FOX 192 – The Leicester City fanzine – in the shops NOW!

FOX 192 – the December edition of the Leicester City fanzine is now in the shops…

FOX 192 features: an interview with pioneering football agent, and former-City chairman Jon Holmes; Something Old, Something New; Fully Programmed from 1975-76; Fox Diary – it’s not pretty; the latest from the Foxes Trust; our new column on what is going on in Twitter-land; Rewind features Sticks Ormondroyd and the swap deal for Kitson; Foxed in the Head – hitching to Liverpool, forgotten players and more YouTube treasure; the Chris Lymn Column; John Hutchinson applies his magnifying glass to another slice of the club’s history; your letters and Bentley’s Roof; Parting Shots; and Fanatical Frank is gearing up for Christmas….

all for £2…

What they are saying about the Jon Holmes Interview:

“The interview with Jon Holmes is not only the best one yet, but also a very fine bit of football writing.”  – MoanyVolpone

“Excellent read. Can’t believe Levein signed Gibert from Plymouth by mistake thinking he was their other fullback!” – wallington

“Thought it would be yet another interview with an ex-chairman, who dare not say much for fear of treading on his mates’ shoes, but on the contrary, he made no bones about what he felt about certain folk or situations. Top marks indeed!”  – Mistryman

“Priceless stuff! His verdict on Akinbiyi and Trev is fantastic – and explains a lot!” – Filbo65

“Great interview. I wonder if the Thai guys have ever considered asking Jon Holmes for advice? Gold dust.” – hampshirefox

Jon Holmes Interview Extract…

FOX: Like any other profession there must be good, bad and indifferent agents?
JH: I’m not sure what it is like now as I am out of the football, just doing the broadcasting side of it.
It was tough in the early days because clubs didn’t want agents around at all. We turned up at Stoke to discuss Shilts’ move and they to me: “Oh, we can’t talk to you.”
So we said: “Okay then, goodbye.”
And they changed their minds. Players had a right to have
people representing them but clubs just didn’t want to acknowledge this.
Then they brought this disastrous licensing scheme in, which was based on the ability to put money up, rather than your ability to actually do the job.
Then they brought a ridiculous exam in, which was all about ludicrous, obscure FA regulations.
Then we got the stage where clubs were paying for the negotiations because players weren’t allowed to. The money they were beginning to earn they should have been paying for them like they would pay for a lawyer or what have you.
I don’t really get why clubs have to pay such vast sums to agents. They say, well you have to source players. But you could employ a whole army of good scouts for what they pay out to agents. It’s all wrong, clubs shouldn’t be allowed to pay agents at all. In the States their regulations are much better sorted. The player’s union sorts the basic contract out and then they have agents who can only be paid by the players. It is all much straighter. The problem here also lies with a lot of the owners, who have proved the ‘fit and proper person’ test to be a joke.
Look at Roman Abramovich, whose, shall we say, ‘unorthodox business techniques’ were exposed in the Berezovsky trial.
But football fans don’t give a damn, unfortunately.

FOX: What headaches have been presented to you by your players?

JH: I had one player, who will have to remain nameless, who owned five cars but only knew where two of them were.
I said to him: “Where are they?”
“I’ve lost them.”
“Where were you when you last saw them?”
“Playing cards.”
“So you lost them in a card game?”
“Yes.”
“But that doesn’t mean, since the cars were on lease, that you can stop making the payments for them.”

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It’s not too late to give The FOX as a Christmas present to the Leicester City fan in your life thanks to our new offer…

They will receive all the issues that have come out by mid-December this season: The Summer Special 2014; FOX 191 and FOX 192, will be posted in time for Christmas and will be gift-wrapped. You will also receive a set of 20 cigarette cards from last season’s title win. 

Also included will be a set of 12 Leicester City postcards and 5 full colour 8″ x 10″ prints).
The recipient will then receive the rest of the season’s issues as they are published in 2015…

All this Leicester City related fun and games for just £15…

Click HERE or on the blue bauble to pay online via Paypal.
Please remember to let us know the name you want on the gift tag and the delivery address if it is different from your Paypal address.

or send a cheque for £15 to:

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

Please remember to put a personal message if required…

 

Chelsea overcome brave Leicester resistance

Chelsea 2:0 Leicester City

City were a match for one of Europe’s best sides for just over an hour at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, before goals from Costa and Hazard sealed a 2-0 win for Chelsea…

Nigel Pearson brought Hammond in for Drinkwater and Schlupp for Knockaert and, although this line-up could be described an understrength, City looked undaunted by this visit to the title favourites.
The early chances went to the home side, Oscar had a shot blocked by Morgan, and then Cahill had two efforts blocked by red shirts that were giving their hosts very little breathing space.
Schurrle then headed a Hazard cross over, before City broke upfield.

Mahrez saw a fierce shot beaten away by Courtois and then Schlupp had an effort deflected wide.

At the other end Costa had a curling shot blocked by Morgan, and City could be well pleased with their efforts as the half-time whistle heralded a goalless half.

Mourinho had apparently given his side something of a ‘pep-talk’ at the break and they appeared to have moved up a gear.
Oscar fired against the post, and then Ivanovic was denied by a superb Schmeichel save as City were stretched for the first time.

But they should have taken the lead five minutes later when a speedy breakaway set up Nugent in a one-on-one with keeper Courtois, but the Belgian keeper managed to block with his legs.

Schurrle then went close with a curler, before Schmeichel denied Ivanovic again this time tipping away a long-range shot.

City were still looking dangerous on the break but Courtois again saved from Nugent after last year’s leading scorer had been set up by Mahrez.

As play swung from one end of the field to the other Fabregas then forced another save from Schmeichel who tipped his attempted chip over the bar.

However, Chelsea began to turn the screw further and City’s resistance was broken in the 62nd minute.
In a busy penalty area Costa guided home from close range after Ivanovic’s low cross made it across the goalmouth.

City stuck to their task, and Pearson brought on Albrigthton and Taylor-Fletcher for Mahrez and Hammond, but Chelsea went further ahead in the 77th minute. Fabregas sending Hazard through for a run and shot beyond Schmeichel’s reach.

Schmeichel then made another fine save from Willian to keep the scoreline at respectable levels.

It was a predictable enough defeat against Chelsea’s Megastars, but City fans could take great pride in their side’s performance, which boded very well for the rest of the season.
Nigel Pearson told Sky Sports: “We are aware of the fact that when chances have come our way, it’s not quite happened for us. But the encouraging thing is that we are being creative. I think today we have put them under quite a bit of pressure and even when they started to take a bit of control in the second half, we still had our moments. There are positives to take from today, certainly.”

Chelsea: Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Matic, Fabregas, Schurrle (Ramires 64), Oscar (Willian 70), Hazard, Costa (Drogba 79). Subs: Cech, Zouma, Luis, Mikel.

Leicester: Schmeichel, De Laet, Morgan, Moore, Konchesky, Mahrez (Albrighton 68), Hammond (Taylor-Fletcher 72), King, Schlupp, Nugent, Ulloa (Wood 84) Subs: Hamer, Hopper, Knockaert, Wasilewski.

Referee: Lee Mason. ATTENDANCE: 41,604.

All photos: Simon Kimber.

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The FOX will be following the fortunes of Leicester City in 2014-15, as we have since the 1986-87 season, so if you want each copy posted to your door then take out a subscription now.
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