I Felt Your Presents…

Revisiting one of our favourite Christmas articles…

We asked you for your best and worst City-related Christmas Presents – here is a selection box of your stocking thrillers and plum duffs… 

I was about nine when I received the 1984-85 away kit. Dark green and gold pinstripes. Shorts and socks too. Slept in it that night and many nights after. Sad eh…?

My favourite was the signed aerial print of Filbo, just before its demise.  It captures matchday with West Stand and Family Enclosure full, overlooking a perfect carpet of a pitch.
There are thousands of fans outside walking to the match past the little terraced houses that surrounded the old ground.
I’m looking at it on the study wall right now!

I got a framed ‘Leicester’s Sporting Celebration’ picture, with the City, cricket and Tigers – 1997/98 – I think that was the year we all won something. O’Neill, Heskey and Claridge represent the City…. Happy Days!
How long before we have to wait for something like that to happen?

When I was about eight years old I was given a plain blue shirt with a white collar and with a shield badge hand-sewn (nearly straight) on it. Sniff! Proper presents, none of this Playstation megabyte malarkey!

Has to be my copy of ‘Of Fossils & Foxes’  (the one that came out pre-Brian Little era). I didn’t say much that Christmas at all, great reading for a statto…

I seem to remember being thrilled to the core of my very being by getting the Subbuteo Leicester team when they upgraded it to the Admiral kit and we got our own unique number… 192.
I was proud that our Subbuteo team was unique and not lumped in with Everton, Millwall, Chesterfield etc.
But Subbuteo then passed that off as our kit long after the white shoulder stripes had gone. I think it was Roy’s Toys and Sports in Wigston used to have a chart of all the different kits on the wall. This changed periodically and each time there was a new one I was
always dismayed to see the same out of date stripes representing Leicester, when in actual fact we were wearing the all time classic Umbro outfit. Several years ago, well after I had grown out of Subbuteo, some friends gave me a team in the Martin O’Neill era kit with v-neck and red Walkers logo, also a classic.

In a ‘Secret Santa’ prezzie-buying thing at my last workplace, I was bought a Corinthian figure of…. Dennis Wise in the ‘LG’ kit.
The little so and so that bought it for me never owned-up! I did find a use for it for a short while though – the handle for the cord that switched our bathroom light on and off broke, so I tied the cord around Dennis’s neck, and used him as a handle instead.

In 1978 I was 13 and opened up the present from my parents… a Nottingham Forest home kit. Gulp! I didn’t quite understand how bad that present was until my elder brother came round on Christmas afternoon! Lordy, lordy the LANGUAGE! I did get the 1979-80 City kit the year after and still have it in the loft somewhere.

Sadly I got some shares in LCFC plc …the nail clippers in my Tesco’s luxury cracker were worth more.

Christmas 1970, City hat, scarf and rattle, just about broke my wrist trying to crank it above my head.

A bottle of ‘Team Spirit’ aftershave. Given to me as a joke, but I’m not prejudiced and thought the stuff didn’t smell that bad. I wore it when I ran out of my normal stuff, which coincided with me meeting a lovely Italian girl. She was classy, she was beautiful, she was sexy, but she was also a bit of a snob. Two weeks into the relationship she says, “I love the way you smell. What kind of aftershave do you use?” I told her. She laughed and loved me even more for not being bothered about it.
Thanks LCFC. You won’t hear me knocking Fox Leisure products…

My brother got a football-shaped money box that you had to paint yourself. I nicked it once he had painted ‘Leicester’ on it. Happy Chrimbo… A nice framed photo of Filbert Street from the ex. She got the right hump when it took pride of place above the bed!

I had the classic Admiral tracksuit, and wore it for years, long after flares went out of fashion. I also remember getting the all white kit that we experimented with for a couple of years. But my favourite shirt had to be a 1970 round neck ala David Nish which I wore to destruction.

Quite recently I got a framed aerial photo of both Filbo and the Walkers Stadium, taken in that brief period when the Walkers was finished and Filbo was still standing. Unique I believe. It hangs proudly above my monitor.

In the mid-70s I got that Admiral tracksuit with the chevrons and  big Foxes badge and even bigger collars. I also got an LCFC autograph book which seven year old me posted to Filbo with a detailed letter of who should sign it. Shame I didn’t enclose a stamped addressed envelope or even a return address. D’OH!

It was Christmas 1991 when a long time friend presented me with an unlikely City souvenir for a present. It was a bottle of ‘City Ale’ that was a limited production to commemorate City gaining promotion in 1983 and brewed by Ind Coope, the then sponsors. According to label I am the owner of bottle number 1370. The label on the front of the bottle carries the old style City shield and the label on the back declares in no uncertain terms that ‘This strong ale was brewed by Ind Coope Ltd to celebrate the promotion of Leicester City Football Club to the first division of the Football League’. Below that are the signatures of Terry Shipman (then Chairman of City) and JM Race who was the MD of Ind Coope 24 years ago. Oh, and the date ’14th May 1983′ which was the date that we drew 0-0 with Burnley to clinch promotion. Actually the date should really have been about two weeks later when the Football League declared that Fulham’s match at Derby would not be replayed having been abandoned on 88 minutes with the score 2-0 to Derby  which confirmed our promotion. It still sits in amongst my books and programmes gathering dust and, to date, unopened. Heaven knows what the contents would taste like after 24 years (cynics might suggest that it won’t taste much worse than it did after 24 days) but I cannot imagine what kind of occasion would warrant the lid coming off this particular piece of history in a bottle, I mean just how drunk and desperate would you have to be when the booze runs out at the next party? “okay lads we have a choice – 24 year old City Ale or Advocaat?”

Best ever was a Peter Shilton green goalkeepers shirt, made by Admiral with two white stripes running up the sleeves and down the body. It was circa 1972/74 and it was really smart with nothing else around like it. Shame I didn’t do it justice ‘between the sticks’.
Also Cheetah Sports Boots, laced and tied up at the sides, made in Barwell at Wards I think. Everyone got a pair, even the Heathfield High School Rugby Team Players… Poofs

With thanks to: Cosby Fox, NorthLeicsBlue, Walsh5, glosfox, Steve_LE4, HazelGroveFox, JerseyRon, Kekroka,  Charnwood LCFC, roy of wigston, sohfoxy, EST Fox, Isopen, Wessy Boy,  nrsouth_fox, TorpointFox, Mistryman, FoxtonLox, Wallington, custardboy, DubaiFox, & FilbertsDad…

Merry Christmas all…

You probably can’t get any of these things anymore.. but you can give The FOX as a Christmas present to the Leicester City fan in your life this year thanks to our new offer.All the issues that have come out to date this season: The Summer Special 2012; FOX 181 and FOX 182, will be posted along with the December issueFOX 183 just in time for Christmas and will be gift-wrapped (also included will be a set of 8 Leicester City postcards).
The recipient will then receive the rest of the season’s issues when they are published in 2013…

All this Leicester City related fun and games for just £13…

You can either post the form below enclosing a cheque, or use the green button to pay online via Paypal…

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas…

When Leicester got flooded out Poland v England style….

Watching last night’s scenes in Warsaw I couldn’t help but reminded of City’s washout against Southampton at this time of year almost thirty seasons ago…

(click image for larger version)

A torrential storm that started around kick-off time left the players splashing about for 23 minutes before the ref brought things to a halt.
Needless to say it was one of our favourite games of the season… you can enjoy some of the highlights, including Steve Lynex’s breaststroke here…

to subscribe to The FOX for the 2012-13 season via Paypal and receive your Summer Special, free set of City postcards, and issue no 181 by return of post, press this blue button… 

Alternatively you could print off and fill in this form…

 

Ten Years at Filbert Way…

Chris Lymn takes a look back at ten years in Leicester City’s new home in this extract from his article in The Fox Summer Special 2012…

As we blow out the candles on the ten year celebration of our ‘new’ stadium, it is not a good feeling to report on a tale of faded hopes and misconceived effort, of the blind leading the devoted.
Moving across the road from our loved but archaic stadium with no name had been seen as a first step on the road to a shiny future which would see dreams realised of a sustained period with the big boys in the land of milk and money, a realistic and localized football renaissance which would see us finally punching our weight.
In one sense, the KPS is just a building, designed and built in one go and not a century’s ragbag of gradually bolted on sheds, seats and roofs. Today, a decade on, it looks little different. It recalls a review of a new car at the time on Top Gear before they got round to blowing them up or dropping them from aeroplanes. The young curly haired chap in jeans called Jeremy Something surveyed the new Vauxhall hot off the production line: ”It’s okay.” he said; “…it’s not bad; it’s alright; it’ll do the job; it’ll get you there; it’ll be reliable….”
The new stadium (it was nearly a bowl!) is a Vauxhall stadium. It’s bland, functional shape, sitting awkwardly in a tight space facing the wrong way, was never going to quicken the pulse when 31,000 of us filed in for the first serious match against Watford (happily a 2-0 win with two Brian Deane goals).
We were, however, grateful that it wasn’t in a field at Beaumont Leys or somewhere (with apologies to the speedway).
It cannot fail to enhance what is a forlornly unlovely corner of the town, nestling among electricity pylons, metal retail sheds and an underused plot belonging to Eon (what a great site for a much needed King Power entertainment Arena that would be). Even the stretch of the Grand Union canal to which it presents its face would fail to attract anyone except the odd twitcher or angler. Its size and scale accurately represents, and some would say, determines the club’s modest ambitions…

The rest of this article, and much more  besides, can be read in The FOX Summer Special 2012

…to subscribe to The FOX for the 2012-13 season via Paypal and receive your Summer Special and free set of City postcards by return of post, press this blue button… 

Alternatively you could print off and fill in this form…

A Decade Away From Filbert Street…

Today sees the 10th anniversary of the last competitive fixture played at Filbert Street. On May 11th 2002 Leicester City beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 with goals from Paul Dickov and Matt Piper, before closing the doors on their home of 111 years and making the short move to Freemen’s Wharf.

Here are some images from that final day of League action for our much missed former home…

For more large dollops of misty-eyed nostalgia subscribe to The FOX for the 2012-13 season for just £15.50.
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The Origins of Leicester Aggro

Don’t miss my article on hooliganism in the 1960s in this month’s Leicestershire Chronicle…

It’s all kicking off in the September edition of the Leicestershire Chronicle… I interview an original 1960s hooligan; there’s a 1960 article on the trouble breaking out in Leicester’s new coffee bars; Leicester’s obselete words are given a new airing; Daniel Lambert dies and is buried in a very large grave; a man called Frank shows off his huge badge collection, and we are shown how to do the new dance craze – the Twist.

All for 65p. To subscribe ring: 0116 2512512.

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Subscribe to The Fox fanzine for the 2011-12 season and receive a free set of four Leicester City postcards…

You can either post this form to the address below, or pay online via Paypal using the blue ‘Fox Subs’ button on the right…

Images of Filbert Street

Many thanks to Simon Brynjolffssen who has sent us these photos of Filbert Street…

“I saw an old link on your blog asking for any pictures of Filbert Street. Attached are some shots I took in July 1988. I basically wandered into the ground as nobody was around except for the groundsman. Inside the old main stand I explored the gymnasium, some sort of board-room and the dressing rooms. Security wasn’t too tight in those days!”

 

To subscribe to The FOX for the 2010-11 season, get your Summer Special, 171, 172, 173 and 174 in the post right away, and claim your free limited edition print send a cheque for £14.00 to:

The FOX, PO Box No 2, Cosby, Leicester, LE9 1ZZ

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Filbert Street Revisited – In Aid of LOROS

Micky Bates, AKA MickytheHoss on Bentley’s Roof, has turned his exceptional modelling talents to the subject of Filbert Street in order to raise money for LOROS…

This incredible likeness of the old classical entrance on Filbert Street itself is up for auction and you can make a bid here: http://fansonline.net/leicestercity/mb/view.php?id=237167

This feature originally matched up with a grand tunnel area and was mentioned in Simon Inglis’ ‘Football Grounds of Britain’: “… it’s pomp and style was echoed by a similarly splended turnstile block built at the Filbert Street end, also during the 1920s.”

Micky is currently working on a section of the Double Decker and Spion Kop which will also be auctioned off.
His story, including his battle against a debilitating stroke which left him without the use of one arm, will be told in the Mercury this week. 

Family Guy…

A lot of people have been in touch regarding my ‘Family Life’ article in this week’s Mercury…

..so here is the link for those of you who didn’t see it. It was a difficult piece to write, let me know if you agree or disagree with my sentiments.

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Football-passing-children-8211/article-2600591-detail/article.html

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To subscribe to The FOX for the 2010-11 season, get your Summer Special in the post right away, and claim your free limited edition print send a cheque for £14.00 to:

The FOX, PO Box No 2, Cosby, Leicester, LE9 1ZZ

or use the FOX SUBS button on the right to pay online via Paypal.

Heskey Could return to Leicester

Paulo Sousa’s assistant Bruno Oliveira has fulled rumours that Emile Heskey could be returning to Leicester with the comment: “It would make a big impact. Craig Bellamy was an opportunity that Dave Jones took.”

Leicester-born Heskey left Filbert Street for Liverpool for £11m, just over a decade ago, a few months before Martin O’Neill departed for the Celtic job.
Although Heskey made his debut in the Premier League during the 1994-95 season, he establsihed himself in the side during the second tier promotion season of 1995-96. He then played a major part in the O’Neill Glory Years, enjoying four season in the Premier League  and also played in all three League Cup finals, scoring a late equaliser against Middlesbrough in 1997.
Despite a career that has seen him at Liverpool, Birmingham, Wigan and Aston Villa, earning 62 England caps, Heskey has not forgotten his Leicester roots and was part of the consortium who rescued the club during the financial disaster of 2002. 
The 32 year old is unable to command a regular starting place at Villa and might just take a chance on a homecoming..

To subscribe to The FOX for the 2010-11 season, get your Summer Special in the post right away, and claim your free limited edition print send a cheque for £14.00 to:

The FOX, PO Box No 2, Cosby, Leicester, LE9 1ZZ

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Bring Back the Birch

Andy Betts, on the news that Birch is being put out to pasture…

Not much has been sadder in the corporate hijacking of our club than the news broken on August 4th that the ‘Birch’ has been forced to retire from our club because he is 65.

Lee ‘Hatchet’ Hoos has proffered a, “No Comment” on the decision but you cannot help thinking that it wouldn’t be too far from the truth to  surmise that Alan just doesn’t fit the corporate vacuum that the shell of our club is falling into piece by piece.

Alan Birchenhall  has been one of the best things in my time watching City (1969 onwards) a very underrated player who puts his own ability down, he was a star in the Jimmy Bloomfield era when, for me, City played the best football in my time watching.

He had been signed from Crystal Palace when they were a top flight club and previous to that had been a star in a very glamorous Chelsea side.

A real entertainer the, ‘Pie Seller’ incident when during a break in play at Filbo Birch borrowed a tray of pies from a pitch side vendor and proceeded to distribute them to the pop side will live forever in the memory of those who saw it… these days he would probably cop a suspension and hefty fine for that.

During the Martin O’Neill era he hosted a question and answer evening with Martin at Jongleurs and he was simply priceless, a natural comedian who made for a great night. 

But behind the joker was a man with a heart of gold, the end of season runs, the visits to sick and dying kids, the fantastic fund raising for LOROS, the little touches like coming into the Kop pre-match to wish me a happy fiftieth birthday and present me with a signed pennant.

This charitable man was good enough to be recognised by our Queen for his efforts and was proud but self effacing even in the face of such an honour.

His autobiography, ‘Bring Back The Birch’ should be read by any City fan who longs for the days when the game still had a soul and a sense of humour, traits that the decision to dismiss him show quite graphically mean nowt to the money men.