The Birch writes about Vichai

[urban.spaceman]

Why Leicester City are 'Simply the Best'

City ambassador and legend Alan Birchenall reflects on the most incredible eight years in the club's history in the wake of its most tragic moment.

I shared something special with Khun Vichai – and it wasn’t wealth. We were both adopted.

Neither of us were from Leicester, but ever since we came to this city were adopted and embraced by this community and this football club.

I have been associated with this club for 47 years and the last three weeks have been the worst in the club’s history, but in those 134 years the last eight have been the best, ever since Khun Vichai and King Power took over.

Chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha of Leicester City with Leicester City Club Ambassador Alan Birchenall's before his 37th Annual fun run for the Foxes Foundation at King Power Stadium in 2017. (Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)

In my time with the club I have seen everything that has been thrown at it, from the great days at Wembley and lifting the Premier League trophy to the depths of administration and sitting in my car at Stoke and crying after we were relegated to League One.

I have been associated with the Mercury for many years and I have had some bad write-ups for my performances on the pitch and I have seen off many a sports writer through my rubbish games – but through the good times as well and I wanted to pay my tributes to Khun Vichai through our local paper.

When writing this I was casting my mind back to my 47 years with this club and trying to describe what this club means to everybody. But I don’t need to because it was exemplified by the 50,000 people who walked from Jubilee Square to the King Power Stadium last Saturday morning in tribute to Khun Vichai.

 

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They came from all over the country to join in the walk and I have heard since that the Burnley fans joined in and some even gave their tickets to City fans so they could be inside the stadium to pay their respects to Khun Vichai on what was a very emotional day for everyone.

That is how football can come together in times of tragedy.

I thought everything the club did on that day was spot on; the programme, the gifts on the seat, the touching tributes and video.

Chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha of Leicester City signals the start of Leicester City Club Ambassador Alan Birchenall's 37th Annual fun run for the Foxes Foundation at King Power Stadium in 2017. (Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)

I have an anthem I have sung around the training ground during my time with the club, Tina Turner’s Simply the Best, and last Saturday demonstrated why this club is simply the best.

I have never been more proud of the club than I was on that day. Everyone has come together and handled it in an unbelievable fashion, from Susan Whelan and Top, who have been incredible, right through the club.

I have always known we were a great club, but as the title-winning season resonated around the world, so has the club’s response now to the tragedy that claimed the lives of five people, including Khun Vichai.

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  Walk for Vichai in pictures

I remember the first day I saw him arrive. I was sat at Belvoir Drive and four 4X4s arrived through the gates. I asked: “Who are they?”. “The new owners,” came the reply. I thought: “Here we go again.” But how wrong was I?

I can remember during the days of administration we didn’t even have enough money for some milk. People brought their own tea bags in. Milan Mandaric stabilised the club but that day when those 4x4s rolled in it was like John Wayne arriving at the Alamo.

Since then we have gone from being little old Leicester City to becoming champions of England the Champions League quarter finalists. That was down to one man and his family.

Club Ambassador Alan Birchenall of Leicester City with a special tribute t-shirts in honour of the club's late chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha ahead of the Premier League match between Cardiff City and Leicester City at Cardiff City Stadium on November 3, 2018 in Cardiff, United Kingdom. (Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City via Getty Images )

If you were in the Gobi Desert, riding a camel, and a geezer asked you where you had come from, if you had said Leicester eight years ago he wouldn’t have heard of it. Now, if you say Leicester, he will say: “Ah, yes. Leicester City, you won the Premier League.”

Now there maybe just a few remote tribes in the Amazon that haven’t heard of us, but everyone else has.

The first thing I see when I walk into the training ground is a large picture of Vichai and Top, and I feel quite emotional when I see it as I reflect on where we were and where we are now, thanks to them.

Leicester City pay emotional tributes to Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha at the King Power Stadium - in pictures

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He did so much for me personally. He asked me to carry the Premier League trophy out on the day we lifted it. That should have been him, but he gave me that honour.

Before he arrived there was a time when I thought that was it for me at the club, but he called me out to the pitch during half time of one game and presented with with a life-time contract.

After my cardiac arrest, I remember waking up in my room in Glenfield Hospital, and rather than just a bowl of fruit and a few flowers there was half a rainforest and a whole fruit stall.

The Premier League Trophy is carried out onto the pitch by Leicester City's club ambassador Alan Birchenall following the Barclays Premier League match between Leicester City and Everton at The King Power Stadium on May 7, 2016 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

When I returned to work he used to pop in to see me in my office at the training ground and ask: “Are you still here Birch?” “Still here Mr Chairman!” “I can’t get rid of you.” He had a wicked sense of humour. He had a sharp wit.

Football training grounds are full of banter and he loved to join in. He would come and watch training and then sit and have lunch with the players afterwards, and he would get involved with the banter.

He loved spending time with the players and he treated them so well, taking them off to the polo and to meals. They loved him, as you could tell by their attendance at his funeral. We all did.

So thank you Mr Chairman for everything you have done for me, and for everything you have done for this football club and this city.

You were The Boss and you will always be The Boss.

 

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/leicester-city-simply-best-according-2229026

[urban.spaceman]

Side note - I hope we have a big celebration for Birch’s 50th anniversary with us. 

 

Perhaps a a testimonial with the Class Of 2015/16 vs the Class of 2007/8?

[norwichfox]

Legend writes on Legend, tear jerker....

[KingsX]

That's as good as anything I've read on Khun Vichai and his impact.

 

I have to clue the Birch in about what happened to John Wayne at the Alamo, though .... 

[StanSP]

As time passes, the tributes are easier to read. I know it's been a short while but it seems to have flown by if that makes sense. It's nice to read about the impact Vichai had on so many different personnel who did so many different things at the club. 

[Spudulike]

Bonnie Tyler did it first.

[Fox92]

Incredible 8 years? I'd notch that up to 10. The things that have happened since May 2008 has been unreal.

[Alf Bentley]

22 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

Incredible 8 years? I'd notch that up to 10. The things that have happened since May 2008 has been unreal.

 

I first got a season ticket in 2008, after relegation to League 1. It's not been a dull decade!

[Stadt]

Love the Birch, plenty of ambassadors sincerely love their clubs but you can tell he lives and breathes Leicester city 

[UpTheLeagueFox]

Birch has some critics but I've seen him at close hand and the work he does behind the scenes.

I wrote his programme column with him for several years during the mid 2000s, often it was hard to track him down as he was out and about doing work in the community, attending funerals for City fand etc. We even had a week in Gran Canaria together where he was outstanding company.

 

What he's written here is pitch perfect, not easy about such a tragedy.

[Farrington fox]

As far as I’m concerned the Birch is a credit to this Club. A Club legend if ever there was one. Long may he continue. 

[foxer]

Loved that read. Bloody lovely 

[FilbertFrog]

22 hours ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

Birch has some critics but I've seen him at close hand and the work he does behind the scenes.

I wrote his programme column with him for several years during the mid 2000s, often it was hard to track him down as he was out and about doing work in the community, attending funerals for City fand etc. We even had a week in Gran Canaria together where he was outstanding company.

 

What he's written here is pitch perfect, not easy about such a tragedy.

How could anyone criticise him ?