A history of Leicester City - 1996-2016

[NickJISmith]

Hi all, 

 

I'm currently in the research and interviewing stage of writing a book about Leicester City between 1996 and 2016, with the aim of giving more context to the title win than the usual two season story of relegation candidates to title winners.

 

I've already interviewed a number of players and staff but I want to create a comprehensive and holistic account of those years. As insightful as it's been to talk to players, coaches and directors, it's the fans who make the football club. I've been a fan of the club throughout this period but I want to include as many voices and stories as possible, as it's been an experience all Leicester fans share in.

 

Below is a little blurb outlining it in more detail:

 

In 2000, Leicester City defeated Tranmere Rovers in the League Cup final. It was the culmination of the Martin O'Neill era, which took the club from second-tier promotion hopefuls in 1996 to a succession of top-half finishes in the Premier League, two League Cup wins and a first foray into European competition for 40-odd years. A brand of effective, no-frills football led to a golden era for the East Midlands club. That League Cup victory proved to be one last hurrah for O'Neill's Foxes, as soon after he went north of the border for a successful spell at Celtic.

 

What followed at Filbert Street was the start of the most tumultuous period in the club's history. Acrimonious cup exits, relegation, administration, training ground scraps and sexual assault accusations turned the image of the club upside down. The Foxes yo-yoed between the top two tiers of English football for the first few years of the new millennium, led by the last remaining stars of the late 1990s, before falling into the third tier of English football for the first time in 2008. Leicester had hit their lowest point in footballing terms. But, from there, the only way was up.

 

The Foxes returned to the Championship at the first time of asking the following season, winning League One at a canter under Nigel Pearson. However, after narrowly missing out on a second successive promotion, Pearson was controversially replaced by Paulo Sousa. A few seasons of mediocrity followed, until Pearson returned in 2011 and, under the ownership of the Srivaddhanaprabha family, laid the foundations for the greatest underdog story in football history.

 

What I am hoping to do is compile a history of the 20 years leading up to the title win, from those who were there. I've already spoken to a number of former players, backroom staff and board members. But, what is more important, is hearing from the fans who packed the ground week-in, week-out. I am interested in hearing from any fans who have a story to tell, be that an anecdote about interacting with players or staff, experiencing the highs of a League Cup win at Wembley or the devastation of that afternoon in Stoke.

 

If anyone here has a story to tell or would just like to have a chat about the book, I would be very grateful to hear from you.

 

Thank you!

Edited 12 November 2020 by NickJISmith

[tom27111]

I'd get your facts straight first. It wasn't a first foray in to Europe for 40 odd years.

 

It was 36 years.

 

Pedantic? Maybe.

 

But little things like that mean all credibility is lost. Especially in the first paragraph. 

[Blue ROI]

Pearson returned as manager in November 2011. 

[NickJISmith]

An iffy turn of phrase and an unfortunate typo has got me off to a brilliant start here. 

Edited 12 November 2020 by NickJISmith

[Footballwipe]

I admire anyone who undertakes the task of a book. It must be so hard. But accuracy is absolutely key, especially for us nerds. Watching a recent LCFC film about the Worthington Cup final was unwatchable after a while due to the basic facts the players got wrong (such as saying the Palace second leg was a "replay.")

 

I'm sure those can get ironed out by anyone who reads your drafts. In terms of stories, I'm far too young for the 1990s era, but it's worth seeing if you can (if you haven't already) get hold of copies of The Fox. I took to reading the back catalogue I have from 94-98 during lockdown I, and it is such a rich source of information for the anger, joy, ire and fan view of the club during that era. Might be worth scoping.

 

Must be an exciting project, so keep at it. No-one expects you to know every tiny detail, let us pedants help with that.

[Spudulike]

This genuinely sounds like a book to fill a gap. Of Fossils and Foxes is the ultimate reference guide but doesn't record the human story of how it was for those that lived through it. Social history can be fascinating and there's plenty to go at with this one including the stadium move upheaval and the administration period when the club was almost lost forever. Fan photos will enhance it. 

 

Always thought the other gap is a coffee table book just covering 2015/16. Plenty of books available telling the story but none do it justice from a fans perspective and the roller-coaster of emotions we went through. Even the clubs official DVD was rushed through and is basically just a disappointing highlights reel. It needs to be redone using all of the off field footage available. No other club has a greater underdog story than ours and it still hasn't been told as it deserves. 

 

Good luck with your project. 

[UHDrive]

Maybe us FT should write the book for accuracy reasons... 

[Footballwipe]

1 hour ago, Spudulike said:

This genuinely sounds like a book to fill a gap. Of Fossils and Foxes is the ultimate reference guide but doesn't record the human story of how it was for those that lived through it. Social history can be fascinating and there's plenty to go at with this one including the stadium move upheaval and the administration period when the club was almost lost forever. Fan photos will enhance it. 

 

Always thought the other gap is a coffee table book just covering 2015/16. Plenty of books available telling the story but none do it justice from a fans perspective and the roller-coaster of emotions we went through. Even the clubs official DVD was rushed through and is basically just a disappointing highlights reel. It needs to be redone using all of the off field footage available. No other club has a greater underdog story than ours and it still hasn't been told as it deserves. 

 

Good luck with your project. 

Self-promotion claxon. But the BIB is exactly why I built my own season review from the footage I collected. It doesn't have anything behind the scenes, really. But it has the news clips, the context, the MNF analysis and the sheer nationwide hysteria that took place in that time. The Club's DVD is a dreadful effort. They cut from the Man Utd game to the Everton home game with no context, it's like nothing happened! (https://mega.nz/folder/7pkG3AhI#Syx3OzEl17-F9MjzK6rpjA)

 

 

[ozleicester]

1 hour ago, UHDrive said:

Maybe us FT should write the book for accuracy reasons... 

 just take the match day thread highlights and put them all together.

 

[NickJISmith]

1 hour ago, Footballwipe said:

I admire anyone who undertakes the task of a book. It must be so hard. But accuracy is absolutely key, especially for us nerds. Watching a recent LCFC film about the Worthington Cup final was unwatchable after a while due to the basic facts the players got wrong (such as saying the Palace second leg was a "replay.")

 

I'm sure those can get ironed out by anyone who reads your drafts. In terms of stories, I'm far too young for the 1990s era, but it's worth seeing if you can (if you haven't already) get hold of copies of The Fox. I took to reading the back catalogue I have from 94-98 during lockdown I, and it is such a rich source of information for the anger, joy, ire and fan view of the club during that era. Might be worth scoping.

 

Must be an exciting project, so keep at it. No-one expects you to know every tiny detail, let us pedants help with that.

Thanks for your feedback - and of course accuracy is key. I've actually got a word doc outlining the timeline I want to cover based on the research I've done from national newspaper archives, books and online, I just got a bit excited/careless when appealing for info.

 

Reading The Fox is a great idea but with lockdown and me no longer living in Leicester, accessing hard copies of Leicester-based/City-focused publications is proving a little problematic hence I've taken conducting to interviews first. But that's definitely something I'm going to be getting to in the future when time and lockdown allows. I've already committed to setting a week aside (to be decided when, given COVID) when the archives open to trawl through old Leicester Mercurys. Fun days surrounded by microfiche ahead!

 

And thank you for the encouragement and offer of help, it's much appreciated. 

 

1 hour ago, Spudulike said:

This genuinely sounds like a book to fill a gap. Of Fossils and Foxes is the ultimate reference guide but doesn't record the human story of how it was for those that lived through it. Social history can be fascinating and there's plenty to go at with this one including the stadium move upheaval and the administration period when the club was almost lost forever. Fan photos will enhance it. 

 

Always thought the other gap is a coffee table book just covering 2015/16. Plenty of books available telling the story but none do it justice from a fans perspective and the roller-coaster of emotions we went through. Even the clubs official DVD was rushed through and is basically just a disappointing highlights reel. It needs to be redone using all of the off field footage available. No other club has a greater underdog story than ours and it still hasn't been told as it deserves. 

 

Good luck with your project. 

 

That's exactly what I'm hoping for and is why I'm looking for as many voices as possible. I've spoken to two members of the consortium who took over and also some fans about that difficult time. It's a key part of social history for the city and anyone connected to Leicester.

 

Not just limited to that, of course. The 97/98 UEFA Cup exit, Wembley trips, the years of finishing mid-table in the Championship, relegation to League One and the following season, Pearson's return, Deeney Day and of course becoming Premier League champions... all are other areas which I want to include and explore in terms of Leicester's social history as opposed to just results and statistics.

 

As I said, I want it to be holistic and not just a reeling off of "Leicester lost 2-1 to Wolves, x journalist said this, Leicester dropped to 14th place in the league" (a potentially/likely fictitious example ) but focusing more on the feelings of fans, staff and players during these times. I've got plenty of (but by no means exhaustive) reaction from players and staff but fans is where I am currently lacking.

 

And thank you for your response and the well wishes!

 

P.s. A book like that covering 15/16 would be brilliant and very welcome.  Definitely something to sit next to the various editions of OFAF.

[foxile5]

If you could get hold of some copies of Wheres The Money Gone that might help you flesh out the minds of the fans through the 90s. It was a fanzine that was pretty sharp at points. I believe, at some points, it called itself Wheres The F***** Money Gone?

[SpacedX]

On 13/11/2020 at 08:56, UHDrive said:

Maybe us FT should write the book for accuracy reasons... 

Great idea - and at the same time why don't you serialise or create a compendium of match day threads. 

[mozartfox]

On 13/11/2020 at 16:56, UHDrive said:

Maybe us FT should write the book for accuracy reasons... 

Great idea .  What about 'Never Mind the Boll+x - this is Foxestalk'  as the title? 

[los dedos]

I'd start from 91 (25 years) As it really felt like the club were just drifting until Brian Little took over . 

Feels like it's been a rollercoaster ever since. 

[Guest StevieLynex]

8 hours ago, Line-X said:

Great idea - and at the same time why don't you serialise or create a compendium of match day threads. 

Especially the 2015-16 season. It would be great to chart the responses from, say, the appointment of Ranieri, the expectations right through to winning the Premier League

[Spudulike]

Talking of administration, Monster Monster has departed. 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2002/oct/23/newsstory.sport2