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davieG

Leicester City’s 12 greatest ever strikers (Ranked)

By davieG, in Leicester City Forum

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davieG

davieG

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https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/leicester-citys-12-greatest-ever-strikers-ranked/#shinji-okazaki

 

BY.JAMIE ROOKE

FLW'S Leicester City fan pundit ranks the greatest strikers in the history of the club.

 

FLW'S Leicester City fan pundit ranks the greatest strikers in the history of the club.


 Leicester City have a rich history and their peak came in the 2015/16 season when they won the Premier League for the first time.
 Shinji Okazaki, a member of the title-winning squad, and Kelechi Iheanacho are recognised as some of the best strikers to wear the blue and white of Leicester.
 Jamie Vardy, a modern-day star, made history by leading Leicester to their Premier League title win and breaking records along the way.
This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk‘ series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…


Leicester City are a club steeped in history and have enjoyed great spells throughout their history.

The peak for fans of the Foxes, of course, came in 2015/16 as they won the Premier League title in the most remarkable of circumstances. This was made even better by the fact that this was their first-ever top-flight success.

During this time period and also throughout the 1900s, a number of famous strikers led the line.

 

Here are the 12 greatest ever strikers to wear the blue and white of Leicester, according to FLW’s fan pundit from the club Jayden Whitworth.

 

12
Shinji Okazaki
The first name on this list is a member of that title-winning squad in the form of Shinji Okazaki.

At 37, he is still playing with Belgian outfit Sint-Truiden, his current location. He is in fact the highest-scoring active player for the Japan national team and became one of just six players from his country to score in the Champions League when he found the back of the net against Club Brugge in 2016.

Okazaki was a cult hero during his time with Leicester, alongside fellow striker Leonardo Ulloa.

 

11
Kelechi Iheanacho
11th place is even more recent than Okazaki with the man in question current forward Kelechi Iheanacho.

The Nigerian international has stayed put under the stewardship of Enzo Maresca in spite of the club’s relegation.

Iheanacho joined Leicester from Manchester City in 2017 and has been hit-and-miss in front of goal, his best return being 12 along with two assists in the 2020/21 Premier League season.

 

10
Keith Weller
To begin the top ten, we have to rewind to the Leicester City of yesteryear with American-born England international Keith Weller.

Weller was born in Seattle, Washington and he spent many years playing and coaching across the pond too, but not before he left his mark in the UK.

After sampling different areas of London with Millwall, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, he then landed in Leicester. Eight seasons later, he left a legend and is still highly revered in that area of the country.

 

9
Frank Worthington
Onto another player who is sadly no longer with us, Frank Worthington, who passed away recently, in March of 2021.

Worthington also ran out for England and when it comes to club football, he was the epitome of a journeyman.

Focusing on his time with the Foxes, he was there from 1972 to 1977, making over 200 league appearances in the process and scoring 72 times. Fun fact, he was a huge Elvis Presley fan!

 

8
Michael Stringfellow
Born five years prior to Worthington was Michael Stringfellow and the pair crossed paths at Leicester City.

Stringfellow only played for three clubs in his career and was with Leicester from 1962 all the way to 1975.

He scored in the League Cup final win over Stoke City in 1963, his side coming out on top 4-3 on aggregate.

 

7
Emile Heskey
Returning to the modern era and to a striker who is often unfairly overlooked in the form of Emile Heskey.

Heskey, who is currently involved with Leicester’s Women’s’ team as a matter of fact, broke through at Filbert Street at such a young age.

He made his first-team debut at just 17 and went on to enjoy an excellent few years with the club, winning the League Cup twice as well as reigning victorious in the 1996 First Division play-offs.

Heskey earned his acclaim as an England international during his time with Liverpool, primarily, but it all began for him at Leicester.

 

6
Alan Smith
There are two famous English forwards by the name of Alan Smith but only one of them ever donned the blue and white of the Foxes.

Alan Smith, who can now be heard on Sky Sports regularly, is a Leicester icon as well as an Arsenal legend.

He played for the former between 1982 and 1987 where he partnered a certain striker who is still to come on this list at one point during his Leicester tenure.

 

5
Ernie Hine
Breaking into the top five is Ernie Hine, who was born in 1901 in Barnsley.

Hine is the third-highest goal scorer in the history of Leicester and is 18th overall in the all-time annals of English football, netting 287 times.

He also played for Manchester United, Huddersfield Town and Barnsley twice.

 

4
Gary Lineker
The man that was previously alluded to as a partner of Alan Smith at one point or another is the famous Gary Lineker.

Since stepping away from the pitch, he is best known as the Match of the Day host/presenter as well as a key ambassador for Walkers crisps. On the field, not only was he a great goal scorer, but he also famously never received a yellow card and had something of an unfortunate accident once, too.

Goals were Lineker’s bread and butter both for England and his beloved Leicester City, winning the Second Division title in 1979-80 before going on to play for the likes of Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona.

 

3
Arthur Rowley
Arthur Rowley is in third place and he holds the nickname “The Gunner” for his firing and ferocious left-foot.

He isn't a name many will know in the current day and age, yet he holds a number of impressive records. He scored the most goals in a single season ever for both Leicester and Shrewsbury Town.

All of this and more given that he has scored the most goals in the history of English league football with a whopping 434 in 619 games.

 

2
Arthur Chandler
Now to his namesake in second place, Arthur Chandler.

This Arthur is the club’s all-time record goal scorer and Leicester was where he passed away in 1984.

Chandler made just short of 400 league appearances for the Foxes in the Second and First Division in the 1920s and 1930s.

 


Jamie Vardy
Rowley and Chandler are history makers that the modern fan won’t be aware of, but everybody knows the name Jamie Vardy.

He led the line as Claudio Ranieri’s side won the Premier League title in remarkable fashion and was named as the Player of the Season for the whole division.

One of his personal accolades from that season was breaking Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record for consecutive games scored in, making it 11 games on the spin against Manchester United of all teams.

He didn’t win the golden boot that year but he did in 2019/20 and it will be fascinating to see what he can do for Leicester, now that they’re back in the Championship, at the age of 36.

Sampson

Sampson

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, inckley fox said:

Not all of those were strikers, were they?

Weller and Stringfellow weren’t, they were wingers/wide forwards. I wouldn’t call Okazaki or Heskey strikers really either.

  • Like 1
SouthStandUpperTier

SouthStandUpperTier

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8 minutes ago, Charl91 said:

I quite like Nacho, but to put him over Okazaki? Hmm... 

Neither are out-and-out strikers so probably shouldn't be considered for this imo, but strikers are judged on their goalscoring record, and Shinji never scored more than 6 goals in any season he played with us (although his all around contribution to the title winning season should never be understated).

Guest Sideshow Faes

Guest Sideshow Faes

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Struggling to see how Nacho gets into a top 50 forwards for us given he's sat on the bench for virtually his whole time here. Okazaki really there just as a nod to his role as second striker in our greatest ever season. This really is a top 10 with one honourable mention added and one completely unfathomable addition.

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SouthStandUpperTier

SouthStandUpperTier

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Posted

Matty Fryatt deserves an honourable mention. Granted we were playing in League One, but he did score 32 goals in all competitions in 2008/09 - making him the only Leicester striker to break the 30 goal barrier since Arthur Rowley in 1956/57.

  • Like 28
String fellow

String fellow

Posted
Posted
36 minutes ago, Sampson said:

Weller and Stringfellow weren’t, they were wingers/wide forwards. I wouldn’t call Okazaki or Heskey strikers really either.

The Mighty String knew a thing or two about scoring goals - unlike a few of the other strikers on that list!

  • Like 1
Guest Lcfc82

Guest Lcfc82

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Disappointing not to see Geoff Horsefield on there 

jayfox26

jayfox26

Posted
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I think Nugent us unlucky not to be on here. Cottee was good also and Collymore. Even Steve Howard and Fryatt were both great but it was league 1. Claridge and Marshall were decent. Would be easier to compile a worst 10 strikers list, we've had some shockers over the years. 

  • Like 3

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