Brian Little

[paulsherwood1]

My first taste of success as a leicester fan. I started following city in Bryan Hamiltons last game, so suffered the Pleat years in all their glory!

I followed lcfc home and away through the little years and we had some amazing times! Beating Blackburn away with a Rooster goal was special, I've been in away ends that went mad, but just about everyone ended up on the floor!

I was at villa when we came back to draw 4-4 against Brian's team, a glorious night! We can thank him for some interesting players such as coatsworth, trotter and jimmy willis. Not to mention the Joachim era.

Little brought success to a starved club, he started the turnaround in our fortunes. I can still remember queuing outside the main stand at 1.30 in the morning for wembley tickets! A great part of the lcfc story...

[Sir Shep]

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.

This, BL turned from utter shite to a top 6 team, and he signed Gary Coatsworth

[Guest Col city fan]

Looking back fondly at managers is only part of the story. Looking back at the context in which they were managing is as important, if not moreso.

Football, around Little's time, was brilliant IMO.

Rather than some of the diving/cheating toe-rags we have nowadays, paid mickey mouse money and moaning if your mate is 'earning' 100k per week, whilst you are only on 80, back then we had some real characters. Big Ormondroyd, Tommy Wright on the wing, Walshy scoring goals up front, Coatsworth coming in and doing a job...

Coupled with these characters were stadia with character.

Filbert St could be quiet, but could be absolutely fookin rockin too. There was tension, sometimes menace and the songs sung had you in stitches. Crowd control was a few older blokes who larked about with the fans, rather than the Police State we have at the KP now.

So Little will always have a special place in my heart for what he did, on not much money and given the context in which he did it.

Having been fortunate enough to watch City back then, and now, the whole football thing these days, pales by comparison IMO. But maybe thats just an age thing.

[Webbo]

Brian Little gave us back our pride. We'd been a shit club of little consequence since been relegated under Jock. On the slide and going nowhere.

 

Without spending big money he'd made us hard to beat. Going to the football stopped being depressing.

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

We had some great times under Little which were soured for a while after he left in such poor circumstances, Villa were his beloved team and he should of just said he wanted to leave us to go there.

The old saying "time is a great healer" springs to mind with Little, we can now look back and remember the good times he gave us, taking a pretty much bunch of average players to 3 Wembley play off finals and finally gaining promotion against a big spending Derby at the time. Our downfall was not signing enough quality players to give us a chance of staying up, the signing of Mark Draper was the only worthwhile acquisition.

Loads of happy memories of that period and at that time we were so desperate for any kind of success,hence we took thousands to Meadow Lane for a Zenith Data cup tie, that night still ranks very highly in my City memories, as does the trip to Barnsley when Joachim scored his wonder goal.

Good times under Little which of course soon after were completely overshadowed by Martin O'Neill, but good times all the same which should be remembered fondly.

Plus Little had a shocking record every time we played Villa afterwards, the 3-3 at Villa Park was brilliant, coming back from 3-1 down with 2 late goals after taking loads of stick from the Villa fans above us was amazing. We gave Tommy Johnson so much abuse that night, he did score but missed loads.... Tommy Johnson what a wan#er, what a wan#er

Brian you really did start the wave.

[rico]

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!

Remember all the promotional work the club did for McGhee that season

"The futures Mark-ed out!"

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

Brian Little gave us back our pride. We'd been a shit club of little consequence since been relegated under Jock. On the slide and going nowhere.

 

Without spending big money he'd made us hard to beat. Going to the football stopped being depressing.

Got to disagree with you here, we were a shit club of little consequence since being relegated under Jock, On the slide and going nowhere? We got back up under the often forgotten Gordon Milne and stayed up for 3or 4 seasons in the top flight, Lynex, Lineker, Smith, great times for me.

I agree Little gave us our pride back but this was after the Hamilton and Pleat years. Which were as depressing as you say.

[pSinatra]

I started following City under Jock Wallace when I was a nipper.

 

I was following City home & away during the Hamilton/Pleat years.  We rarely won at home & I can count on one hand the games we won away.  It was more about the day out than the football.  Crowds at Filbert Street were often around 8,000 & it was a depressing time.

 

I will always remember Brian Little for changing the fortunes of our club & restoring some pride.  He gave us the stability that McGhee (for a short time) & O'Neill were able to build upon.

 

I have no ill-feeling towards Little in the slightest.  Villa were always his team & he couldn't possibly turn down the opportunity.

[Webbo]

Tbf to McGhee,although  I hated him at the time, he got out at the right time. We'd been sussed, the results weren't happening like they had been earlier in the season. We probably wouldn't have been promoted if he'd stayed.

 

Got to disagree with you here, we were a shit club of little consequence since being relegated under Jock, On the slide and going nowhere? We got back up under the often forgotten Gordon Milne and stayed up for 3or 4 seasons in the top flight, Lynex, Lineker, Smith, great times for me.
I agree Little gave us our pride back but this was after the Hamilton and Pleat years. Which were as depressing as you say.

Fair point.

[pSinatra]

Got to disagree with you here, we were a shit club of little consequence since being relegated under Jock, On the slide and going nowhere? We got back up under the often forgotten Gordon Milne and stayed up for 3or 4 seasons in the top flight, Lynex, Lineker, Smith, great times for me.

I agree Little gave us our pride back but this was after the Hamilton and Pleat years. Which were as depressing as you say.

 

Gordon Milne rarely gets a mention, which is a shame when he has been one of our most successful managers

[paulsherwood1]

We had some great times under Little which were soured for a while after he left in such poor circumstances, Villa were his beloved team and he should of just said he wanted to leave us to go there.

The old saying "time is a great healer" springs to mind with Little, we can now look back and remember the good times he gave us, taking a pretty much bunch of average players to 3 Wembley play off finals and finally gaining promotion against a big spending Derby at the time. Our downfall was not signing enough quality players to give us a chance of staying up, the signing of Mark Draper was the only worthwhile acquisition.

Loads of happy memories of that period and at that time we were so desperate for any kind of success,hence we took thousands to Meadow Lane for a Zenith Data cup tie, that night still ranks very highly in my City memories, as does the trip to Barnsley when Joachim scored his wonder goal.

Good times under Little which of course soon after were completely overshadowed by Martin O'Neill, but good times all the same which should be remembered fondly.

Plus Little had a shocking record every time we played Villa afterwards, the 3-3 at Villa Park was brilliant, coming back from 3-1 down with 2 late goals after taking loads of stick from the Villa fans above us was amazing. We gave Tommy Johnson so much abuse that night, he did score but missed loads.... Tommy Johnson what a wan#er, what a wan#er

Brian you really did start the wave.

That zenith match at county was mental. Chucking it down with rain, late winners and 8,000 city fans! Mad.

I thought the Villa game was 4-4? I think they were 4-1 up.... I remember the celebrations well!

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

That zenith match at county was mental. Chucking it down with rain, late winners and 8,000 city fans! Mad.

I thought the Villa game was 4-4? I think they were 4-1 up.... I remember the celebrations well!

I think your right, it was 4-4 I stand corrected.

As for the Notts Co game, I was on the football special, probably the only one who actually paid it was as if we took over Nottingham that night.

[Istilllovefilbert]

I have to say that after MON, Little has got to be IMO the best manager we have had. After the Pleat years, (my first full season going down filbo) he was a revelation!

You could argue he was the best ever when yo consider the quality of squad he had. He made Steve Walsh into the legend he is today. Walsh and Tommy Wright are the only players of real quality I can remember from when he took over. The rest were characters, fighters and plugs in holes. Gary Coatsworth is a classic example. Played far better than his ability under Little.

Whatever your opinion of him leaving, he left when we were in the PL, and LCFC were back on the map. He lay all the foundations of where we are as a club today

[Rob1742]

It angers me when people say they cannot forgive him for leaving.

He did just about what everybody would do and does do.

His team are Villa, they are just as special to him as Leicester are to us and they came knocking on the door.

The way he was treated upon his return after what he did for us was appalling. I did not join in and felt dreadful that day as I looked back at what he did for us.

Also someone on here says he got what he deserves. Well he went to Villa and was a tremendous success for a number of years. They were similar to Villa are now and he took them to a high league position and he win the league cup.

Probably the most intense time for me as a supporter, went home and away, literally lived every minute of it. Great manager for us, a real top bloke too. Thanks Brian for some great years.

Three play offs

Derby win

Cambridge play off semi

Rooster at Blackburn

Joachim

Steve Thompson

Three exceptional years

[ithuriel]

At the time I was quite annoyed to say the least in the way that he left, though you could not blame him since from what was said since he expected to have a transfer kitty to sign a lot of young players and in the end only got enough cash to sign one of those he wanted, Mark Draper.

When Villa came in for him George flatly refused and then Brian wrote that letter that George consequently released to the press and everything was soured, a real shame.

It was no surprise George was removed from being chairman when O'Neill got us promoted.

I still have the book Brian wrote, can remember them selling like hot cakes from that corner shop that served as the club shop for a time .

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

I have to say that after MON, Little has got to be IMO the best manager we have had. After the Pleat years, (my first full season going down filbo) he was a revelation!

You could argue he was the best ever when yo consider the quality of squad he had. He made Steve Walsh into the legend he is today. Walsh and Tommy Wright are the only players of real quality I can remember from when he took over. The rest were characters, fighters and plugs in holes. Gary Coatsworth is a classic example. Played far better than his ability under Little.

Whatever your opinion of him leaving, he left when we were in the PL, and LCFC were back on the map. He lay all the foundations of where we are as a club today

I would add Gary Mills to Walsh and Wright.

Somehow Little got the best out of the likes of Mohan, Carey, Willis, Ormondroyd, and as you say Coatsworth. I also thought Steve Thompson was a good signing and I will never forget his equaliser against Swindon in the play off final, though what happened after spoils that memory.

[ceredigion]

The real hallmark of his time in charge I think, was the sheer number of times we scored an equaliser or a winner in the 89th minute or later. That must have happened around 30 times or more during his reign.

 

Leicester rarely gave up a game under him and if you were a fan who was in the habit of leaving matches early, you would have missed most of the highlights of the Little years.

[Guest Electric Yetis]

I would add Gary Mills to Walsh and Wright.

Somehow Little got the best out of the likes of Mohan, Carey, Willis, Ormondroyd, and as you say Coatsworth. I also thought Steve Thompson was a good signing and I will never forget his equaliser against Swindon in the play off final, though what happened after spoils that memory.

I'm not sure anyone got the best out of Mohan.

[Istilllovefilbert]

I would add Gary Mills to Walsh and Wright.

Somehow Little got the best out of the likes of Mohan, Carey, Willis, Ormondroyd, and as you say Coatsworth. I also thought Steve Thompson was a good signing and I will never forget his equaliser against Swindon in the play off final, though what happened after spoils that memory.

You are right about Mills. He did improve under little. And Steve Thomson's goal. The most intense, fantastic moment in my football supporting life.

[bovril]

I went to watch my first game just after he left but as Mark said above I grew up with the season reviews and the spirit in the team always seemed immense. They always seemed to find a way to get a result.

 

You really can't begrudge him going to Villa, but as ever with that job it turned out to be a poisoned chalice. Has anybody not regretted taking over Villa?

[Rob1742]

Coatsworth, Willis, Fitzpatrick, Gordon, Platenau, Poole

The ability to find players of limited talent from the lower leagues and get them to do a good job for you.

[ceredigion]

Looking back fondly at managers is only part of the story. Looking back at the context in which they were managing is as important, if not moreso.

Football, around Little's time, was brilliant IMO.

Rather than some of the diving/cheating toe-rags we have nowadays, paid mickey mouse money and moaning if your mate is 'earning' 100k per week, whilst you are only on 80, back then we had some real characters. Big Ormondroyd, Tommy Wright on the wing, Walshy scoring goals up front, Coatsworth coming in and doing a job...

Coupled with these characters were stadia with character.

Filbert St could be quiet, but could be absolutely fookin rockin too. There was tension, sometimes menace and the songs sung had you in stitches. Crowd control was a few older blokes who larked about with the fans, rather than the Police State we have at the KP now.

So Little will always have a special place in my heart for what he did, on not much money and given the context in which he did it.

Having been fortunate enough to watch City back then, and now, the whole football thing these days, pales by comparison IMO. But maybe thats just an age thing.

Couldn't agree more with this. I don't get to the KP very often these days, but when I do I always reflect that it just doesn't compare with the feelings I used to have walking down Brazil Street and Hazel Street on my way to the game back in the 80s and 90s.

[Alex_LCFC]

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

well said.

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

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

You are right, I never thought of it but I can never remember City fans turning on each other back then, it's something that should never happen and totally ridiculous.

[little Brian]

I thought Brian absolutely changed the club in terms of discipline & attitude on and off the pitch , I believe we will never know  what he could

have achieved as he was held back by a completely pathetic negative and over caution tight wad boardroom.....