LOOK FORWARD - -LOOK BACK -- BURNLEY

LOOK FORWARD - LOOK BACK

BURNLEY 4^th OCTOBER 2014

　

LOOK BACK --- May 4^th 2008 was the darkest day in my time as a Leicester City supporter and without doubt the darkest day in the history of our football club as we slipped out of the championship to the depths of league one for the first time in our history.

Who would have dreamt, as we stood on the terraces at Stoke City watching Stoke celebrate promotion to the premier league; what a roller coast of a ride the next few seasons would bring, to us faithful foxes.

LOOK FORWARD --- Wind the clock forward to September 21^st 2014, and I am looking around the King Power Stadium at a full house, and our beloved football team are taking to the field of play to face the superstars of Manchester United in a premier league fixture . And as they say “ the rest is history “

Yes what a day, and what a game; It is incredible how our Football Club has risen like a phoenix from the flames, to reach the heights they achieved in beating Manchester United last Sunday. A tremendous performance from everyone, and in particular from our supporters who were definitely the twelfth man last Sunday.

Although everything we achieve is a team effort I believe special praise deserves to go to Jamie Vardy. Vardy epitomises to me everything our Football Club is about; With his never say die attitude and his constant determination to fight for a lost cause, he certainly is a fox who never quits! Take a bow Jamie Vardy.

LOOK FORWARD --- Next up at The King Power Stadium is one of our old foes from last season, Burnley. Without being disrespectful to Burnley Football Club they are probably one of the unfashionable Football Clubs, and playing Burnley doesn’t have the same mouth watering expectation as when we play Everton, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United; But Burnley are here in the premier league on merit and I expect them to provide another stern test for the Foxes.

Burnley are not awash with superstars but that doesn’t mean that they are going to be a push over and they arrive at The King Power Stadium still searching for their first victory in the premier league ( at the time of writing! )

 

Burnley have managed to gain three draws from their opening five games and suffered two defeats ( before their fixture on Sunday v West Brom away ) and they have only managed to score two goals so far.

Looking at the Burnley team and their most prolific players Danny Ings and Sam Vokes have both suffered injuries which hasn’t helped their cause, although they have recruited George Boyd from Hull to bolster their ranks. In midfield the likes of Dean Marney, Michael Kightly, David Jones and Matthew Taylor should keep our lads on their toes; and in defence Burnley can call upon ex Leicester loan player Ben Mee who should expect to start, and other stalwarts to choose from include Kieran Trip, Danny Lafferty, Michael Duff, Jason Shackell and Steven Reid. In goal Burnley can call upon Tom Heaton or Matt Gilks and also ex Leicester keeper Alex Cisak is in the ranks!

LOOK BACK --- Looking back at some Burnley stars of the past and some names spring to mind from my memory bank from many years ago. Jimmy Adamson, John Connelly, Alex Elder, Gordon Harris, Peter Noble, Brian Flynn, Ralph Coates and Frank Casper to name a few. But probably the one player that a lot of us will remember is Andy Locchead.

Locchead is one of many players that has plied their trade at both Burnley and Leicester but Locchead is the one who probably made the biggest impact when he joined Leicester from Burnley for £80,000 in October 1968. Locchead remains the last Burnley player to score 100 goals for the club. Andy Locchead was a bustling centre forward who took no prisoners but he could also play as well. He spent almost two and half years at Leicester and in that short time he notched a total of nineteen goals for City in fifty eight appearances. Lochhead scored a famous header at Liverpool in the F.A. Cup fifth round that helped City reach the Cup Final of 1969. But following relegation and the eventual rebuilding over the following months, Lochhead was transferred to Aston Villa.

Just for fun it is possible to name a decent team from players that have played for both Burnley and Leicester, so I had a go and came up with this team.

Gavin Ward: Joey Gudjonsonn, Michael Keane, Ben Mee, Frank Sinclair: Albert Cheesbrough, Neil Grewcock, Whinstone White, Ian Wilson: Andy Lochhead, Kevin Russell: subs Nathan Delfonso, David Nugent, Ade Akinbiyi, Alex Cisak

( Nugent is on the bench as he still plays for us and Michael Keane although a Burnley player has yet to play for them! )

LOOK BACK --- I have watched Burnley a few times over the years but the one game that will live in my memory more than others is the away game at Burnley last season; March 29^th 2014 and my first visit to Turf Moor. Leicester went to Burnley that day as leaders of the championship but Burnley were in second spot and breathing down our necks, and were unbeaten at home all season, so the scene was set for a memorable top of the table clash that would put the winner in a good position to win the championship.

Leicester took the initiative when former Burnley player David Nugent opened the scoring with a sublime curling shot that nestled into the corner of the net; and Chris Wood finished the job in the second half with an ecstatic strike in front of the blue army. It was a performance that day at Burnley that was fit for champions, and so it proved as City went on to clinch the title at Bolton. And the rest as they say , is history!

So a 2-0 defeat at the Palace and we are back down to earth, I am sure normal service will be resumed next Saturday at The King Power Stadium

Shout loud for the foxes

Alan ‘meashamfox’ Bennett

Leicester Till I Die

　

Look forward-Look back, Manchester United

 

 

LOOK FORWARD --- LOOK BACK

MANCHESTER UNITED 21 September 2014

What a cracking game that was against Arsenal at The King Power Stadium last home game. End to end exciting football and a performance that made all of us City supporters proud. Once again we just couldn’t do enough to gain all three points but we created the chances and the signs are encouraging. If the first three league games are the sign of more things to come this season, then bring it on

And what a tremendous result at Stoke which is no easy place to go, respect to the lads for a fantastic start to the season.

Our next home game is another mouth watering encounter, with Manchester United arriving in Leicester. United are going through a transition period having what was by their standards a poor season last term and they have stuttered again so far this season, recording a home loss to Swansea on the opening day and following that up with away draws at Sunderland and Burnley. Also suffering an embarrassing 4-0 deficit at the hands of MK Dons in the league cup.

So everything is not rosy at Old Trafford at the moment.

New manager Louis Van Gaal will want to turn things around quickly and he has been busy in the transfer window bringing in some new faces and letting some players leave.

Coming in to Old Trafford is Radamel Falcao, Daley Blind, Angel Di Maria and Marcos Rojo to add to the star names already assembled and I’m sure need no introduction. But to see world superstars just mentioned alongside Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie and Juan Mata and you can see that we are in for another exciting afternoon at The King Power Stadium.

 

Looking Back, Manchester United have always been crowd pullers and I have been fortunate enough to see some of the great United players in my time watching football. Bobby Charlton, Denis Law, George Best, Bill Foulkes, Harry Gregg, Nobby Stiles the list could go on and on and who could forget the night Manchester United beat Benfica 4-1at Wembley to lift the European Cup way back in 1968.

In those days United were ambassadors for English football but now they appear to be the team everyone loves to hate!

The earliest I can remember seeing United at Filbert Street was 13^th November 1965 and we were totally destroyed by United’s stars who handed us a 5-0 thrashing with goals from Herd (2) Best, Charlton and Connolly. In fact the one thing that sticks out in my mind from this game is when a black dog ran onto the pitch Gordon Banks dived to try and stop it, but the dog evaded the dive of Banks, just as United’s five goals did. United were a magical team to watch though!

United didn’t have it all their own way and I remember Saturday 23^rd November 1985 standing in the spion kop at Filbert Street and we completely tore United apart in the first half with a blistering display that was fuelled by our loan signing former United player Laurie Cunningham. Cunningham was making his debut for City that day and was instrumental in the game, and we ran out convincing 3-0 winners with two goals from Alan Smith and one from Gary McAllister. A win that helped us stay up that season. I also believe that was the last time we beat United in a league game at Leicester although we did beat them 2-0 in a league cup game in 1996.

The one game that stands out in my memory probably more than any other was my first visit to Old Trafford, Saturday 17^th May 1969, I was 18 years old and Leicester had just lost in the FA Cup final 1-0 to Manchester City and because of a fixture pile up this game was played after the Cup Final. It was the last game of the season and City had to win the game to avoid relegation and stay in the 1^st division. It was also Matt Busby’s final game as manager and the last game in a City shirt for our then record signing Allan Clarke. It was also memorable because I must have been the only Leicester supporter standing in The Stretford end that day! Went to the game with a friend who was a regular visitor to Old Trafford and so I ended up standing with him in The Stretford end, no colours on but I was wearing a Leicester pin badge!

Needless to say when City took the lead in the opening minutes with a David Nish penalty I didn’t make too much noise!

The joy was short lived for myself and the other travelling City fans as United took control of the game and stormed into a 3-1 lead with goals from Best, Law and Morgan. We weren’t disgraced though and went down fighting as Rodney Fern made the score line 3-2.

Lots of memories from clashes with United over the years and hopefully next Sundays game will be another memorable affair

Shout out loud for the FOXES

 

Alan’meashamfox’Bennett

Leicester till I die