Two years ago today

[Simi]

Certainly benefited us in the long run. However, if we didn't come straight back up the pressure would have been on Pearson big time and we'd have possibly ended up doing a Leeds, possibly worse.

Thankfully it didn't turn out like that and we have managed to find a winning formula seemingly on and off the pitch. Mandaric has finally kept his head mostly out of the way and we've got a decent squad who have performed brilliantly for the majority of the season.

Whatever happens in the play-offs happens, I'm proud of the team after a few years of dreariness we've got a team to feel good about.

FOXES.

[leicesterfox86]

Two years since that horrible day at Stoke.

Who will ever forget the despair we felt when we went down to the third tier with an uncertain future? Looking at Leeds, Forest and Sheffield Wednesday's struggles to get out of the division, many of us would have thought we were in for the long haul. Who was going to be manager? Was Ollie going to stay and repair the damage? Was John Gregory going to come in? Everything was up in the air and it felt truly horrible.

No-one could have predicted what was to come. Where other big clubs had languished in League One, we thrived and tore the division to shreds under a manager that many had expected to be gone by the first Christmas. He signed well, great days out were had and suddenly Leicester were the team to beat in the division rather than a pushover for the first time in years. When we won the division at Southend, the world was lifted off our shoulders at last. After the Scunny game in front of a full house on a Friday night, I was so drunk I fell asleep in Fan Club. It felt that good after so many seasons of utter crap.

Surely this season would provide a reality check? We'd struggled for four years prior to relegation and Pearson had never managed in the upper echelons of the Championship. However, in came Weale, Hobbs on a permanent and Martyn Waghorn on loan from Sunderland and the reality check has yet to come in any major way. Yes there've been bad times along the way, the 5-1 loss at Forest and the recent four game losing streak but the way we've recovered from such setbacks shows the level of mental strength in the side. Now we're potentially just three games away from the Premiership just two years after hitting the lowest point in our history.

No matter what happens, to Nigel Pearson and every member of our team, thanks for the ride and we're bloody proud of what you've achieved.

Excellent post.

[Joe.]

A lot can happen in two years...

Two years ago to the day Leicester City were relegated to English football's third tier.

Memories of the minority group of Stoke cretins who ran to our end of the pitch to goad at the final whistle pitch invasion rather than embrace their own side's promotion to the Premiership remain, but we may just meet again sooner rather than later.

After a torrid five years dropping from the Premier League to League One there seemed to be little light at the end of a seemingly endless tunnel. That was until that man Nigel Pearson showed up.

Two years after that disastrous day at the Britannia we sit in eager anticipation at the prospect of a Championship play-off semi-final first leg in just five days time. Quite some turnaround most would agree, and one that lends itself incredibly to the work of our manager in that two years.

In his time at Filbert Way Pearson has crafted the squad his own way, youth playing a substantial role in his flight to success over the past two seasons.

What was a depleted and expired first team squad when he took the reigns is now a fresh and exciting lineup ready to conquer most in the Championship, a sign which bodes well for City as they look to take their form into difficult matches against Cardiff City.

And there is certainly nobody you would rather have in charge going into the play-offs.

Unlike his predecessor Holloway, Pearson has never been one to feel comfortable in the media, his aversion often quite clear at times. But whilst the spotlight is not on him the pressure is off the players, and for us fans this is absolutely fine by us.

He is by no means perfect like any other manager out there, but what Pearson has done in his time so far is nothing short of spectacular whatevere the outcome of this season.

The sooner contract talks are opened at the end of the season the better.

Now, being potentially just three matches away from the Premier League seems extremely surreal. But you'd better believe it...

[Jon the Hat]

Whatever happens in the play-offs happens, I'm proud of the team after a few years of dreariness we've got a team to feel good about.

FOXES.

Absolutely right. Even if we don't make it this season, we are a team challenging for promotion, and that will be important in attracting players and keeping the ones we have. What a change in fortunes that is. Brilliant job.

[Matt]

Anyone who said it at the time i'd have ripped their heads off but relegation is perhaps one of the best things in recent years that has happened to this club, we could get rid of deadwood, get a new manager in (We didn't need relegation for that to happen but still we've got the best manager for a long time in due to it), got players who wanted to play for us in, had a great season on tour in League One, and followed on and built from that.

We needed to take a step or two backwards to have any chance of moving forward, If we had stayed up 2 years today i'm fairly confident in saying we'd have been in a Championship relegation battle last season, and no doubt a Championship relegation battle this season.

[MC Prussian]

I remember how low everybody else felt, and I guess as a typical armchair supporter/sloppy foxile who rarely can be arsed to go and see Leicester play in full flesh because he rues the expenses, I guess I should've broken down with more passion and cried for an entire week without stopping. Yet I didn't.

We had been performing between mediocre to shit for four years prior to relegation and always slipped further down the final league table with each new season.

The constant managerial changes weren't doing any good, too many crap players no one had ever heard of were signed (and unfortunately, released way too late), former has-beens also got on board and the mix of players just wouldn't work out.

Above all, we lacked goals, our striker situation was terrible in the period between 2004 and 2008

I went back to the 2008 Stoke Match Thread and Post Match Thread and could find only short statements - obviously, everyone - including me - were pretty nervous during the game, as we were also dependent on Sheffield United's score.

And the "Relegated." thread ain't a pretty read now, I must admit that.

And when the final whistle blew I knew it must've felt particularely bad for those who were at the match and then to read their post match reports was quite a blow. Then I saw the Beeb match photos. FTers even present. Heavy heads, huge disappointment and, to an extent, even despair. No longer part of the Nine.

A lot of folks weren't looking forward to our first Third Division campaign ever, feared the slump would continue and/or we'd never make it out of there alive.

Laughing stock of the Football League for one summer - and what an incredible return this club has made. And in good time, too.

I salute the club, the manager, the players and the other fans for the continuous support and efforts put in.

It's been quite a ride and a positive experience on this road from League One to the Championship Playoffs. Morally, financially and also in a sportive way, we more than just deserve to be where we are right now.

The away support in particular has profitted tremendously from last season's road trip(s) - the fun and faith has returned to the club and it can only go upwards.

And I don't want this to stop.

Leicester City forever. Up the football league we go.

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

In a strange kind of way, I like looking at videos of that day on YouTube and wherever, although I was so so upset I feel proud we came back and just so happy with the way we have done.

It was in some ways the best thing to happen to us as it gave usa massive kick up the arse, and we havent looked back since.