RECORD SIGNINGS

RECORD SIGNINGS

Following our first home game of the season last Saturday which saw record signing Matt Mills make his home league debut in a disappointing defeat against Reading. I cast my mind back to Saturday 17^th August 1968 when another Leicester record signing also made his home debut---Allan Clarke

Clarke was signed by manager Matt Gillies from Fulham before the start of the 1968/69 season in what was to be not only a transfer record for Leicester, but also a British transfer record that was valued at £150,000 part of the deal took fans favourite Frank Large to Fulham, he was valued at £40,000 in the deal

Just like this season expectations were high, especially with the signing of Clarke and the season started with a 1-1 draw at Queens Park Rangers and Clarke scored on his debut. This was followed by 3-0 defeat at Arsenal and then Clarke’s home debut followed v Ipswich Town

I was sitting in the double decker stand that day and like everyone else in the 26,014 crowd was hoping to see City get their first win that would kick start the season, but alas we lost 3-1 with Ipswich goals coming from Crawford, O’Rourke and Hegan. Leicester replied with a David Nish penalty and the scene was set for what was to be a frustrating season for us foxes

The following home game saw Clarke score a fine hat trick in a convincing 3-0 win against Manchester City but this was followed by two 1-0 defeats against Stoke and Wolves and although we beat Southampton 3-1 in the next home game we went a further five games without a win which also saw us take a 4-0 thrashing at Liverpool

This was to be the pattern for the rest of the season and it became obvious that we were destined to be involved in a relegation battle. On November 29^th Matt Gillies resigned as manager and the following day Leicester were hammered 7-1 at Everton. Frank O’Farrel was appointed manager and despite having the honour of leading Leicester out at Wembley in the F.A.Cup Final losing 1-0 to Manchester City, he couldn’t prevent the team from being relegated to the second division

Clarke scored a total of twelve league goals and three league cup goals and he managed just one F.A.Cup goal it being the semi-final winner against West Bromwich Albion. Allan Clarke was transferred to Leeds United for another record fee of £165,000 and he went on to be a part of probably the greatest ever Leeds United team and Leicester had the task of playing second division football

Just a quick mention of another record signing, Adi Akinbiyi who is well remembered at Leicester. His home debut was a 0-0 draw v Aston Villa. He managed to score 11 goals in 58 appearances and we were relegated in his second season with us

Hopefully following a fine 1-0 away win at Coventry on the opening day of the season, the disappointing result against Reading will not see us follow the same fortunes as our previous record signings and we will indeed go on to secure promotion to the premier league –LEICESTER TILL I DIE  

How It all Began 'Leicester City'

ALAN ‘meashamfox’BENNETT  (blog 1)

I have been a proud supporter of Leicester City all my life and I can remember going to Filbert Street in the late 1950’s with my Dad. I can remember sitting in the double decker stand but unfortunately I can’t remember much about the football, but I remember the large crowds and the rosette sellers and the badges you used to be able to buy with player’s pictures on. I remember the names Dave McLaren, Jimmy Walsh, Albert Cheeseborough, Ken Leek, Howard Riley and Willie Cunningham. My adventures as a Leicester City supporter had begun.

The first game that I remember vividly was on October the 8^th 1966 and it was against Nottingham Forest, we won 3-0 with goals from Gibson, Goodfellow and Stringfellow and I can still picture the crowds singing and chanting as we made our way to the Upperton Road. Unfortunately it was the last game my Dad went to as he passed away a few months later. I have a lot to thank him for.

I started to get to more games although it wasn’t easy from where I lived having to rely on public transport and tapping my Mum for some money to help me out ( I used to live in Dordon North Warwickshire-a born and bred cuckoo) but it was worth it to see my idols Graham Cross, John Sjoberg, Derek Dougan, Gordon Banks  etc  a magical time for football when every team in the first division had star players and I was fortunate to be around at this time to see the likes of Jimmy Greaves, Bobby Moore, George Best, Bobby Charlton and Dennis Law etc.

When Derek Dougan left Leicester for Wolves it was a sad day for me as I worshiped the ‘Doog’ but some years later I was fortunate to meet him and have a chat about football over a drink, a memory that I will cherish forever R.I.P. ‘Doog’ a true character and  legend.

Another sad memory was the day we got relegated from division one in 1969. We had lost to Manchester City in the F A Cup Final and it was after the final that we completed our fixtures and the final game of the season away at Manchester United where we had to win to stay up. I was actually standing in the Stretford end for this game and I had to control my jubilation as David Nish scored in the first minute but then Best, Law and Charlton took over and despite another City goal from Rodney Fern, it was all over and we were in the second division.

It was in this two season period that we spent in the second division that I started going to every home game and to loads of away games and we saw some exiting football at Filbert Street.

In the early seventies I think anyone that can remember will agree that at Filbert Street we were treated to a feast of entertainment. We didn’t win anything but it was a privilege to watch Leicester and Jimmy Bloomfield’s super stars, Weller, Worthington, Sammells, Birchenall etc. magic times. But after the good we had the bad and the Frank McLintock era that lasted one season tested my sanity and was probably the worst Leicester team I ever saw, but after McLintock left a new era dawned again and welcome Jock Wallace.

Jock Wallace transformed our club and was instrumental in bringing in one’ Alan Young’ I think you may know him, he was an ok striker , and of course the introduction of Gary Lineker probably the best goal scorer I have ever seen at our club. Indeed I think that the partnership he formed with Alan Smith was one of the best in football.

Over the years since I have been fortunate to meet many Leicester players and at a function organised by the’ Birch’ many years ago I was even asked for my autograph by a young fan, I will hasten to add that I was stood next to Frank Worthington at the time and it was his autograph the youngster wanted but it was mine she insisted on having much to the amusement of Worthington and the young girl’s father.

I have to mention my brother and my best friend Roy who has shared many of the moments over the years with me, and despite him having some bad times fighting cancer and losing a leg, through a football injury, still travels with me to the Walkers-sorry-The King Power Stadium.

Over the past few seasons we have all witnessed good and bad times at our beloved club but now we stand on the brink of what we hope will be magic times under Sven and our new owners and until the end I will be there—Leicester Till I Die.