Brian Little

[ceredigion]

It will soon be twenty years since Brian Little's reign as Leicester manager ended, and it would be interesting to hear other supporters opinions on his time in charge.

 

When he took over in the summer of 1991 the club was definitely at one of it's lowest ebbs. Nearly relegated to Division 3 for the first time ever and not having had a top-half finish in any division in the previous 8 seasons.

 

In his first season in charge, Little turned things around almost immediately. We started winning consecutive games, winning away from home, winning cup ties and being in the top half of the table on Ceefax, all things which were pleasant novelties to City fans of the period.

 

Little's three full seasons as manager were all roller-coaster affairs and each one ended in a memorable Wembley Play-Off final. But there were some pretty disappointing performances along the way too, including more than one 7-goal thrashing. And when Little did eventually get us promoted, his squad proved to be woefully inadequate for life in the Premier League and we were already certainties for relegation when he resigned in November 1994.

 

On the whole, I think that Brian Little, whatever his shortcomings, should be remembered as being one our best 4 or 5 post-war managers. Others may disagree, but the way he breathed new life into a club that was creaking at the joints was highly impressive and I think those 3 seasons of 91/92, 92/93 and 93/94 were among the most exciting we've ever had.

[Stuliasz]

He held the door open for me and my school mates when I was 7 and on a tour of Filbo. Class act.

[Hugo Sanchez]

I don't care if he was a judas. I love Brian little, first manager in charge when I started going and always entertainment. His team were never the best but they always tried and worked hard.

Martin O Neill

Brian Little

Nigel Pearson

Micky Adams

That's my order of the best Leicester managers in my lifetime.

[Mickyblueeyes]

Some managers are just the right fit a club.

Little was the right man at the right time.

As someone said we were not the best technically but they got results under Brian.

Very good manager for us. Shame he left the way he did but his time here was thoroughly enjoyable.

[stevie lynex on the wing]

Took leicester to wembley 3 times and won promotion .also our attendence at home went up (did the new fans get called plastic ) we wanted bigger crowds back then so no they didnt get called plastic .but the fans today who call other fans plastic must be either kids, or sad post blackurn play off final fans. UP THE CITY  

[Mark_w]

I don't care if he was a judas. I love Brian little, first manager in charge when I started going and always entertainment. His team were never the best but they always tried and worked hard.

Martin O Neill

Brian Little

Nigel Pearson

Micky Adams

That's my order of the best Leicester managers in my lifetime.

 

What puts Brian Little above Pearson out of interest? I was born a year after he left, but grew up with the season reviews they made in the early to mid 90's and it strikes me that he hasn't achieved as much as Pearson has for us?

[Bob Weasel Fox]

It was a great time to follow city under Brian Little

He soured that somewhat with how he left and he deserved every last bit of stick he got when he came back with Villa. Does anyone remember that poisonous atmosphere that night?

Overall great memories though bless him

Martin O'Neill

Jock Wallace

Nigel Pearson

Brian Little

Micky Adams

In my time of watching City were the best in that order but all brought something good to the club

[Guest Col city fan]

First manager that I properly started to follow the club under, starting that season with Swindon away I think?

[Stadt]

Since I've been going

Nigel Pearson

Nigel Pearson

Nigel Pearson

Nigel Pearson

Nigel Pearson

Rob Kelly

[Guest Electric Yetis]

Started going in about 89 but the 91/92 season was the first season I remember clearly. Whether it was my age or not I don't know but it all seemed so exciting and we won, a lot.

As much as his exit from the club left a sour taste I will always like Little as it was his side that made me fall in love with City.

[Littletoe]

Silver Fox <3

[whetstonefox]

Enjoyed his time here but especially 91/92 season...

Swindon away - his first game and a clean sheet and meeting the swindon roundabout system for the first time!

Southend away - coming from behind to win and sadly the reason we never get seaside away trips in august or after march!

Notts Country ZDS cup

Winning an FA Cup match

Cambridge in the play off semi

queing alnight at Filbo for wembley tickets with a crate of beer on a saturday night with loads of others

The walk down wembley way

Being a City fan was exciting once again after the Hamilton and pleat years.

That period from 1991 (including the great escape v Oxford with Gordon Lee in charge ) through to 2000 was an amazing period, hopefully we are on the cusp of another!

Brian Little was great for LCFC, shame how it ended, but good times

[Sampson]

The hatred was overdone when he left. Most of it was down to the chairman and his wrangling in the press and whatever you say Villa were his team - he was a very successful player there and clearly had a great emotional connection with the club. It wasn't like McGee where he went for the money.

There's no animosity from me. He completely turned around a dire Leicester side and put a great deal of pride and excitement back into the club, not unlike what Pearson did in his first spell.

He should be remembered for turning round a rotting club going nowhere and while maybe not a top tier great Leicester manager like Gillies, O'Neill or Bloomfield, he should definitely be well remembered as a second tier great Leicester manager alongside Pearson or Wallace and to a lesser extent Adams and Milne.

Have a lot of time for him.

[PAPA LAZAROU]

Under his management I had my greatest day as a city supporter . That first ever win at Wembley against Derby on a brilliant sunny day against all the odds beats any thing . I shall be ever grateful for that. But He got delusions of grandeur and ambition confused with ability and in the end got what he deserved. He shat on us and for that I can never quite forgive him.

[Strokes]

What puts Brian Little above Pearson out of interest? I was born a year after he left, but grew up with the season reviews they made in the early to mid 90's and it strikes me that he hasn't achieved as much as Pearson has for us?

There isnt much in it mark but i agree with hugo. What little did was turn around a side that was a bunch of losers into a gritty, determined side in the SAME league in the space of a summer, with a tiny budget. He gave us three consecutive wembley finals, of which i will never forget and started a very sucessful period for the club. The foundations he laid were what Set up the O'neill period. Pearson reign isnt over yet and i hope he can create some more special memories, which will then no doubt surpass Little in acheivments.

[HesNotGudjonsonn2]

In my time supporting LCFC, which is similar to the OP, I would list my managers in this order;

Martin O'neill- goes without saying.

Nigel Pearson - I was thinking he should go last year but he seems to have a longer plan and he has achieved so much with us so far. I was wrong.

Brian Little- the early fun years from the turn around with a little help from Tommy Wright.

Micky Adams- did so well with pretty much every problem possible thrown at him.

Then in this order;

Rob Kelly.

Sven.

Mark McGhee.

Gary Megson.

Ian Holloway.

Craig Levein.

Martin Allen.

Paolo Sousa.

Peter Taylor.

[Sampson]

I think McGhee was definitely better than Kelly or Sven.

 

McGhee was a money-grabber and we all know most Leicester fans do not look on him kindly, but if you're ranking it on their actual time as manager rather than how they left, we did play some excellent football under him and he was doing a good job when he left. Definitely a lot better as an actual manager for us than Sven or Kelly.

[HesNotGudjonsonn2]

The major reason McGhee can not rank higher was when he was interviewed live on tv and the question was "Are you going to take the Wolves job?" And he simply said No. About a day later he left and then nicked Steve Corica too. Liar!

[Guy]

The major reason McGhee can not rank higher was when he was interviewed live on tv and the question was "Are you going to take the Wolves job?" And he simply said No. About a day later he left and then nicked Steve Corica too. Liar!

Yup, I remember it well but we of course had more than the last laugh that season with O'Neill taking us up via the play offs and Wolves came up rather short, finishing in mid table or something, ha ha! Of course the boot was on the other foot with Ian Holloway when he lied to Plymouth by saying to the local press there that no way was he leaving there, then a coupe of days later he was sitting in our hot seat, being the final man from three who would take us down to the third tier depths for the first time ever! All well ends well though of course thanks to Pearson

 

As for the comments on Brian Little then I couldn't agree more with the OP and others praising his time here as manager during the early 90s. While not quite in the mould of O'Neill, Gillies and the other listed greats, he was definitely in that short list along with the likes of Jock Wallace, Gordon Milne and Micky Adams....all of whom performed wonders with not much of a financial backing really.

[mitchofox]

The hatred was overdone when he left. Most of it was down to the chairman and his wrangling in the press and whatever you say Villa were his team - he was a very successful player there and clearly had a great emotional connection with the club. It wasn't like McGee where he went for the money.

There's no animosity from me. He completely turned around a dire Leicester side and put a great deal of pride and excitement back into the club, not unlike what Pearson did in his first spell.

He should be remembered for turning round a rotting club going nowhere and while maybe not a top tier great Leicester manager like Gillies, O'Neill or Bloomfield, he should definitely be well remembered as a second tier great Leicester manager alongside Pearson or Wallace and to a lesser extent Adams and Milne.

Have a lot of time for him.

I think most of the fans turned against Brian little because he claimed he wasn't leaving. Then the very next day he was gone

[davieG]

From the moment he arrived it was pretty much none stop excitement especially after the previous years. Fans Expectations were realistic and no one really thought too seriously about promotion not least because of the standard of player he was sble to recruit due to the minimal budget.

 

But he exseeded all expectations brought a sense of honest toil and 100% commitment from the whole squad resulting in us getting to 3 Wembley play offs and winning there for the first time.

 

One of my most significant memories of the time was the 1000s of fans on Victoria Park singing we're proud of you, never have I hesrd such unanimous and believing singing from an lcfc crowd.

 

Our promotion was badly affected by him suffering from  a severe back problem during the close season and his financial inability to improve the squad.

 

In hindsight he should have been more open and honest about his departure, the way it happened is something he has openly regretted but he was in a lose/lose situation with lcfc fans as is almost any successful manager that moves on.

 

I try hard to forget thedeparture and forgive him because of  the joy and pride he brought to lcfc, as far as Brian Little goes they are now one of my most memorable periods supporting lcfc from Gillies through to Peardon.

[LanguedocFox]

The hatred was overdone when he left. Most of it was down to the chairman and his wrangling in the press and whatever you say Villa were his team - he was a very successful player there and clearly had a great emotional connection with the club. It wasn't like McGee where he went for the money.

There's no animosity from me. He completely turned around a dire Leicester side and put a great deal of pride and excitement back into the club, not unlike what Pearson did in his first spell.

He should be remembered for turning round a rotting club going nowhere and while maybe not a top tier great Leicester manager like Gillies, O'Neill or Bloomfield, he should definitely be well remembered as a second tier great Leicester manager alongside Pearson or Wallace and to a lesser extent Adams and Milne.

Have a lot of time for him.

 

Pretty much sums up my feelings about the man. He started the "We own Wembley" feeling that summed up the 1990s for me, and he was head-and-shoulders above any manager we had between O'Neill and Nigel Pearson.

[ElusiveEd]

He's at a club called Chasetown FC / Stafford College now, teaching students.........

 

http://www.brianlittle.biz/

 

If I remember right, he had issues with, and was very uncomfortable with, the UK media side of things that made him shy away from high profile jobs.

[spirefoxes]

He created the most lethal strikers partnership Ormondroyd and Speedie

[Lobsterboyuk]

Thanks for the memories Brian, remember the hate when you left for Villa but I've mellowed and what you did for Leicester back then was special, that day at Wembley when we beat Derby makes you one of the living greats in my eyes