turn, but it was City who would add to the scoreline. Morrison lobbed a high cross in from the right hand touchline and Howard nodded the ball past Ikeme, despite the close attentions of his marker.
With ten minutes remaining Waghorn was replaced by Vaughan and was given a standing ovation off the field. Sadly we might not be seeing much more of the Sunderland striker in a City shirt.
The rest of the game saw a Mexican Wave, much baiting of Neil Warnock, and a crowd now looking forward to an exciting run in… City had bounced back from a poor run in emphatic style, but results elsewhere meant it was ‘as you were’ with City, Swansea and Blackpool now contesting two play off places.
Nigel Pearson commented: “We needed a good response, there was no doubt about that. The result was always going to be more important than the performance, and that turned out to be the case.”

Leicester: Weale, Brown, Berner, Hobbs, Morrison, King, Wellens (Vaughan 80), Spearing, Gallagher, Howard, Waghorn (Adams 80). Subs Not Used: Logan, Oakley, N’Guessan, Kermorgant, Neilson.
QPR: Ikeme, Ramage, Stewart, Hill, Gorkss, Leigertwood, Ephraim, Taarabt, Faurlin, Cook (Buzsaky 55), Simpson (Balanta 77). Subs Not Used: Vine, Tosic, Cerny, Oastler, German.

Referee: Trevor Kettle (Berkshire). Attendance: 22,079.