City Bow Out With a Win at Elland Road

Leeds United 1:2 Leicester City

The view for £36.... Photo: Andy Price

Nigel Pearson rang the changes for this final game of the season with Moore, St Ledger, Dyer and Waghorn in the starting XI, and the unfamiliar name of  Harry Panayiotou on the bench.
City had to weather the storm a little in a first half that saw plenty of chances, mostly for the home side.
Clayton had a good effort blocked by Drinkwater and Snodgrass wasted a decent chance when he should have left Schmeichel with no chance from inside the area.
Marshall was denied yet another spectacular goal this season by Lonerghan’s flying save.
It was City who took the lead six minutes before the break when the lively Waghorn  latched onto a wayward ball from the Leeds defence and stood strong against his marker before a clinical finish past Lonerghan.
If Neil Warnock’s side edged the first half play, then it was City’s second half, with Vassell on for Beckford.
Vassell almost teed Waghorn up for his second, but Lonerghan managed to block; and then Dyer and Marshall went close.
17 year old Panayiotou replaced Dyer for the final quarter of an hour, but then came another goal against the run of play.  In the 82nd minute Snodgrass was alert to the half chance and squared for Webber to net from inside the six yard box.
City refused to settle for a point in the face of a bouyant home crowd however, and regained their lead in the fourth minute of time added on.  Marshall cut in from the right and found a way past two defenders before firing in a shot that was diverted home by Panayiotou to cap a dream first appearance from the teenager.
Although this satisfying victory didn’t paper over the cracks of a hugely disappointing season, it was still nice to end proceedings on a high note.

Nigel Pearson wasn’t celebrating: “We finished with a three-point game but I didn’t think it was a good game. I think there were a lot of poor decisions throughout that irritated both benches. The season has finished now and we are looking forward to getting a rebuild.”

Leeds: Lonergan, Connolly, Lees, Bruce, Pugh, Snodgrass, Clayton, Brown, Thompson (Webber 58), Becchio (Forssell 75), McCormack. Unused Subs: O’Brien, Nunez, Taylor.
Leicester: Schmeichel, Moore, Morgan, St Ledger, Konchesky, Marshall, Drinkwater, Bamba, Dyer (Panayiotou 73), Beckford, (Vassell 46), Waghorn (Nugent 63). Unused Subs: Peltier, Logan.

 Referee: D McDermid (Hampshire). Attendance: 25,664.

Foxes will be wearing Puma

City have announced their new kit manufacturer for the next three years, and it will be Puma…

City join a growing number of clubs in Puma kit including Newcastle and Reading and Leicester City Chief Executive Officer Susan Whelan commented: “It is with great pride that we announce our fantastic new partnership with PUMA, whose reputation as an industry leader strengthens every item bearing their world-famous brand. Worn with pride by players and supporters alike, our first team kits are one of the biggest parts of our identity as a Football Club, so to have a renowned partner like PUMA alongside us in their development is a hugely exciting prospect. This news will generate a lot of anticipation among our supporters, who can look forward to seeing an excellent PUMA range in the City Fanstore from the end of July.”

We at The Fox are still hoping to see City in Umbro or Adidas one day, but after a run of no-mark labels like JJB, Jako, Joma and Burrda in recent years Puma is definitely a step in the right direction…

In 1924 the Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik company was formed by brothers Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, who both joined the Nazi Party.
A growing rift between the brothers reached a breaking point during an Allied bomb attack in 1943.  Adi and his wife climbed into a bomb shelter that Rudolf and his family were already in. “Here are the bloody bastards again,” Adi said, apparently referring to the Allied war planes, but Rudolf was convinced his brother meant him and his family.
When Rudolf was later picked up by American soldiers and accused of being a member of the Waffen SS, he was convinced that his brother had turned him in. The relationship between the brothers deteriorated until the two agreed to split in 1948, forming two separate companies, Adidas and Puma.
The town of Herzogenaurach was permanently divided into Adidas and Puma and the brothers never made up. Today they are buried in the same cemetery, but as far apart as possible…
Don’t forget to check out our sister blog: ‘Got, Not Got’…

City Ironed Out

Leicester City 1:2 West Ham United

City’s hugely disappointing 2011-12 season signed off at the KPS on Monday night, in unseasonal end-of-season weather, and with a defeat to promotion-chasing West Ham…

Nigel Pearson made one change to his side with King in for Dyer, but the City winger was soon back in action, replacing the injured Wellens after just 20 minutes.
He was soon motoring down the left, beating his marker for pace before delivering a corner that was headed wide by Beckford.
This was after Vaz Te and Cole had both gone close to piercing City’s defence.
City then delievered a blow to West Ham’s promotion hopes in the 34th minute when Marshall’s cross from the right saw a slackly marked Beckford rise to nod home.
Sadly City’s lead only lasted five minutes. Taylor’s low cross from the left found Reid who tucked it home unopposed from three yards out.
It almost got worse for City with Tomkins sending a header inches wide just before the break.
West Ham upped their game in the second half, after City brought St ledger on for King and pushed Bamba forward.
In the 56th minute Noble went close with a shot on the turn, and then West Ham took the lead two minutes later. St Ledger blocked O’Neill’s shot but Collison lashed home the rebound giving Scmeichel no chance.
West Ham, in desperate need of a win to stay on Southampton’s heels, were in no mood to surrender their precious lead and City rarely threatened in the remaining half hour, despite the introduction of Waghorn for a tired looking Nugent.
West Ham take their fight for an automatic spot to the final week of the season while City were left to reflect on their inability to consistently blend as a team. This was then put into perspective as news broke of a personal tragedy suffered by Paul Gallagher and his wife Hayley… our thoughts are with them.
Leicester: Schmeichel, Peltier, Morgan, Bamba, Konchesky, Wellens (Dyer 22), Drinkwater, Marshall, King (St Ledger 46), Nugent (Waghorn 65), Beckford. Unused Subs: Howard, Vassell.

West Ham: Green, Demel (Faubert 76), Tomkins, Reid, Taylor, Collison (Lansbury 88), O’Neill, Noble, Nolan, Vaz Te, Cole (Collins 81). Unused Subs: Baldock, Bouba-Diop.

Referee: Eddie Ilderton (Tyne & Wear). Attendance: 23,172.

City and Clarets Produce a Bore Draw

Leicester City 0:0 Burnley

City and Burnley played out a meaningless end of season fixture that failed to provide any entertainment for a sparse crowd at the KPS on Tuesday evening.
Nigel Pearson brought Dyer and Drinkwater in for Gallagher and King, but still couldn’t make the midfield tick, whatever the combination of players.

Noteworthy events were few and far between all night but it was the visitors who had a couple of early chances with Schmeichel parrying a shot from Austin before a slip up from Bamba let Austin through, but his misdirected his square ball in the area.
Marshall forced a save from Grant, and Drinkwater went close with a glancing header, but that was it for the first half.
Despite City making early inroads the second half did not see any improvement in a desperately dull encounter.
Peltier got his head to a Marshall corner but Trippier cleared off the line. That was the closest City got, and Burnley’s best chance of a record-equalling 11th away win came on the hour when Austin somehow managed to hit both posts with a header, before being denied from two yards out by a fantastic last-ditch Bamba challenge.
After that brief flurry of excitement the boredom set in again, with many among the small crowd streaming towards the exits long before the referee called time.
This hugely disappointing season can’t end soon enough…

Leicester: Schmeichel, Peltier, Morgan, Bamba, Konchesky, Marshall, Wellens, Drinkwater, Dyer (Gallagher 72), Beckford (Schlupp 72), Nugent. Unused Subs: St Ledger, King, Howard.
Burnley: Grant, Trippier, Duff, Edgar, Lafferty, Stanislas (McQuoid 67), Bartley, Marney, McCann (Ings 79), Wallace, Austin. Unused Subs: Jensen, Howieson, Jackson.

Referee: Michael Jones (Cheshire). Attendance: 19,806.

Frustration for City in the Lions’ Den

Millwall 2:1 Leicester City

City were, once again, guilty of failing to ‘turn up’ when it really mattered and Millwall deservedly took all three points from this vital fixture.

Nigel Pearson made two changes from the side that won so well at Ipswich on Easter Monday and chose to bring back King and Gallagher in place of Dyer and the unfortunate Drinkwater.
It was City who started more positively and for twenty minutes they dictated the pace of the game and knocked the ball around well but failed to trouble Taylor with any serious efforts on goal. Nevertheless, it was still against the run of play when Millwall took the lead from a set piece after 20 minutes. Henry floated a free kick to the far post where Robinson knocked the ball down and as City defenders were ball-watching, Kane (on loan from Spurs) had too much time to tee himself up for a shot in to the roof of the net.
After that it was Millwall who settled down and played their own game of defend deep and counter-attack which they did very well although City could have equalised within two minutes of Kane’s goal when Morgan set up Nugent for a shot from ten yards that Taylor did very well to keep out.
Half time arrived with City fans hoping for a second-half turnaround in fortunes that sadly, never arrived. The Lions continued to show more desire and work rate and it was no surprise when they doubled their lead after Konchesky had brought down Kane for a stonewall penalty. Keogh stepped up and did a ‘van Persie’ which gave Schmeichel no chance.
It could have been three soon afterwards when a long-range, dipping effort from Wright was tipped on to the bar by Schmeichel although the referee gave a goal kick.
Nigel Pearson had already introduced Dyer and Drinkwater in to the action during the second half but the arrival of Howard sent a number of travelling City fans heading to the exits. City did get a goal back with 8 minutes remaining when Nugent rolled the ball in to the path of Drinkwater who side-footed past Taylor from twenty yards. It was too little, too late though and the game finished with Millwall defending their lead comfortably and their supporters making a huge noise as they enjoyed the fact that they were safe and will be playing in The Championship again next season.
The final whistle brought some boos from the large travelling contingent and Konchesky appeared to give the ‘finger’ to one particularly vocal critic (he has since apologised via Twitter).

So City’s season stutters again and they find themselves beaten by a side that showed more desire. It was a poor game played out by two poor sides with Millwall doing enough to fashion two goals. It is also a typical match in this division and City haven’t found the right formula to rise above it yet.
If we look up then we can see Reading and Southampton leading the way with squads of players that are no better than ours but they have astute managers that know what is needed to consistently win matches in this division. We don’t seem to have cracked that code yet.

Millwall: Taylor, Smith, Robinson, Lowry, Craig, Henry (Trotter 84), Abdou, Wright, Barron, Keogh (Batt 90), Kane. Unused Subs: Forde, Dunne, Feeney.

Leicester: Schmeichel, Peliter (Howard 76), Morgan, Bamba, Konchesky, Gallagher (Dyer 58), Wellens (Drinkwater 69), King, Marshall, Beckford, Nugent. Unused Subs: St Ledger, Schlupp.

Referee: P Gibbs (West Midlands). Attendance: 11,525.

The FOX – No 180 – OUT NOW!

The FOX – the Leicester City fanzine – issue 180 is in the shops now…

FOX 180 features: an interview with former-City boss Frank O’Farrell; What Was the Year? Quiz; Odd One Out; Fully Programmed from 1981; Fox Diary; the latest from the Foxes Trust; Tales From the Riverbank; Rewind – Tommy Wright for sale; the Chris Lymn Column; an extract from our new book ‘GOT, NOT GOT’; John Hutchinson’s From the Archives; Expectations;  the Filbert Street turnstile block model competition result; your letters and Bentley’s Roof; Parting Shots; and Fanatical Frank goes to Chelsea…

A quarter of a century, and we’re still here…

Frank O’Farrell Interview extract: 

FOX: You clinched the title at Bristol City and were then awarded the trophy at Portsmouth on the last day of the season. Was there a point before that when you thought ‘Yes, we’ve done this.’?

FO’F: We were never sure until it was done. It is a game that can knock you down and it can all go wrong in the last minute of the last match. There’s no certainties and you have to keep your tempo up until you have actually achieved it.
It was nice to win it and a great achievement. It was a quick recovery and we didn’t languish in the Second Division which means you can start to lose your best players.

FOX: You moved to Manchester United that summer, how did that come about?

FO’F: I had a phone call from Matt Gillies, he said: “Matt Busby wants to talk to you, is it okay to give him your number?”
I said that was fine, my contract was actually up at Leicester.
He said: “I don’t know what he wants to talk about.” But I knew United were looking for a new manager so I had a good idea.
If my contract hadn’t been up at Leicester I would never have entertained it, because I preached to the players that they had to honour their contracts.
I spoke to Matt Busby and he wanted to meet somewhere quiet so that it wouldn’t get in the papers. I arranged a meeting at my house, at that time I was on Loughborough Road in Birstall. I met him off the motorway junction and he followed me back.
He offered me the United job. “I’ve let things go, there’s a lot of work to be done.” he admitted, “So you’ll get a five year contract at £12,000 a year and time to sort it all out.”
I said I’d think about it over the weekend and talk to Len Shipman on Monday.
He said he’d just talked to Len at a League meeting in London about approaching me and Len told him I wasn’t interested!
How Len knew that I don’t know, but these things go on in football.

Easter Joy on the Road for City

Ipswich Town 1:2 Leicester City

City recorded their second victory on the spin with a superb second half display at Portman Road to leave themselves just three points shy of the last play-off spot.

Nigel Pearson sent out an unchanged side from the comprehensive win over Doncaster Rovers on Saturday but it was Ipswich who had the better of the opening stages of the game.
City struggled to impose themselves in midfield and Bowyer had the freedom of the park as he prompted the home side’s attacks.
Schmeichel had to be alert to keep out a Carson effort early on and then got down quickly to grab Scotland’s low shot. A Leadbitter free kick brought out the best of the young Dane again and all this before City finally got in to the game when Beckford was guilty of wasting three decent chances, the worst of which came when Drinkwater sent him through but his shot was tame and straight at Lee-Barrett.
It was no surprise when the hosts took the lead two minutes before half time; Scotland turned Bamba far too easily and slammed a low shot past Schmeichel from just inside the area. But it was short-lived joy for Ipswich,
after Marshall was brought down 30 yards out a minute later. He picked himself up before driving the free kick through the wall with a stunning shot that Lee-Barrett got a hand to but couldn’t keep out. That seemed to knock the stuffing out of the home side as City came out of the traps at the start of the second half and never let up. Schmeichel didn’t have a serious save to make and was left to collect crosses and watch hopeful, long-range efforts  sail over. It was City playing the football and making the chances now and Lee-Barrett did well to keep out Peltier before Nugent broke through with what turned out to be the winner. After Nugent had his initial shot blocked it was Gallagher who sent in a perfect cross for Nugent to nod home from close in and send the travelling support delirious.
After that City never looked in danger and might have increased their lead late on when Lee-Barrett once again denied Beckford.
The final whistle signalled a much-needed win on the road for City and the travelling support (just under 900) enjoyed every moment.
It was a workmanlike performance by City who did a superb job of subduing an Ipswich side that had won six of their previous seven home games and started the game much the stronger. With four games remaining the final play-off spot is now looks achievable if City can string together four more performances like this one.

Ipswich: Lee-Barrett, Edwards, Smith, Delaney, Cresswell, Carson (Emmanuel-Thomas 58), Martin, Bowyer, Murphy (Chopra 73), Scotland, Stevenson (Martin 66). Unused Subs: Wright, Sonko.
Leicester: Schmeichel, Peltier, Morgan, Bamba, Konchesky, Marshall (Howard 79), Wellens, Drinkwater (King 46), Dyer (Gallagher 46), Beckford, Nugent. Unused Subs: St Ledger, Schlupp.
Referee: Tony Bates (Staffordshire). Attendance: 18,282.

City Hit Rock Bottom Rovers for Four

Leicester City 4:0 Doncaster Rovers

City swept aside a doomed Doncaster Rovers at the King Power Stadium on Saturday…
A fairly dull opening half hour saw a couple of chances at each end with Nugent having a long ranger tipped over by Ikeme and Beckford’s effort blocked on the line by Diouf, while Coppinger and Barnes went close for Rovers.
But  Rovers lost Piquionne to injury in the 20th minute, and El-Hadji Diouf at the break and rarely troubled City again.
City took a 33rd minute lead when Morgan’s ball forward was nodded down by Nugent for Drinkwater who converted in off the right hand post.
After Schmeichel saved from Coppinger late in the half Rovers looked a beaten side, with their small band of followers accepting their fate with good humour.
Two minutes into the second half it was game over as Peltier cut in from the right and, stumbling, hit a hopeful cross/shot towards the near post. Former City keeper Ikeme somehow allowed it to squirm between him and the post for a howling error.
Ikeme saved well from Dyer and Konchesky and then Gallagher and King were introduced for the final half hour.
Marshall then added another to his growing portfolio of blinding goals in the 78th minute, cutting into the area from the left before sending a measured 18 yarder into the top right hand corner.
Moments later he curled another effort onto the angle of post and bar.
But City managed a fourth in the 89th minute – the subs combining, King sending Gallagher through for an easy finish.
Although the maths refuses to give up, it is impossible to shrug off the feeling that it is all too late for City to reach the play-offs…

Leicester: Schmeichel, Peltier, Morgan, Bamba, Konchesky, Marshall, Wellens (King 61), Drinkwater, Dyer (Gallagher 61), Nugent, Beckford (Schlupp 81). Unused Subs: Howard, St Ledger.

Doncaster: Ikeme, Chimbonda, Beye, Lockwood, Ilunga, Gillett, Oster, Barnes (Robert 74), Coppinger, Piquionne (Brown 20), Diouf (Stock 46). Unused Subs: Friend, Bennett.

Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire). Attendance: 22,054.

April Sales…

Imagine if you could get all these Leicester City prints by Unforgettables and The FOX from the last sixteen years all for the unbelievably low price of £12.00. Well you can now… we’ll even foot the postage bill. 

They look great in a Wilkos £4 wooden frame… just click the Paypal button to purchase or send a cheque for £12.00 to – The FOX, PO Box No 2, Cosby, Leicester, LE9 1ZZ…

Posh Do, But City Don’t…

Peterborough United 1: 0 Leicester City

A lacklustre City side fall to a solitary strike at Peterborough in another scrappy affair.

Nigel Pearson started with the same side that failed to break down Forest during the week and from the kick off it looked as if a scrappy game was in store. City enjoyed the lion’s share of the first half possession but failed to create any real chances and were unable to hurt Posh. The lack of quality in front of goal was a theme throughout the 90 minutes and despite decent efforts from a Marshall free-kick and headers from Bamba and Morgan, the half time whistle saw no goals and little likelihood of any.

The second half opened with Posh looking a bit more adventurous but not before St Ledger had put a gilt-edged chance over the bar when it looked easier to score with a header following a Dyer cross just after the restart.
The warning signs were there for City as the hosts relied on effective break-aways and Sinclair raced away from the static defence only to see his shot well-saved by an on-rushing Schmeichel; but on the hour Posh did break through when Taylor lined up a dipping shot from 20 yards that gave the City keeper no chance.
This gave the home side confidence and seemed to knock the stuffing out of City for a while and they nearly fell further behind when Schmeichel brought down Rowe just inside the area as he raced through. The City keeper was booked and then made amends when he saved McCann’s spot kick, his third penalty save in a row. City eventually created some pressure on the Posh goal as the game wore on but the finish was lacking despite plenty of possession and the closest City came to an equaliser was when Beckford’s hooked effort was ruled out as the referee spotted a foul on goalkeeper Jones who went down under pressure.
It was City’s last worthwhile effort and the only remaining entertainment was Beckford’s visible falling out with Nigel Pearson as he waited back instead of going forward to support a late free kick on the edge of the Posh penalty area. A sizeable travelling support made their way home back down the A47 wondering why City failed again to overcome opposition from the lower reaches of the division. Peterborough have kept very few clean sheets this season but despite 23 efforts on goal from City, there rarely seemed much of a threat and Jones in the Posh goal didn’t have many difficult saves to make. When the sum of the parts comes together then City can look as good as any side in this division but it happens so rarely that even the most blue blooded optimist must admit that the play-offs are now nothing more than a distant dream until next season.

Put simply, City aren’t good enough to go up right now.

Peterborough: Jones, Little, Brisley, Alcock, Rowe, McCann, Frecklington, Boyd, Tomlin, Taylor, Barnett (Sinclair 29). Unused Subs: Lewis, Ball,Kearns, Ntlhe.
Leicester: Schmeichel, Peltier, Morgan, St Ledger (Wellens 65), Konchesky, Drinkwater, Bamba, Marshall, Dyer (Schlupp 69), Beckford, Nugent. Unused Subs: Howard, King, Kennedy.

Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland). Attd: 10,714.