Would we still love him? Jamie Vardy

[foxfanazer]

Yeah damn right I'd still love him for what he's done here. Some of the best memories of my life have happened in the past year.

He has an edge about him which can rub people up the wrong way but if you take away that edge you lose what he is all about on the pitch

[hackneyfox]

It's also crap. We aren't a one man team. We have gelled as a single unit. Amazingly well. You forget how shaky Morgan looked before we got Huth alongside him perhaps?

To lose Vardy won't be the end of the world, but it will make a difference, no doubt.

No offence, but if you just thought a bit more before you wrote stuff like this, it would make reading the forum more worthwhile.

Not just me then.

[ThaiFox]

I hope he doesn't go as I think Vardy & Leicester City are a good fit for each other. Both parties have gained so much from the partnership.

 

But if he goes, we move on, and although I'll respect what he's done for us (I hope he respects what LCFC have done for him) it will be disappointing. If he stays he could end up being at the top of the LCFC history books and a real true club legend and icon. Plus he could remain with the club after he retires in some capacity as an inspiration to our young and up coming players.

 

I support LCFC, and the players that give us 100% back whilst with the club. Once they move on, I lose all interest in them. I don't wish them ill, but I don't see why I should bother with them. 

 

We can read three things into the length of time it's taking him to make his decision. He could be really torn about leaving, or he could be stalling to try to show he was torn about leaving. Or maybe he's hoping for an even better offer from either club.

[stripeyfox]

I'll still love him even if he leaves. I have been critical of Vardy in the past both as a player, and for some of his off field behavior.

One of the guys who works for me is loosely related to Vardy (through his wife) and even before he signed for us he used to tell me what a complete cock he was. I have heard some stories of his antics giving it the big "I am" around Sheffield in a kind of "my shoes cost more that your house" or "if you don't serve me I'll buy the pub and get you sacked" sort of way.

However, set against that, I've also seen an incredible amount of work from Vardy. He has really knuckled down and become a lethal striker whose goals have fired us to the very top. Also, my wife works on the children's cancer ward at the LRI and when the players came to visit the kids at Christmas she said Vardy was "incredible" with the kids in a very distressing environment in which most non medical people would be very uncomfortbale. I can't say any more than that but lets just say he went way beyond the cursory handing out of shirts, balls and shaking hands. I think Inler and Kante were there as well and were nowhere near as comfotable in the situation as Vardy was - and I can't blame them for that - I would want to be out of there as quickly as possible!

If he decides to leave for Arsenal, then I won't begrudge him that

100% Leicester legend. He's given everything for us, running himself into the ground every week, playing with injuries.

I would love him even more if he stayed though!

[fuchsntf]

No, because although transfers are a part of football I feel we have stood by JV when he wasn't scoring, arriving drunk for training, having outbursts in casinos and with the new contract he only signed in Feb he owes us at least another year. And he is not being fair by dragging his decision through the Euros. Whilst selfishness is not exclusive to JV his attitude to the fans,CR and the owners is appalling something I for one will not forget !!

Why not take another view....Arsenal came in early...Vardy not yet ready to make a descision.

You are presuming way too much on what Vardy really thinks..

He just might want to wait and see, how the BB of the squad also decide on staying or leaving.

Waiting until after the Euros, seems prudent to me.Simple equation on his part...

If I stay wanting to show loyalty, I might be the chump if other big names jump ship, and the big

sacrifice was for nothing.

Lets say he comes back after serving England, by having a great tournament 8+ goals.

But still decides to stay, despite 5 top clubs interest.....

Maybe he has already contacted present foxes teammates, for input.

Kante and Mahrez also not committed, so awaiting their descisions and thoughts.

Obviously again they will wait until after the Euros.

OR take the opposite stance, or any other version..

Yes I would really love to know his thought process, plus that of the others, but one thing

I wont do is have presumptions that make him or any other city player out to be disloyal

selfish bumpkins...Look I might be totally wrong on the reasons, what I dont understand

is the attempt to spitefully rip the players character and thoughts to threads on presumptions.

Before a ball was kicked 2 seasons ago and beginning of the title season, many didnt even

back him to be a regular, or still at the KP...so cut the honour crap.

I would Love him to stay that one could say it hurts (in footballing terms),

For 1 and half seasons he lit up the PL for city, no matter about post title comments

and newly signed Jan. contracts, it will leave no bad taste in my mouth,

or seeking revengeful spiteful comments, if he departs.

It was worth everything to see us make the great escape, and then win the TITLE.

[m4DD0gg]

Nothing factual but supposed leaks out of the england training camp to the evening standard are the Vardy is 80% likely to reject arsenal

[hornyhollthefox123]

Don't know where best to post as transfer thread locked.. '80% likely to stay'

 

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/jamie-vardy-to-arsenal-striker-tells-england-stars-he-wants-to-stay-at-leicester-and-is-80-per-cent-a3267441.html

[Captain...]

Would I still love him? No, if he leaves us for something better I will forgive him, but I won't still love him, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about him now, but if he stays all will be forgiven.

 

Would I immediately hate him if he left? No, but if he acts like a **** after he leaves then I could. The closest example is Robbie Savage, a bit of a marmite character you love him when he is on your side, hate him if he is the opposition. I had no problem with Savage leaving when he did, we were fvcked and he left for decent money (unlike Izzett who ran down his contract taking his premier league wages when we were going into administration and then left on a free.) Any bites?

 

Savage's attitude afterwards was what made a lot of people hate him, he was disrespectful and showed himself up to be a ****, if Vardy leaves and does the same he will end up in the same bracket as Savage. If he leaves and doesn't he could end up in the same bracket as Lennon, who also left after 4 years while we were on top, but it was an understandable move and he conducted himself with decency the whole time. If Vardy does leave though he will not be a legend here, he will not be up there with Walsh, Elliott, Izzett, Heskey. Club legends don't leave at the first sniff of a better club.

[inckley fox]

Would I still love him? No, if he leaves us for something better I will forgive him, but I won't still love him, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about him now, but if he stays all will be forgiven.

 

Would I immediately hate him if he left? No, but if he acts like a **** after he leaves then I could. The closest example is Robbie Savage, a bit of a marmite character you love him when he is on your side, hate him if he is the opposition. I had no problem with Savage leaving when he did, we were fvcked and he left for decent money (unlike Izzett who ran down his contract taking his premier league wages when we were going into administration and then left on a free.) Any bites?

 

Savage's attitude afterwards was what made a lot of people hate him, he was disrespectful and showed himself up to be a ****, if Vardy leaves and does the same he will end up in the same bracket as Savage. If he leaves and doesn't he could end up in the same bracket as Lennon, who also left after 4 years while we were on top, but it was an understandable move and he conducted himself with decency the whole time. If Vardy does leave though he will not be a legend here, he will not be up there with Walsh, Elliott, Izzett, Heskey. Club legends don't leave at the first sniff of a better club.

 

So Savage was better than Izzet for leaving for a good price instead of running down his contract and taking his wages, but Izzet's a club legend because he didn't leave at the first sniff of a better club?

 

For a start, I'm not entirely sure this is true. Izzet requested a transfer in October 2001 when we were bottom and had just appointed a new boss. His agent became a hate figure because he was touting Izzet's name, looking for a bigger club to take him (Leeds had expressed an interest previously), but in the end nobody did. As for Heskey, he only played for the first team, from debut to transfer, for five years (one more than Vardy) and I'm not sure he didn't just accept the first major offer. He certainly didn't do as well for the club in the meantime as Vardy did. Very few, if any, have.

 

Personally I think there are plenty of other people generally considered to be club 'legends' who left for a big offer, and without achieving anything like what Vardy did. Look at Revie, McLintock, Dougan, Nish, Shilton, Smith, Lennon, arguably even Lineker. I'm fairly sure they - or any of our current players, only one of which has been playing for five years or more, and virtually none of which have been confronted with major offers to turn down - fit the dictionary definition of 'legend' better than many of the players who would qualify ahead of them by your specifications: Whitworth, Williams, Mauchlen etc.

 

So we'd be left with a pretty unimpressive list of legends: The 20s and early-60s generations would throw up a few names - Adcock, Black, Chandler, then Banks, Cross, Appleworth, Sjoberg; and some of our better players from the 70s and 90s also saw out their playing days at the club (Weller, Walsh, Elliott). But even then, players didn't necessarily spurn better offers. Take King: when has he turned down a major offer? And it's true that Walsh turned down offers in the 90s, but he also requested a transfer on at least one occasion.

 

For my part, I think these waters get very muddied if we can't separate loyalty from legend. The former isn't a condition of the latter. And it's a shame to eschew Shilton, McLintock, Lennon, Lineker, Smith, possibly even Vardy, Kante and Mahrez from our list of club legends on these grounds, because some of them had a greater impact on the club, created greater waves and were better players than many who you might have down as legends.

[Izzy]

Don't know where best to post as transfer thread locked.. '80% likely to stay'

 

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/jamie-vardy-to-arsenal-striker-tells-england-stars-he-wants-to-stay-at-leicester-and-is-80-per-cent-a3267441.html

Ah the old, "Sources close to the England camp said..." chestnut. Probably more made up BS

[Monsell1976]

I will remember him and all the players from the title winning team, and will be thankful to them for the memories.

But for me any fondness for any player leaving this season, will end the minute they sign for someone else.

These players haven't been here long enough for legend status, and I will not care for a player that uses us as a stepping stone to a big club.

We have taken them from virtually nobody's, and gave them the chance/ platform to show what they can do, when no top division club would.

We are flying high, in the champions league, defending a premier league title, in my opinion they owe us this season.

If we finish mid table, and get knock out early in the champions league, and they went at the end of next season, I would understand, but not this season.

They are being offered massively improved contracts, and insentives, in a team and system that suit their abilities, and put them on the world stage, so I cannot see how one season will harm their careers.

[Kitchandro]

In years to come I'd probably forgive him and see him as a Leicester hero. I wouldn't hate him.

 

But in the short term I would be extremely disappointed in him and anyone who leaves us frankly. We've given them everything they could ask for and more.

 

Usually players say they left for a team who could match their ambition but he can't say we've not done that. League champions, Champions League football, international recognition, the lot. He'll have more adulation here than anywhere else. We've even offered him a massively improved financial package even though we already did that 4 months ago.

 

We've done everything a club could possibly do for a player. If that's not good enough for these players then I don't know what is. I don't think any of them owe us anything, but it's extremely upsetting if these players would rather be somewhere else - whatever the reason.

They'd be exactly like all those pundits last season. 'Why can't they win it? Why are they just lucky?' ' Because it's Leicester.'

 

'Why don't you want to stay?' 'Because it's Leicester.'

[foxes161]

We won the title after all...so of course we can't forget the past year.

[Captain...]

So Savage was better than Izzet for leaving for a good price instead of running down his contract and taking his wages, but Izzet's a club legend because he didn't leave at the first sniff of a better club?

 

  sorry

 

For a start, I'm not entirely sure this is true. Izzet requested a transfer in October 2001 when we were bottom and had just appointed a new boss. His agent became a hate figure because he was touting Izzet's name, looking for a bigger club to take him (Leeds had expressed an interest previously), but in the end nobody did. As for Heskey, he only played for the first team, from debut to transfer, for five years (one more than Vardy) and I'm not sure he didn't just accept the first major offer. He certainly didn't do as well for the club in the meantime as Vardy did. Very few, if any, have.

 

Personally I think there are plenty of other people generally considered to be club 'legends' who left for a big offer, and without achieving anything like what Vardy did. Look at Revie, McLintock, Dougan, Nish, Shilton, Smith, Lennon, arguably even Lineker. I'm fairly sure they - or any of our current players, only one of which has been playing for five years or more, and virtually none of which have been confronted with major offers to turn down - fit the dictionary definition of 'legend' better than many of the players who would qualify ahead of them by your specifications: Whitworth, Williams, Mauchlen etc.

 

So we'd be left with a pretty unimpressive list of legends: The 20s and early-60s generations would throw up a few names - Adcock, Black, Chandler, then Banks, Cross, Appleworth, Sjoberg; and some of our better players from the 70s and 90s also saw out their playing days at the club (Weller, Walsh, Elliott). But even then, players didn't necessarily spurn better offers. Take King: when has he turned down a major offer? And it's true that Walsh turned down offers in the 90s, but he also requested a transfer on at least one occasion.

 

For my part, I think these waters get very muddied if we can't separate loyalty from legend. The former isn't a condition of the latter. And it's a shame to eschew Shilton, McLintock, Lennon, Lineker, Smith, possibly even Vardy, Kante and Mahrez from our list of club legends on these grounds, because some of them had a greater impact on the club, created greater waves and were better players than many who you might have down as legends.

 

Lennon isn't a legend, in my life time the 4 mentioned qualify as legends and I would add Andy King, and some of the others are getting very close, but it is always dangerous to class a current player as a legend.

 

A club legend goes above and beyond being a good player, the Heskey transfer was not the first offer for him, and he left for a much bigger club at the time and for a very good price, he also didn't appear to be angling for a move, he had given 6 years of committed service, he also came back to help bail us out.

 

Vardy's impact has been considerable, but a club legend does not leave for a lower placed club. I'm not going to boo him if he  leaves, or abuse him and his family over twitter, but leaving like this at this stage after everything we have done for him knocks him down off his pedestal to the ranks of mere One time Leicester Hero.

[inckley fox]

In years to come I'd probably forgive him and see him as a Leicester hero. I wouldn't hate him.

 

But in the short term I would be extremely disappointed in him and anyone who leaves us frankly. We've given them everything they could ask for and more.

 

Usually players say they left for a team who could match their ambition but he can't say we've not done that. League champions, Champions League football, international recognition, the lot. He'll have more adulation here than anywhere else. We've even offered him a massively improved financial package even though we already did that 4 months ago.

 

We've done everything a club could possibly do for a player. If that's not good enough for these players then I don't know what is. I don't think any of them owe us anything, but it's extremely upsetting if these players would rather be somewhere else - whatever the reason.

They'd be exactly like all those pundits last season. 'Why can't they win it? Why are they just lucky?' ' Because it's Leicester.'

 

'Why don't you want to stay?' 'Because it's Leicester.'

 

I see what you're saying, of course, but hasn't Vardy done everything and more that we could possibly have expected from him? It's a two-way thing. We've signed thousands of players over the course of our history, so when one comes along and has a tremendous impact I tend to be grateful.

 

If Mahrez leaves, then I hope he'll reflect on the opportunity we gave to him, and equally I hope we'll appreciate all he did for us. Certainly on the day he signed I would have considered a promotion and a league title that he starred in, and for which he picked up English football's top award, worthy of heroic status. I think we'd be failing to appreciate the scale and significance of our achievement, and theirs, if we said 'yeah but he walked out on us, so **** him'.

 

All players leave in the end. With Walsh he was forced out by an ungrateful manager when he would have loved to have stayed. Many of our greats were eventually cast off by the club without a testimonial - Worthington, Weller, Elliott etc. - and others left of their own accord. If they achieve great things before either we get fed up of them or they get fed up of us, then I've seen enough substandard players over the year to hugely appreciate the happy few who surprise us. Some of them might achieve great things over 5, 8 or 10 seasons. Others may achieve greater things over 4, 2 or 1.

 

But I don't think we should get precious over these things. And if Vardy leaves and we have a straight up choice between a guy who'll do a steady job for a decade, or a guy who may stun the footballing world for a season or two, then I know which I'd choose. Unfortunately clubs like Leicester rarely get the best of both worlds, and I'm long since past being bitter about that.

 

 

I will remember him and all the players from the title winning team, and will be thankful to them for the memories.

But for me any fondness for any player leaving this season, will end the minute they sign for someone else.

These players haven't been here long enough for legend status, and I will not care for a player that uses us as a stepping stone to a big club.

We have taken them from virtually nobody's, and gave them the chance/ platform to show what they can do, when no top division club would.

We are flying high, in the champions league, defending a premier league title, in my opinion they owe us this season.

If we finish mid table, and get knock out early in the champions league, and they went at the end of next season, I would understand, but not this season.

They are being offered massively improved contracts, and insentives, in a team and system that suit their abilities, and put them on the world stage, so I cannot see how one season will harm their careers.

 

I simply don't understand this logic, it's just too flawed. Anyone who tells me that Andy King is a club legend but Mahrez, Kante and Vardy are disqualified if they leave (a) doesn't understand the definition of the word 'legend' and (b) seems to have their priorities, in terms of what they appreciate as fans, in a very peculiar place. If a player or manager achieves something spectacular in a short period of time, then unless they molest a pack of schoolchildren in the centre circle or something similarly dreadful, they have to go down as club legends ahead of those who serve for years but have a modest impact.

 

Are O'Neill and Ranieri less legendary than Gillies and Bloomfield on account of either not serving for whatever the requisite number of years might be, or walking out? Is Ronaldo less of a legend than Phil Neville at Old Trafford? Is Lennon less of a legend than Tommy Williams or Ali Mauchlen?

 

Why do Mahrez, Kante and Vardy owe us? Why not the other way round? Surely they took us from 'virtual nobodies', as you put it, as well as vice versa? We've spent more money on countless players and no three players in our entire history have delivered anywhere near as spectacularly as those guys. It seems a totally absurd way of looking at things to suggest that they would in some way let us down if they said, 'look, I've achieved everything I could have dreamt at at Leicester, now I feel like a new challenge'.

[Monsell1976]

I see what you're saying, of course, but hasn't Vardy done everything and more that we could possibly have expected from him? It's a two-way thing. We've signed thousands of players over the course of our history, so when one comes along and has a tremendous impact I tend to be grateful.

If Mahrez leaves, then I hope he'll reflect on the opportunity we gave to him, and equally I hope we'll appreciate all he did for us. Certainly on the day he signed I would have considered a promotion and a league title that he starred in, and for which he picked up English football's top award, worthy of heroic status. I think we'd be failing to appreciate the scale and significance of our achievement, and theirs, if we said 'yeah but he walked out on us, so **** him'.

All players leave in the end. With Walsh he was forced out by an ungrateful manager when he would have loved to have stayed. Many of our greats were eventually cast off by the club without a testimonial - Worthington, Weller, Elliott etc. - and others left of their own accord. If they achieve great things before either we get fed up of them or they get fed up of us, then I've seen enough substandard players over the year to hugely appreciate the happy few who surprise us. Some of them might achieve great things over 5, 8 or 10 seasons. Others may achieve greater things over 4, 2 or 1.

But I don't think we should get precious over these things. And if Vardy leaves and we have a straight up choice between a guy who'll do a steady job for a decade, or a guy who may stun the footballing world for a season or two, then I know which I'd choose. Unfortunately clubs like Leicester rarely get the best of both worlds, and I'm long since past being bitter about that.

I simply don't understand this logic, it's just too flawed. Anyone who tells me that Andy King is a club legend but Mahrez, Kante and Vardy are disqualified if they leave (a) doesn't understand the definition of the word 'legend' and (b) seems to have their priorities, in terms of what they appreciate as fans, in a very peculiar place. If a player or manager achieves something spectacular in a short period of time, then unless they molest a pack of schoolchildren in the centre circle or something similarly dreadful, they have to go down as club legends ahead of those who serve for years but have a modest impact.

Are O'Neill and Ranieri less legendary than Gillies and Bloomfield on account of either not serving for whatever the requisite number of years might be, or walking out? Is Ronaldo less of a legend than Phil Neville at Old Trafford? Is Lennon less of a legend than Tommy Williams or Ali Mauchlen?

Why do Mahrez, Kante and Vardy owe us? Why not the other way round? Surely they took us from 'virtual nobodies', as you put it, as well as vice versa? We've spent more money on countless players and no three players in our entire history have delivered anywhere near as spectacularly as those guys. It seems a totally absurd way of looking at things to suggest that they would in some way let us down if they said, 'look, I've achieved everything I could have dreamt at at Leicester, now I feel like a new challenge'.

Start with the legend bit, King for me is loyal, but not a legend, doesn't play enough to be that.

Like I say, will always be grateful to last seasons players, but they are not club legends for one great season.

Club legends are the likes of Steve Walsh, who spent most of his years here, good times and bad, and was an ever present, which the teams brought success, that at the time, the club had been deprived of.

About them owing us, yes we owe them for a great season, but they could be sat in the lower reaches still if we didn't give them a chance.

Don't get twisted in what I'm saying, I'm not saying they owe us their careers, but I think they owe us next season, to see where it could take us, become the legends of the future.

If they stick together, with additions, us and them could achieve, things we could never believe possible, we did last season.

Or they could go their own ways, and the club and their careers could go down hill, thinking 'what if'.

I am not bothered about wether they leave, but would like to see what we could do, if they did stay.

At the end of the day, the club and fans will always be there, no matter who plays, manages, what division, but is it a big ask for one season.

[Captain...]

Legendary status is not just about how you perform on the pitch it's about how you conduct yourself throughout your time at the club how you leave and how you conduct yourself after you leave. It is reserved for those that show a real love for the club.

Heskey is a prime example, he left because we couldn't turn down 11 million, but he always cared for the club and that was and still is clear 15 years later. If we fast forward 12 months and Runners up Arsenal come in with a £20m offer after we have finished 8th and our appearance in the CL was short lived, then most people would understand. But leaving the champions? Not the actions of someone who loves the club.

[Loggy88]

Stay or go, I will always be grateful for what he did for it his club. I know the club stood by him after that tough first season, but his goals can't be dismissed if he left. Players come and go it's a part of football, weather we like it or not. The longer it drags on the more I think he will stay anyway. If he wanted to go to Arsenal it could of been done by now, regardless of the euros. Some fans are so fickle and a little bit stupid if they think a player won't be tempted by 120k a week and play for a bigger club, who, despite our success have a better chance of sustained success. I hope he stays but if he doesn't, I won't hate him. There's no point.

[Col. Kurtz]

Can't blame him for wanting to go to a big club like Arsenal. At Leicester he will only be a cult hero, at Arsenal he could be an international superstar. You don't pass up a chance to like that, especially when you are already 29.  

[Koke]

Arsenal are a step up the footballing ladder. If Kante goes to Chelsea then that well and truly shows the hierarchy in football and winning the league means nothing in terms of attractiveness to players.

[ThaiFox]

Can't blame him for wanting to go to a big club like Arsenal. At Leicester he will only be a cult hero, at Arsenal he could be an international superstar. You don't pass up a chance to like that, especially when you are already 29.  

If he goes, he goes and we move on. For over 50 years I've seen better players that JV leave, and although I'm always disappointed (and amazed how anyone could even think of leaving the club I've supported all my life!!), I always feel if someone's heart isn't here it's far better they go, rather than go through the motions. Too many players have done that.

 

As for the 'international superstar' bit, that's debatable. From what I'm told in England he has already become a cult figure (I even read Rooney's son asked for an England shirt with Vardy's name on it!).Out here in Thailand, he already has an amazing profile, more than any Arsenal player, although there are 1000 times Arsenal shirts on people's backs that Leicester ones.

 

It's his own story that has made him such a cult figure, combined with the fairy tale story of LCFC.  His profile may actually fall if he goes to Arsenal. Less games, stuck on the left wing, and if he is injured as much as all the other Arsenal players he wont even feature!

[Captain...]

Can't blame him for wanting to go to a big club like Arsenal. At Leicester he will only be a cult hero, at Arsenal he could be an international superstar. You don't pass up a chance to like that, especially when you are already 29.  

 

If he stays at Leicester he will become a legend, if he goes he could become an international superstar, but more likely he will struggle to adapt, get injured, fail to live up to expectations, he will have to be amazing to win over the hard to please fans there.

 

There are many examples of players taking a "step up" and failing, the most relevant is probably Rickie Lambert. I don't know if he regrets moving to Liverpool, it is slightly different as they were his boyhood club, but since leaving Southampton, where he was loved,  he has lost his England place, been sold to relegation fodder West Brom and scored 3 goals over 2 seasons.

[whoareyaaa]

Can't blame him for wanting to go to a big club like Arsenal. At Leicester he will only be a cult hero, at Arsenal he could be an international superstar. You don't pass up a chance to like that, especially when you are already 29.

He's already an international superstar, Even England fans are singing his name, if anything moving to Arsenal could end him.

The way I see it is if you have put so much time and money into devolving the player for him to then reach his peak for one season then decide to **** off the very next season it's a bit sour? We have worked up to this point, we want more than one good season out of you!

[Mezeker]

If we win the title again, are we bigger than Arsenal?

[Koke]

We gotta remember none of these players support Leicester City or actually care for that club. Andy King is probably one of the few who do.

Secondly, players are only as loyal as their options. If Andy King had an option to join Manchester City I'm pretty sure he'd jump on that.

This current wide will go down as the best in our history, but Vardy isn't even in the top 5 of my favourite players in this side. And that's not a knee-jerk reaction to this debacle but I've never warmed to him. I respect his achievements here but as I said earlier we also shouldn't forget what the club did for him. Plucked him out of non league and gave him a living in the professional game. Stuck by him despite turning up drunk for training and his stupid racist outbursts. He wasn't exactly the model pro that Kante is.