Unbeatable Feelings

[Jack1993]

Over the last 5 seasons we have had some incredible highs as a football club, essentially it has been an absolute honour to be part of it as I'm sure you would all agree. I can't say I really remember the cup and play-off triumphs of the 90's and early 2000's as I was very young, however I remain envious of those of you that do. 

 

My question is, although it's very easy to rank achievements in terms of status and notoriety, how would you rank our successes in terms of the pure joy and happiness you felt at the time of the event?

 

The reason I ask this is because I'm not sure if the elation I felt at the time of each event should correspond to how big of an achievement it was. In my case, it doesn't. 

 

1.) Winning the Premier League (Obviously). This happened in two stages, A) The Joy I felt when Hazard's goal went in and B) The joy I felt when Wes lifted the trophy. I imagine these will never be beaten. 

 

2.) Knockaert's goal at Forest to qualify us for a play-off place. I know that in context, considering what we've done since, gaining 6th place on the final day of the season isn't a huge scalp, however how I felt in that away end after that goal went in was absolutely incredible, it came from nothing, we didn't expect anything and somehow left with everything we wanted. 

 

3.) The great escape. I know it took a crap four fifth's of a season for it to happen but I'd go as far as saying it was all worth it for how good it felt.

 

4.) Winning the Championship. I think this only ranks lower because it became almost inevitable towards the end of the season. Don't get me wrong it was amazing but I think i'd accepted it before it happened if that makes sense?

 

 

I hope you all understand what I'm getting at, I'm talking pure out of context joy at the time of the event, not the pride or sense of achievement felt since, not the bragging rights but how YOU felt in the very moment. (Also, no need to rank the same four events as me, they're just the ones I remember best, I'm sure past glories would be on my list if I was in attendance)

 

 

[Apollo]

Vardy's winner at West Brom during the great escape tops it for me in a single moment. Thought we'd nabbed a point with Huth's header, but Vardy's goal was so unexpected, first time I thought we could stay up

[AKCJ]

24 minutes ago, Apollo said:

Vardy's winner at West Brom during the great escape tops it for me in a single moment. Thought we'd nabbed a point with Huth's header, but Vardy's goal was so unexpected, first time I thought we could stay up

Yep, this for me too.

 

Mad to think that this came after that game against Hull. Thought we'd completely blown it then.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/31776458 Look at that table  10 games to go and we finished 14th and 6 points clear of the drop. Magic.

[urban.spaceman]

1 hour ago, Jack1993 said:

Over the last 5 seasons we have had some incredible highs as a football club, essentially it has been an absolute honour to be part of it as I'm sure you would all agree. I can't say I really remember the cup and play-off triumphs of the 90's and early 2000's as I was very young, however I remain envious of those of you that do. 

 

My question is, although it's very easy to rank achievements in terms of status and notoriety, how would you rank our successes in terms of the pure joy and happiness you felt at the time of the event?

 

The reason I ask this is because I'm not sure if the elation I felt at the time of each event should correspond to how big of an achievement it was. In my case, it doesn't. 

 

1.) Winning the Premier League (Obviously). This happened in two stages, A) The Joy I felt when Hazard's goal went in and B) The joy I felt when Wes lifted the trophy. I imagine these will never be beaten. 

 

2.) Knockaert's goal at Forest to qualify us for a play-off place. I know that in context, considering what we've done since, gaining 6th place on the final day of the season isn't a huge scalp, however how I felt in that away end after that goal went in was absolutely incredible, it came from nothing, we didn't expect anything and somehow left with everything we wanted. 

 

3.) The great escape. I know it took a crap four fifth's of a season for it to happen but I'd go as far as saying it was all worth it for how good it felt.

 

4.) Winning the Championship. I think this only ranks lower because it became almost inevitable towards the end of the season. Don't get me wrong it was amazing but I think i'd accepted it before it happened if that makes sense?

 

 

I hope you all understand what I'm getting at, I'm talking pure out of context joy at the time of the event, not the pride or sense of achievement felt since, not the bragging rights but how YOU felt in the very moment. (Also, no need to rank the same four events as me, they're just the ones I remember best, I'm sure past glories would be on my list if I was in attendance)

 

 

I remember all of them differently.

 

For Knockaert's goal I was in the middle of nowhere in the Peak District waiting for a Duke of Edinburgh Award group to appear over a hill (they were already over an hour late). I had barely any signal, no car to listen to the radio on - just my crappy little old flip phone whose screen was failing so I had to flip it open about 5 times to get it working, then refreshing the page endlessly - and then it went in. Naturally I went fcking mental, in the middle of nowhere and all alone. I look back at this now as being pure ecstasy and joy over a goal that could have helped get us to Wembley - we all know what happened next though, and that goal can be remembered in isolation.

 

For winning the Championship, we'd been the best team in the league for that season so it was more of a feeling of joy that had been building up for months and was then confirmed - still great nonetheless, that we were going back to where we belonged. I was at the KP when we lifted the trophy, such a great day.

 

One game that stands out for me in the next season though is beating Man Utd 5-3. I'd just been through a bereavement after a long terminal illness - I was really in need of a pickmeup. For that game I went to my usual pub a few villages away where I bumped into an old acquaintance who's a typical glory hunter - I still remembered the way he took the piss when we were kids and when they undeservedly equalised at Old Trafford back in the late 90s he was generally a little barsteward about it - to be sitting next to him when Vardy equalised was truly the highlight of 2014 for me. And also the pandemonium in the pub was immense - cheers, screaming, singing, drinks tables and chairs flying everywhere - everyone laughing and smiling at the unbelievable game we were watching. I'll never forget that game. Ever.

 

The Greatest Escape. We were already down by the time April came around. Funnily enough I had another bereavement on April 2nd - we beat West Ham on April 4th. It was such an unusual feeling because we were so used to losing. But then we had the momentum and the feeling of 'bloody hell - we're actually the best team in the country at the minute' and 'we can't survive... can we?'; you were looking forward to every game instead of dreading them, and we were getting what we deserved. Great feeling.

 

But for winning the Premier League. Wow. As a Leicester City fan you get used to relegation battles, beating the big boys occasionally, being promoted etc.

 

This was something else. For the first half of the season it was more - "Ha! Look at us - we're top of the fcking league mate! Lolz". But then we just kept winning. I'd just moved to Cape Town for an internship so met up with some fellow Cape Town Foxes at a pub in Green Point - none of us could quite comprehend what we were seeing. Vardy's volley against Liverpool. Thrashing Man City at the Eitihad - "We can't... Can we?". We were in a pub next to the cricket ground where England were playing for the Arsenal match - there was the usual CTF crowd and a bunch of Gooners - I can't remember a more tense game of football. When Wellbeck scored - the histrionics from the Arsenal fans was disgusting. I had to take a long walk to clear my head, but all I could think of was that Watford match. Before that game I'd wanted Pearson gone. Immediately afterwards I wanted him to stay, because it would galvanise him and the squad. Something felt vaguely familiar - devastation but somehow positive.

 

After that it took up a more serious tone during the matches. So bloody tense and quite unpleasant to watch because it was now so bloody important. At every final whistle there was this big build of emotions - that this is so ridiculous and really shouldn't be happening and oh my Christ this is actually happening isn't it ffffffffccccccccccking hell. The night we won the league - still not quite believing it could happen,  Half time 2-0 to Spurs, I actually felt like turning in.

 

But then Hazard equalised. For the next 10 minutes I couldn't control my emotions. I couldn't even sit down. Is this happening? Are Leicester City about to win the Premier League? Have I crossed over into the fcking Twilight Zone? This should not be happening. I never even thought this could happen. I never even dreamt about it because it's so insane. Are we seriously 1 minute away from winning the Premier League? Leicester City? Am I dead? Is this heaven? It can still all go wrong from here can't it?

 

Final whistle. All. The. Emotions. All the whiskey too. I'll never forget that feeling. Ever. Nothing will ever top it I don't think. No Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd or Man City fan under a certain age could ever even comprehend what that high meant to us. Few of them could even imagine the lows we've suffered in the last 10 years either.

 

There was a surge of it in the last 30 seconds of the Brugge home match - "We can't be about to qualify for the knockouts of the Champions League as Group Winners, can we"?

[MrSpaM]

Don't think anything is really going to beat being in the stadium and watching our team lift the premiership trophy tbh

[Fox92]

Agree with Vardy winner at West Brom. Mental away end when that went in.

 

Johansson's winner at Preston to keep us up too.

[Guest Electric Yetis]

Strange one for me but my biggest outpouring of emotion in recent years was Ulloa's penalty equaliser against West Ham.

It felt during that match that things were starting to go against us. Vardy sent off, diabolical refereeing for their penalty etc.

 

When we were awarded our penalty I was nearly sick. I couldn't watch (I never watch penalties) so I ran down to the bottom of the steps into the concourse - there were people who were leaving, already outside the gates shouting back to me asking what had happened and they subsequently ran back in.

 

When we scored there was a crowd of us going absolutely mental in the concourse. Bizarre but amazing moment.

 

[truebluethroughandthrough]

The most elated I ever felt was when we beat oxford 1-0 on the last day of the season to remain in the old division 2.

At the time we still hadn't been in the third tier throughout our history.

The tension was tangible, the crowd raucous, the relief euphoric.

It was the one and only time I've 'invaded a pitch'!!

 

I think age and your previous experiences relates to what extent you remember certain occasions.

 

 

 

That oxford game for example was the first time I'd ever been to a game on the last day NEEDING a result, not to win anything or achieve anything special, but just to stay up!!  

I was 14.

 

When I think back to that day and the roller coaster ride we have been on since, I truly realise and appreciate how wonderfully marvellous supporting this club is.

 

After that probably beating Derby at Wembley 

[RonnieTodger]

For me, there was the general feeling that we could and would beat anyone last season. I had the same level of nerves/expectation going into a game against United as I did Swansea. I miss that feeling.

[foxy boxing]

just an unbelievable season when everyone was saying we couldn't do it ,to people coming round and saying i hope they do it and wanting and willing us to do it and a sense of a David and Goliath type situation when we actually took on the big boys and won. we are now a metaphor for people or teams who do extra ordinary things and achieve something against the odds and can truly say it is unbelievable 

[Arriba Los Zorros]

Strangely enough I felt more euphoric after wins during our Great Escape. I remember going ballistic after Kingy got our winner against West Ham that was up there for me in top moments of supporting LCFC ever.

 

Strangely enough I remember absolute elation when the final whistle went after a tense 2nd half vs Southampton (that was the game where James ****ed himself up)

 

Last season it went from joy to crushing pressure and the matches weren't fun and the final whistle was an outpouring of relief. However about 5 mins after Hazard equalised vs Spurs I was alone in my house crying and then screaming and downing half a bottle of Cava soon after

 

Unfortunately I'm more apathetic this season as we've hit the highs and lows so much recently, more so than any other club surely, that it just seems a bit deflated in comparison

 

 

[Captain...]

Steve Claridge's shin tops it for me.

[Kitchandro]

If you'll allow me to journey back further I don't think anything will beat Howard against Leeds in 2009. I think maybe because we'd had so little joy in the preceding years.

 

Everything about that moment was perfect, similarly to Knockaert at Forest. I think the Derby play-off final victory is probably the same for the people that remember it; there were so many external factors in those 3 games which made winning such a perfect moment.

The unexpectedness is probably a big thing. Frankly, in hindsight I was pretty confident we'd do it last year. I think the best part of the run in was probably West Brom getting the point at Spurs

[Dan]

There are far too many to name, but that Man City game did something for me. We didn't go there and sneak a 0-1 win, we genuinely outplayed them in every single department and it could easily have been more. Man City away was quite largely accepted as the toughest game of the season at that time. I had never seen anything like that from a Leicester side. It was at that moment that the jokey "oh my god we're top" became a genuine "we're actually going to win it aren't we?".

 

Even the Arsenal game the week after, as down as I was, I didn't lose a jot of faith. I knew Arsenal would bottle it and sure enough they went and lost their next two very winnable games.

[MattyFromLE]

1. Claridge's shin.

2. Vardy's 11th in a row (can't ever remember the KP being as loud as it was then).

3. Vardy's goal against Man Utd.

4. Jeffrey Schlupp's face at Sunderland away when he realised we were staying up.

 

Obviously seeing us win League 1, The Championship and then the Premier League is quite remarkable, and potentially - we're the only generation that is ever going to see that?

[Danno]

Vardy vs West brom

Knockaert vs forest

knockaert vs watford

Vardy vs Man utd (4-3 and 11 in a row)

Ulloa vs west ham

 

 

Honourable mentions to waghorn vs bristol city, drinkwater vs watford, albrighton vs chelsea, schlupp vs liverpool, wood vs burnley, and hazard vs spurs obviously. 

[Tom17LCFC]

King giving us the aggregate lead away at Cardiff in the play-offs. Never been in an away end like it. We've been through it all the last 15 years!

[Ted Maul]

I remember crying at Wembley when Heskey scored (I was only 8).

 

Not sure I've ever cried at a Leicester goal since, but Cambiasso vs United takes some beating as an individual moment. It was either because I was shattered from celebrating, or that everything after that goal just seemed too surreal, but the Vardy goal didn't have the same amount of euphoria surrounding it at the time.

 

There were plenty of standout moments last season, but I'll never forget the scenes in the pub when Hazard scored- everyone just sort of surged forward towards the screen like we were on an open terrace, tables and glasses everywhere. Brilliant.

[filbertfoxy00]

Steve Thompson's equaliser v Swindon was pretty special, didn't last long though!

[Stadt]

The most I've enjoyed a single season was 2013/14 it felt like we were unbeatable with a bunch of players that were all fully committed and likeable, losing to Watford was very unifying.

[Crazy Kop Corner]

1 hour ago, Tom17LCFC said:

King giving us the aggregate lead away at Cardiff in the play-offs. Never been in an away end like it. We've been through it all the last 15 years!

That's a great shout.

 

The only time apart from Thomos goal against Swindon in 93 when I thought I was going to totally lose it and had to sit down and calm myself down.

[Sol thewall Bamba]

3 hours ago, Apollo said:

Vardy's winner at West Brom during the great escape tops it for me in a single moment. Thought we'd nabbed a point with Huth's header, but Vardy's goal was so unexpected, first time I thought we could stay up

Even last season I didn't celebrate a goal more than this one. From the floor in the aisle I saw someone get up on their chair and just launch themself over about 5 rows

[Sammy]

Agree with almost all of those mentioned above, but I'd also add Albrighton's goal at Brugge.

 

May have helped that I had been drinking in the sun all day but the excitement I had right the way from the champions league music playing at a Leicester game right the way through to him scoring meant i absolutely lost it!

[Nalis]

Ulloa v Norwich

 

It was such a shit game, we weren't playing well and yet we somehow managed to turn 1 point into 3.

[Master Fox]

Chris Wood Vs Burnley (away)

 

Vardy vs West Brom (away - great escape)

 

Cambiasso & Vardy vs Man U (Home)

 

Shinji & Mahrez vs West Ham (away - title)

 

Shinjj vs Everton (away - title)

 

Mahrez vs Watford (away - title)

 

Vardy vs Newcastle (away - title)

 

Vardy vs Sunderland (away - title)