Only signed up today today to post this, but should have posted sooner. I've grown up as a Leicester fan in London and I can't say that the previous 40 odd years have always been easy but I've always been a proud supporter. I hope you'll afford me the sentiment below.
It was my son's 9th birthday in December 2015. My wife booked a kids' play centre party for a Sunday and he went in his new Vardy away shirt, that he'd asked for as a present. For once his purple Schmeichel kit was left in the bottom drawer.
We got there and he went off with 10 of his mates to climb, tumble, crawl, hide and generally run around this massive in-door play area. He's a great kid and I couldn't wish for a better son. I know most parents think that, but he's a sharp cookie, has a kind heart and is well thought of by others. 30 minutes into the party, him and a few mates came over to me and said that a group of lads had surrounded him and started taunted him, saying 'Vardy is shit', 'Leicester are ****ing rubbish' and so on. He's quite tall and these kids were a foot shorter and a couple of years younger and he didn't think it was right to retaliate so came to tell me. He showed me who they were and they were 4 little oiks who were being unpleasant to lots of the kids there; one was wearing a Spurs' Kane shirt. We were top of the league at the time so you can have some understanding for 'banter' towards opposing fans, but from 7 year olds and on my son's birthday it really pissed me off. I asked him if he wanted me to go and have a word with the kids' parents but he said he'd deal with it. Without the use of force, bad language or his larger mates he went up to the kids and told them they shouldn't be swearing as his younger brother was around and he didn't want him to hear those words. The kids stopped giving him and his mates grief, finally realising that they were being dicks and that my son could have smacked them one if he'd have wanted to.
All throughout that magical and ridiculous season, I had the thought that maybe through some huge slice of luck and if the stars aligned, then my son would be rewarded with something special and that in some hubristic way that unpleasant Spurs fan would get their just rewards. When I was at school, countless times I was treated the way my son had been. "Leicester are shit" became a frequently heard mantra throughout primary and secondary school. No-one else supported them. Why would they ? I was in a South London school, everyone supported Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, United or Spurs. No-one else seemed to enjoy the skills and delights of Steve Thompson, Mark Draper, Muzzy Izzet, Mark Wallington's porno 'tache, Gary McAllister, Paul Dickov, Julian Joachim and countless others who only began to exist when they moved to other clubs. Being a Leicester fan has been a rewarding experience over the last 30 years. For every relegation, there was an exciting promotion. For every dud manager (cheers Holloway), there was a great (Martin O'Neill will always have a place in my heart). There were City treasures such as Steve Walsh and sworn enemies such as Steve Bull. There were moments of true heartache (that play-off semi against Watford, when Knockaert missed a penalty and then the Hornets went straight up the other end) and moments of pure joy (that last minute Claridge winner at Wembley). There were times when I couldn't be prouder of being a Foxes fan and then times where I was ashamed of some of the players (Wise and the fire extinguisher, Neil Lewis and violence, the Thai debacle).
But nothing compares to that season. Watching the last 10 minutes of the Spurs v Chelsea game with my eldest son was magical. The final whistle went and we were both in tears for a good few minutes. I sincerely wish that every fan could feel what I felt then. For the last 30 years, I knew Leicester would never have a chance to win League 1 (then Premiership). We're not big enough, there's too much money in football and other teams would outspend us 20-fold. I'd consigned myself to never experiencing a league championship, like my dad and grandfather before me. My football supporting dreams were utterly complete. If I'm lucky enough to live the next 40/50 years, I don't care for success and repeating this level of achievement. We had this wonderful, amazing, magical year which will forever be remembered and to have shared it with my son is an experience I will never forget and always cherish. For an event like this to happen is almost utterly unbelievable; to have it happen to your own team is just mind-boggling.
This wasn't down to one man; but if someone embodied and enabled that triumph then it would have been Mr Vichai. I could never attempt to extol his virtues and really do them credit. We were truly blessed to have such a compassionate and loving soul as our owner.
This is a truly tragic time for our wonderful club. The outpouring of support from other fans on here has shown what a wonderful footballing community we have. This has been a
spectacularly upsetting event and I wish Vichai's family all the love and support in the future; as I do for all involved.
Hug your love ones; support each other.
