Nickfosse

Thank you for setting the ball rolling with this. I’d love to join you but I’m working tomorrow morning and will probably only just make kick off. I’d be delighted to meet you and others if other opportunities arise. Please keep me posted. Hope it goes well.

My award for the most beautifully written post of the year goes to you sir. Thank you, you’ve evoked many a memory for me through this powerful account of Filbo match days.

I totally agree, but as Peter Wheeler said when the Tigers were trying to rebuild Welford Road, dealing with Leicester City Council was like juggling soot.

Only a little bit, as others have said, we knew it was the same as Southampton but it was more relief that we’d managed to relocate close by without moving outside the Ciity and that we’d eventually got planning permission from the City Council for something bigger than Filbo (it was quite a drawn out and difficult saga). We knew we needed something bigger to move the Club forward though took a long time to for us to realise that on the pitch. On a slight tangent, I’m not convinced that getting planning permission for the proposed stadium expansion will be straight forward either.

Filbert Street is where I fell in love with Leicester City as a five year old in 1973 and holds many magnificent memories. The Bloomfield boys, the O’Neill years, and the joy of walking the narrow terrace streets to the game and seeing the floodlights penetrate the autumn mists. My preference at the time was for Filbert Street to be redeveloped but that was never going to get planning permission and I knew if the club were to achieve their potential we would need a new stadium so I was delighted with the move to the Walkers, though sorry we were no longer one of the few teams to play in a Street. However, the Filbert Street era for me has a very dark side. Hooliganism on an industrial scale at times, racist chanting, dreadful ownership who made any penny out of any half decent player and allowed everyone in when we played Burnley after securing promotion and being in SK 4 barely being able to breathe let alone move (it wasn’t till Hillsborough that I realised how close we came to a similar disaster that day). Having to hide in a newsagents as a pack of Palace fans starting running towards my mum, dad and me wanting to kick our heads in and being handed over police barricades when it all kicked off v Man Utd. There is is also some misplaced nostalgia about atmosphere. Yes, there were some great nights, but I recall Oldham at home in our O’Neill promotion year when I shouted at Colin Hill to “get em going Colin” and he answered me from the other side of the pitch, “I’m trying”. How silent does a stadium need to be for that to happen? The toilets and concourses were a disgrace and I could barely see the other end of the pitch. Our present stadium is now full of magnificent memories. Not just the league wins and Europe but sharing it with my ageing parents and four boys who I would not have taken to the Filbert Street I experienced as a lad. Since being relegated to the third tier we have had the most wonderful times supporting the team I fell in love with at filbo. All that said, I do worry about the increasing silence at the KP the longer we are in the Premier League, and I very much support all efforts to get a great atmosphere going again. I think the best of both worlds is safe standing and I’d love to see a sizeable section included in the new stadium plans.

Where we will finish? 10th Top goalscorer? Vardy Player of the season? Tielemans Young player of the season? Barnes How well will we do in the Cups? Semi in league cup. Last 16 fa cup Surprise of the season? Benkovic Game you are most looking forward to? The next one Premier League Top 7 Man City, Liverpool, Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Man Utd Cup Winners Wolves and West Ham Relegation from PL Norwich, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace Promotion from Championship Leeds, West Brom, QPR Winners of CL Real Madrid Predict away.

Ah well, there’s a bit of negativity around at the end of the transfer window. Let’s have some positive thoughts about the new season. Who will be the unexpected successes next year? Brendan Rodgers has a great reputation for developing players of all ages and getting the best out of them. It was fascinating to look back at people’s thoughts at the end of last season so please have a go. The more the merrier. Sounds a a bit weird going for a Premier League winner and magnificent player for us ever since he arrived, but I think Albrighton will have a great season under Rodgers and will suit the high press and quick attacks when we win the ball back high up. Even to the point where we are perfectly happy not to have signed a winger this window.

Let’s be honest, it’s all just a bit of fun to distract ourselves from real life and work. The trick is not to take it too seriously imo.

Did you go?

Rodgers in post match interview on RL yesterday said he’s had a slight recurrence of an injury and out for 10-14 days. Said it was a shame as he’d trained very well.

John Terry might ?

Yeah, but I can’t remember red ever being part of the home shirt or club colours, just the odd third away shirt as you say.

First shirt I had. Christmas present as a boy. Absolutely loved it, and the admiral tracksuit that went with it.

The shirt’s good, but I never understood the red. Never been a traditional colour for us at all except very occasional away shirts, but never the home kit. Makes it look more like a Rangers shirt.

Totally agree, and I wouldn’t rule Watford out either. Going to be incredibly competitive and fascinating as you say.

You did leave an open goal. Seemed rude not to take it ?

No, just a dick

To be fair, I didn’t think we’d getting anywhere near, so brilliant stuff from England even if we had a bit of luck for the overthrows.

“New Zealand are back in it.” When were they out of it?

To be fair, I think 240 is a 300 plus score on this pitch. Very hard to score quickly

And he does the rugby so he gloats over their dominance it that sport too.

Was thinking that myself, pitch suits their bowlers a treat. Is the groundsman a kiwi? ?

Be surprised if we get close I’m afraid

Looks really hard to score out there, and well as we bowled earlier, I think New Zealand are bowling better than us.