davieG

It was the same shit show moving to the Walkers

Will they be able to splash as much cash next year?

How Wrexham and Birmingham City’s US owners got one step from the Premier League It’s been over four decades since Wrexham were last in the second tier of English football and a lot has changed in that time. (A lot has changed in four years, never mind four decades.) Four years ago, Wales’ oldest soccer club were at a non-league nadir. Now, they are preparing for life in the Championship, propelled to three straight promotions by the stardust (and money) of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. e Birmingham City’s second tier exile was much shorter – just a single season – but like Wrexham their promotion had the spotlight of celebrity on it. While Wrexham have Reynolds and McElhenney, Birmingham have Tom Brady (albeit it in a far smaller profile). The English lower leagues have never been so glamorous, what with Wrexham players appearing in Marvel movies and David Beckham attending matches. Related: Wrexham announce record revenue of £26.7m after boost in US popularity And yet both clubs’ ownership have defied the cynics. Birmingham and Wrexham have spent big – really big in the case of the former, who splurged £25m on transfers last summer – but something meaningful is happening at the Racecourse Ground and St Andrew’s. Two historic clubs have been revitalised. Here’s a five-step plan for other North American owners on how to run a British club successfully. 1) Buy low. Really low Reynolds and McElhenney deliberately bought a club that couldn’t sink much lower. That was their plan from the start and explains why they also looked at Hartlepool United, similarly down on their luck in the National League, before buying Wrexham in November 2020. Brady and Tom Wagner did something similar by buying Birmingham City in May 2023 after years of financial uncertainty. Birmingham and Wrexham both had large, passionate fanbases desperate to be re-energised. On size and stature alone, both should have been more successful. The upside was clear for the new owners who both see the Premier League as a realistic target. If the likes of Bournemouth and Brentford can do it, why not these two? Promotion to the Championship puts them just one step away. “It’s been hard to buy into the North American optimism, but they have gradually eroded the generational pessimism ingrained in cynical Wrexham fans, who have rightfully been cautious given how the club so nearly went out of business,” says Rich Fay of the RobRyanRed podcast. “This Wrexham team is a winning machine.” 2) Tell a story Wrexham impressed on the field as they surged to League Two promotion last season, but that’s not why over 80,000 fans came to watch Phil Parkinson’s team in Santa Barbara, Santa Clara and Vancouver last summer. They came to see Paul Mullin and Ollie Palmer and all the other characters from soccer’s most popular reality TV show. Anyone who has watched Welcome to Wrexham knows it’s a series that’s only so much about the actual soccer. It’s actually about the lifelong fan who owns the pub next door. And the club’s powerchair team. And the town which has struggled in the post-industrial era. Wales itself is a character. A Birmingham City documentary series is also coming. That the new Amazon show is to be directed by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight suggests Blues will follow the formula established by Wrexham in telling a story beyond soccer. Star players used to be enough for a club to shift some jerseys around the world. That was before Welcome to Wrexham changed everything. It might not be a fairytale, but Wrexham in particular has been a hugely compelling story to tell. 3) Invest in yourself Less than a year after arriving, Birmingham City’s new owners bought 48 acres of land for a new stadium. It was a statement of intent that highlighted Wagner’s ambition with the ‘Sports Quarter’ development on an under-utilised site near the city centre estimated to cost £2-3bn ($2.6-$4m). Money has also been spent to renovate St Andrew’s and the training ground. Fans see Wagner as an honorary Brummie. Outsiders might consider his team talks and fist pumping cringey, but Birmingham fans see someone whose passion for the club can’t be questioned. “On away days, Tom regularly puts his credit card behind the bar for fans to have a beer,” said Chris Goulding of the We Are Birmingham podcast and blog. Wrexham have their own stadium plans. The club hopes to start construction of a new 5,500-capacity Kop stand soon, recently unveiling an updated design inspired by Wrexham’s red brick traditions. This is a town nicknamed ‘Terracottapolis,’ after all. It’s also a town where nearly 8,000 children live in poverty, something the recently revamped Wrexham AFC Foundation wants to tackle. 4) Have a clear style Parkinson’s conservative style of play has drawn criticism even as his team have risen through the divisions, but his approach has given Wrexham a clear framework to build around. Only Birmingham have conceded fewer league goals than The Red Dragons this season while goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo has kept 18 clean sheets, second in League One behind … Birmingham’s Ryan Allsop. The pragmatism of Parkinson-ball might be even more valuable in the Championship when Wrexham will regularly face opponents with better players and bigger budgets. While other nouveau riche clubs might have grown restless and changed managers, Wrexham stayed consistent with Parkinson who doesn’t always get the credit he deserves. “I feel the entire process has distracted from what a good job Phil Parkinson has done,” says Fay. Chris Davies has similarly given his team an identifiable playing style. Under Brendan Rodgers and Ange Postecoglou’s former assistant, Blues have thrived as an aggressive possession-oriented side capable of magic in the attacking third. Wayne Rooney’s appointment last season was a misstep, but Birmingham quickly corrected that mistake. 5) Keep evolving Season by season, Wrexham have shown a willingness to change. Mullin and Palmer were the stars of the seasons in the National League and League Two. This time around, the pair have been part of the attacking rotation along with Steven Fletcher and Jay Rodriguez, two forwards with genuine pedigree at a high level. Okonkwo came in from Arsenal to replace Mark Howard as Wrexham’s No 1. Forward Sam Smith arrived from Reading for a club-record fee. Parkinson also changed formation midway through the campaign, moving away from the dual striker system that had worked so well for him until that point. “With two up front, it was making us … I won’t say predictable, but we needed to adapt, particularly in possession,” said Parkinson. A home defeat to Stevenage in late January prompted a rethink and was the catalyst for a run that saw Wrexham lose just two out of 17 games to clinch promotion. Birmingham’s evolution has been far less gradual, with the signing of 17 new players last summer giving Davies the talent he needed to point the club in the right direction. Jay Stansfield was the most expensive addition, costing a league-record £15m. However, the 22-year-old justified such an eye-watering fee by netting 19 goals in 34 league appearances. Backed by Knighthead, a New York investment fund valued at close to $10bn, Birmingham will spend more. “With these owners I think the Premier League is just their first target,” says Goulding. Wrexham, on the other hand, might be more like a dog catching a car now that they are up to the Championship. This could be why New York’s Allyn family, whose wealth dwarfs that of Reynolds and McElhenney, joined as board members last autumn. Further evolution will be required, as will more money. Reynolds only has so much Mint Mobile cash to plough in.

Long standing ST holders are in fear of not getting one back if there are changes plus there's the FOMO as knowing LCFC we're as likely to have a good season next year as a bad one. Then you have the ludicrous situation of ST prices v Match day prices where you only have to attend 10/11 games to make the ST worthwhile plus you can now legally pass matches on or sell them back to the club. Pay by instalments as well. Everything points to keeping your ticket. How many gave up after the Great Escape season and regretted it, definitely a few on here.

Joseph Johnson Leicester Past & Present ~ A walk down Memory Lane. added a new photo to the album 66* LEICESTER PAST - Album No.66. LEICESTER PAST: Joseph Johnson, Market Street, 1885. One of Leicester's oldest department stores has been converted into an aparthotel and restaurant. The Grade II listed building - on the corner of Market and Belvoir Street - was designed by architect Isaac Barradale in the 1800s. Until 1962, it was home to Joseph Johnson's department store before being taken over by retailer Fenwick, which closed in 2017. It was officially reopened on Tuesday as The Gresham after a £17m refit. The 121-room aparthotel also includes a bar, gym, fitness suite and conference facilities. As we near the grand opening of The Gresham, Leicester’s new aparthotel, bar and restaurant development, what better time to look back at the history of the building, and examine how it earned its iconic place in the hearts of Leicester’s population. The Gresham has been home to two Leicester institutions, beloved by their communities. The new Aparthotel aims to build on this legacy, and begin a new chapter in a storied history of the building and its surrounding area. Joseph Johnson’s was founded in 1869 on Market Street. A draper by trade, Johnson struck out on his having served his apprenticeship at Adderley’s store in Leicester Market. Forming a partnership with a Mr. Halsall, they opened a modest store on Market Street. Johnson proved a savvy businessman, and by 1871 was the sole proprietor of the store. By 1884, he had become so successful that he commissioned Isaac Barradale to design the now-iconic Gresham building, moving into the five-berth frontage at the top of Market Street. The building’s name, however, came from another investor in the new development, a businessman called Richard Allen. Allen, according to the Victorian Society, “wanted to make a bold statement,” and so commissioned the Gothic corner archways, curved two-storey window and canopied roofline which gives the building its unique appearance. Though the nature of Allen’s business at ‘Gresham Buildings’ remains unclear, he took on three shop frontages on Belvoir Street, with showrooms above. Sadly for Mr Allen, his boldness was not matched by success, and in 1900 he sold Gresham Buildings to Joseph Jonson. The ever-ambitious Johnson also incorporated a hosiery factory into his store, and continued to modify the interior of the building to incorporate it as one contiguous unit. By 1926, the footprint that would be familiar to Fenwick shoppers in 2017 was almost complete, As Johnson commissioned the Leicester architects Fosbrooke and Bedingfield to create links between the remaining small units. This evolution of the interior architecture of The Gresham remains evident to this day, and means that every suite in the new aparthotel has its own unique character. Throughout this period, Johnson “lived above the shop,” devoting his life to his business and building it to the status of a Leicester institution. Johnson’s Stores evolved to become the type of department store that we would recognise today. He insisted upon exacting standards for his staff, and ran an unabashedly “high-class” establishment. By the time of its 1962 takeover by Fenwick of Newcastle, Johnson’s Stores was as iconic in its community as Fenwick’s would become to the next generation.

Team building, meeting with other young footballers from varying social and political backgrounds, discipline in a tempting environment, character building, see how they cope abroad and away from their families, fun after a tough season. Nothing substantially professionally football wise but all adds up.

Our Men’s Under-21s will compete in the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens tournament next month. Young Foxes to head to Hong Kong next month Soccer Sevens event to take place from 16-18 May Held at the Hong Kong Football Club from Friday 16 May to Sunday 18 May, the event is an international seven-a-side tournament where fans can see the stars of tomorrow and some of the legends of the game in one exciting spectacle. The event is divided into three tournaments: Main Draw, Masters and Women’s, with our young Foxes competing in the Main Draw once again this year. They’ll come up against opposition including Aston Villa, AZ Alkmaar, Larne FC, Singapore Football Club, West Ham United and Yokohama Marinos. A full event schedule will be confirmed soon. .

Yeah that rings a bell. From google Yes, Martin Johnson played for the Leicester Panthers in American football, but this was in the early stages of his career, before he became a rugby star. He played for the Panthers as a tight end or defensive end. Later, he went on to become a legendary rugby player for England and Leicester Tigers.

My son played American Football on the pitch in the middle for the Leicester Panther Youth Team, The Men's team was pretty successful not sure why it folded. Needed a roof on it then they wouldn't have had to replace the beautiful wooden track, once that was gone it was no use for competitive racing. Same way they messed up St Margaret's Bath with it's imperial length. All they could do was put a boom in for 25mtre races, not exactly an international draw.

Story of Leicester An old shot of the Theatre Royal in which stood on Horsefair Street where Santander is today. It opened in 1837 and after 120 years, its final performance was on the first of June 1957. The last play presented at the Theatre was 'Trial and Error' by Kenneth Horne.

Story of Leicester Auto-Magic Car Park in its heyday, 1960s. Photo from Leicestershire Records Office. Did you know Lee Circle is one of the oldest multi-storey car parks in Europe? When it opened in 1961, providing space for 1050 cars, it was also among the first automated public car parks, using coin-operated barriers. Beneath the six parking levels, the supermarket chain Tesco opened their first store outside London. Tesco was integrated with the car park above so that staff could take customers’ purchases direct to their cars. For some years the new supermarket featured in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest store by floor area in Europe. Do you remember shopping at this Tesco or know anyone that used to work there? Learn more about Lee Circle’s history on our website: https://www.storyofleicester.info/.../auto-magic-car.../ I remember parking there and reporting my car stolen, which it wasn't I hadn't realised there were 2 levels winding round with different entrances but with the same numbering. Felt a right twat.

Story of Leicester Today we share a couple of photos of the Saffron Lane Sports Centre Cycling Track, when building work was near complete in 1967. The 3,100 seater velodrome was built for the 1970 World Cycling Championships, held in Leicester. The state-of-the-art cycling track had a synthetic 'En-Tout-Cas', the first of its type built in England. Do you remember ever using this track, or watching from the stands? #StoryofLeicester #Leicester Comment Terry Jones I seem to remember it more as a wooden cycle track and synthetic football pitch in the centre but its been a while ago.....

Story of Leicester Granby Street in the 1920s, including the Temperance Hall built by Thomas Cook on the left. In 1853 Thomas Cook built an impressive Temperance Hall and adjoining Temperance Hotel on Granby Street. The Temperance Hall was demolished in 1961, but the Hotel frontage (now 121 Granby Street) has survived, the upper two storeys retaining much of their original appearance. Also learn more about Cook's temperance legacy at https://storyofleicester.info/.../cook-s-temperance-hall.../

Story of Leicester A view of the Picture House cinema from Granby Street, circa 1970s. The Picture House opened in December 1910, running until June 1973. It was a splendid example of 1920s luxury cinema, even with the original secondary 'gas' lighting still in use. Most of the building is now gone but the back facade was retained and is visible from Every Street in Town Hall Square. Do you have memories of going to this cinema? Share them in the comments below.

Story of Leicester The columned frontage of Campbell Street Station. Photo from Leicestershire Record Office. The Midland Counties Railway Act (1836) led to the building in 1840 of Leicester’s first mainline railway station, Leicester Campbell Street, on land behind London Road. The Midland Railway line connected Leicester to Derby and Nottingham, and Rugby to the south, enabling Leicester to capitalise on its central location, and eventually providing direct access to London. Thomas Cook ran his first railway excursions from here in 1841, which was commemorated by a statue of him outside the station. Campbell Street Station was later replaced by London Road Station which opened in 1892. All that now remains of Campbell Street Station are two stone pillars marking the entrance to Campbell Yard on Station Street. Read more about the famous visitors to Campbell Street Station on our website: https://storyofleicester.info/.../campbell-street-and.../

Story of Leicester Who here used to enjoy some live music at the Il Rondo? Silver Street was at the heart of Leicester's Mods scene in the 1960s. The Mods were the first post-war generation to enjoy social and creative freedoms, with a passion for music, fashion and a rebellious lifestyle. For many of Leicester's Mod venues, the unwritten caveat was they had to have a decent juke box and plenty of space on the front to show off the scooters! Learn more about the local Mods scene from Leicester Museum's Exhibition Archive: https://www.leicestermuseums.org/.../mods-shaping-a.../

Story of Leicester Today we have this wonderful view, looking down Bishop Street towards Granby Street - you can just see one side of the Turkey Cafe in the centre left of the photo. Taken in the 1930s, this photo shows some fashionable young adults crossing the road with a surprising number of cars and vans surrounding them. There's a stunning looking open top car of the left and a coal van to the right - it looks like it was owned by a company called 'Whercock's Coal'. What an amazing snapshot in time! I think it's W. Hercocks and they still exist - https://williamhercock.co.uk/coal-smokless-fuels...

Popped up om my FB page The Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS - 29th April 1925 Leicester City are hosting a charity match at Filbert Street where Airdrieonians are making a long journey down to play. Good luck to all taking part. #scottishfootball #airdrie #airdrieonians #LeicesterCity #leicester

Like minds https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/inside-king-power-stadium-how-10139829 By Jordan Blackwell Who has impressed recently Because of his superb footwork, it can be hard to look past Monga when picking out the best performers for the Under-21s. But the 15-year-old wasn’t on the pitch when City produced their comeback. If there was an instigator, it was Sammy Braybrooke. He scored a terrific free-kick and it was his long pass that helped set up Jake Evans’ equaliser. In a really good all-around midfield display, what was most impressive was the way he controls the ball and spins all in one motion, allowing him to keep attacks moving more quickly. Particularly with Harry Winks being overlooked, Braybrooke probably deserves a closer look over the next four first-team games. Who has a point to prove Because of his £20m price-tag, Oliver Skipp has had a point to prove since the start of the season. He’s not yet come close to justifying that fee. But he may now get the chance. Boubakary Soumare was substituted at half-time at Wolves after a first period in which van Nistelrooy had described the lack of intensity as “unacceptable”. It means there could be a change in midfield when City face Southampton on Saturday. Perhaps Skipp will get a chance from the start. As a player who is expected to be involved next term, it would be great if Skipp can begin to show over these next four games why City spent so much money on him.

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/inside-king-power-stadium-how-10139829 Inside King Power Stadium: How Leicester City can win £5.6m as forgotten man provides reminder By Jordan Blackwell 07:00, 29 APR 2025 The first game after confirmation of their relegation was a chance for Leicester City to show they did still care about the club’s plight. If they do, it didn’t come across in their performance at Wolves, which will rank as one of the poorest of the season. Little was offered in the way of optimism for the new season. And so begins another week in which there is a sense of doom and gloom in the City fanbase, and with continued speculation over Ruud van Nistelrooy’s long-term future. Here’s a look at some of the stories around the King Power Stadium. Money on the line in final four games There are plenty of motivating factors for City players to keep performing in spite of their relegation. There’s personal pride, there’s the desire to impress ahead of next term, there’s the feeling of wanting to give paying fans something to cheer, there’s Jamie Vardy’s farewell and giving the captain the best possible send-off. It seemed none of those were at play on Saturday as City lacked intensity in their defeat to Wolves. There’s another motivating factor at play too, at least for the club if not the players. City’s finishing position inside the relegation zone is a big deal to the club because of the financial impact it will have. Last season, each position up the table was worth around £2.8m in merit payments. It will likely be a similar fee this year, meaning that City will be paid about £5.6m more for finishing 18th than they would do 20th. It may not sound like much, but that can go a long way in the Championship. It’s enough for one transfer fee, or it could cover the wages of two £50,000-a-week players for a season. So from that perspective, there’s a lot riding on the club’s home games against Southampton and Ipswich, which look like being significant in determining where City finish. If they beat Southampton this weekend, it will be guaranteed that they cannot end the campaign in 20th. In short, a win is worth nearly £3m to the club. Youngsters have lesson for older team-mates With their extra-time defeat to Southampton on Sunday, City Under-21s’ Premier League 2 campaign is over for the season. But for the individual players, that’s not the case. Given the focus of the final four games is on preparing for next season, and given many of the current first-team players will leave in the summer, there are plenty of reasons for van Nistelrooy to keep them close. Jeremy Monga and Jake Evans have made their debuts this month, but maybe there’s potential for more to feature over the coming four matches, especially now there’s a few injuries in the ranks. If van Nistelrooy really does want to “shape the future”, it would be worth his time to take a closer look at a few more youngsters in the first-team environment. And maybe they can teach their older colleagues a lesson about grit and fight too. It’s been all too common in the second half of this season to see City go behind and then plod through to full-time, seemingly giving up on a result. Well, at the weekend, the Under-21s were 3-0 down with 10 minutes to go, and they managed to quickly get three goals and force extra-time before tiredness took its toll. They could have lost hope, but they didn’t, and they nearly pulled off something remarkable. It embodied the ‘Foxes Never Quit’ motto better than any showing by the first team has over the past few months.

I was hoping for Gunfight at the Ok Corral with Vardy as Wyatt Earp or more likely Doc Holliday and Top and Co as the Clanton Brothers

When I started this thread I wasn't refering to ability but to being mentally exhausted from two relegations, yes they probably will go on and have decent careers but I believe they need a new environment, a new start in a well run club away from our financial and moral bankrupt of a club.

Close thread.

1-1 two own goals