MMFB

More on the tour and Mills' book in the Mercury today: https://www.pressreader.com/uk/leicester-mercury/20210827/281852941661404

Former Foxes captain Gary Mills has brought his new autobiography out, Young Millsy, available for pre-order ahead of its September 9th release. Details here https://www.morganlawrence.co.uk/product/young-millsy/ And... Foxes duo Gary Mills and Barrie Pierpoint are teaming up for Leicestershire roadshow kicking off this Autumn! “This is an interactive event not to be missed,” said Gary. “Whether you’re a fan of Leicester, Forest or football in general, we’ll be taking questions from the audience on a host of events throughout mine and Barrie’s career. “Both on and off the pitch, I’ve been blessed to have worked with some amazing people, so whether it’s the madness of Clough or the principles of Little you’d like to hear more on, we’re here to give you the answers and anecdotes behind it all." “We’re delighted to be taking our stories on the road,” said Pierpoint. “What we have here is a chance for fans to relive a moment in time, a journey which chronicles many memorable 90s moments, from both a footballing point of view and the business of football. “But this won’t be dull history tour, expect plenty of laughs, stories from the dressing room and backstage banter. Nothing is off limits, and I’ll even bring a few Pierpoint out posters along for fans to hold up like old times!” Tickets and details below: https://www.morganlawrence.co.uk/events/

Barrie Pierpoint's comments on the Super League floating about - https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/european-super-league-leicester-pierpoint-5316389

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/leicester-city-oneill-pierpoint-finance-5248687 Pierpoint recalls the early 90s.

https://bdaily.co.uk/articles/2021/03/18/running-a-football-club-amidst-covid-19-back-to-business-basics

Looks like Pierpoint is backing Rodgers - Tribal Football Good to see this kind of mentality from an ex-boardroom POV- long term continuity in breeding footballing success!

Foxes heroes including Emile Heskey and former captain Matt Heath have revealed how an innovative approach to reserve team fixtures at the club changed the footballing landscape. And the concept would go on to break attendance records at clubs across the country. Family Night Football (FNF) was a unique concept devised and developed by Leicester City’s club marketer Richard Hughes in the 90s. Alongside renowned chief executive Barrie Pierpoint, the duo aimed to revolutionise the way reserve team football was viewed, drawing inspiration from American sports games and family entertainment, with the aim of adopting a much wider fanbase than diehard fans. Describing the concept, Pierpoint said: “Reserve games in the early nineties were weekday affairs. The crowd consisted of a handful of fans who parted with their hard-earned cash to sit and enjoy a steaming hot cup of tea. “Richard sensed an opportunity to create a new product that would appeal to a different type of supporter and also help to improve our standing within the community. “He’d previously attended a college football game in Florida that combined live sport and off-field entertainment such as a 200-strong marching band, cheerleaders and cartoon characters. The safe, fun environment attracted 90,000 people. “We didn’t have anything like this in England, so we decided to give it a go. However, we wouldn’t do anything on the football side without [manager] Brian Little’s approval, so we pitched the idea to him.” Little, who managed the Foxes between 1991 and 1994, explained how he gave FNF his blessing: “I embraced it. I didn’t want any changes made to the first team matches, but the concept was ideal for reserve games. “I had a few people asking why I was letting Barrie and Richard change the reserve matches, but I loved that they were trying to do something different. It was great for kids.” With the Foxes having built a new stand which increased its total stadium capacity to 21,500, FNF was seen as the next step in developing Leicester City’s growing fanbase in the 90s, as the club started to make its ascension to the heady heights of the Premier League. Aiming to present a more fun and friendly environment for families, the proposition drew value for money in the form of its tickets, which were available at just £2 for adults and a quid for kids, with additional community support driven through the Leicester Mercury’s free coupon incentive. Additionally, the concept saw the introduction of a young and exciting striker, Emile Heskey, who was in Leicester’s youth side at the time. Acting as ball boy for the fixture, FNF reached its peak in 1994, as the Foxes attained a landmark reserve game win over the might of Manchester United, which attracted over 14,000 fans. Discussing his memories, Heskey said: “Family Night Football was a great initiative that made reserve matches more family oriented and playing in those games definitely helped me in my development. “I remember watching in disbelief as more and more fans entered the ground. By the time the match [against Manchester United] kicked off, the ground looked as full as it usually was for first team games!” Leicester’s creation was to be the envy of many clubs, so much so that the Foxes decided to run seminars for interested clubs such as Manchester United and Liverpool to replicate its success. And with ‘kids go free’ and ‘kids for a quid’ concepts now so readily commonplace in modern day football, Pierpoint feels proud that FNF laid the blueprint for widespread change across the game. “Whilst bringing in money was important, what I’m most proud of is the positive impact that FNF had within the community. “We made football affordable and accessible which attracted a bunch of new fans. Our aim was to introduce people to the club at a young age, give them a good experience so that they would be fans and customers for life.” Watching the early days of FNF was a young Matt Heath, a Leicester-born supporter and future club captain. For Heath, the concept helped not only generate his interest in the club from the stands but would also later go on to improve his performances as a player. “The fact that FNF was so family friendly meant that I was allowed to attend with my mates for the first time. We’d get dropped off and picked up, but we could watch the matches on our own. “I thought it was a great concept, the games were great fun and we watched some good football. “Later, as I transitioned from the stands to the pitch, which was amazing, I remember thinking, wow, the opponents were unbelievable. “During one match against Chelsea I found myself marking Champions League winner, Gianluca Vialli, with former Barcelona defender, Winston Bogarde, another big name in their line-up. “It was a step up because I was playing with, and against, older and more experienced players, but it wasn’t too intense because there wasn’t much on the line. The games definitely helped my development.” Fans interested in FNF can learn more in Barrie Pierpoint’s new book, Minding My Own Football Business, which charts the highs and lows of Leicester’s storied ascension to the Premier League in the late 90s. Released today, it is available online and in all good book stores, including Waterstones. Proceeds from each book sale will go to raising vital funds for Rainbows Children’s Hospice in Loughborough. For more information and to make your order, visit https://www.mindingmyownfootballbusiness.co.uk/.

A new ‘tell it all’ book by one of Leicester City FC’s most renowned board members of the 90s promises to relive the glory days of The Foxes journey to the top. And it features contributions from over 40 prominent players, team managers and celebrity fans, including striker Emile Heskey, manager Brian Little and TV chef Rustie Lee. Minding My Own Football Business is the story from Barrie Pierpoint, LCFC’s first chief executive and director of marketing in the 90s. Promising to be a must read for any fan of The Foxes, the book, which includes a foreword by city legend Steve Walsh, chronicles many of the behind the scenes events and business decisions that led to Leicester’s journey to the Premiership in the late 90s. Footie folklore such as defender Pontus Kamark’s remarks to Juninho in the 1997 League Cup Final, who Emile Heskey looked up to in his early days as a professional, and perhaps most bizarrely, which City player waved a loaded gun at his teammates, are all covered in the book penned by ghost writer and football novelist Mathew Mann. For Pierpoint, the book was a chance for football fans to hear first-hand how the club’s fortunes, both on and off the field, were rescued by a series of coaching and business decisions that led to The Foxes having recorded their fourth successive top ten Premier League finish in 2000. “This book really has three facets,” explained Pierpoint. “It’s a football story and we’ve got some wonderful contributions from the likes of Steve Walsh, Emile Heskey, Brian Little and Tony Cottee, people that were vital to The Foxes success on the field in the 90s. “Then we have the business and marketing side, such as the establishment of The Foxes brand, The Carling Stand and Family Night Football, all of which was vital in saving the club from the brink of collapse and helped turn it into a profit-making entity. “And finally, it’s a human story, the people, the goings-on behind the scenes, it’s a celebration of mine and others’ times there. Of course, Leicester City is a massive commercial entity nowadays, and its presence and reach has expanded worldwide with the successes enjoyed in recent times. “I’d like to think this book can help younger fans and new ones worldwide understand more about the club they love and support most passionately.” Pierpoint, who also had spells at Portsmouth, Bradford and now operating as a business mentor, is perhaps most renowned for his time at Leicester for a bitter board dispute that led to his exit in January 2000. But while the infamous ‘gang of four’ spat and reported fall outs with manager Martin O’Neill are covered in the book, Pierpoint didn’t want it to overshadow the overall story being told. “I agreed to do the book on two grounds: that it wasn’t controversial and that it wasn’t a self-centered appreciation society. “The fact is, myself and Martin (O’Neill) never had any problems and I was really appreciative of the work he did on the pitch. “There was a lot of false reporting at the time that led to some dark periods of my time at Leicester. In that sense I do get to set the story straight, but this is more a light-hearted, nostalgic look at a football club that defied the odds, told by those that were there. “Former directors, players, managers, staff, journalists and supporters have contributed to this book, which gives us a remarkable view of a fantastic era through their various lenses.” For club captain Steve Walsh, the book was a chance to reflect on some of the fantastic highs experienced in his 14 years at The Foxes: “Barrie was a flamboyant character, with his big cigars, flash suits and multi-coloured glasses, but what most stood out was his vision for Leicester City. “This book chronicles and celebrates the story of Leicester City’s achievements, on and off the pitch, during the nineties, the best days of my career.” Minding My Own Football Business is available now, online and in all good book stores including Waterstones. Proceeds from each book sale will go to raising vital funds for Rainbows Children’s Hospice in Loughborough. For more information and to make your order, visit https://www.mindingmyownfootballbusiness.co.uk/.