Leicester City
Expectations adjusted under Taylor's reign
Useful information
Striking hope: Stan Collymore in action for Leicester during a pre-season match last month
Photograph: MICHAEL COOPER/ALLSPORT  |
Summer summary: There has seldom been a dull moment at Filbert Street recently, a theme continued with the departure of Martin O’Neill to Celtic, signalling the end of four and half years of a passionate and mostly requited love affair with the club and its supporters. "Well, that was yesterday’s news" is the attitude of the board and players, confirming the ephemeral nature of all things football.
Transfers in: Gary Rowett (Birmingham City) £3m; Callum Davidson (Blackburn Rovers) £1.7m; Trevor Benjamin (Cambridge City) £1.5m; Simon Royce (Charlton Athletic) free; Ade Akinbiyi (Wolverhampton Wanderers) £5m.
Transfers out: Pegguy Arphexad (Liverpool) free; Theo Zagorakis (AEK Athens) free; Ian Marshall released.
Looking forward to: An extended Uefa Cup campaign.
Worried about: The travel arrangements should that campaign get into its stride. Their last venture into Europe three seasons ago brought unmitigated failure — elimination by Atletico Madrid in the first round — but not before hundreds of fans apparently suffered at the hands of a rather ill-prepared travel firm.
Tactical profile: With Gillingham, Peter Taylor favoured a 4-4-2 system that is almost anathema to Leicester’s players, weaned on O’Neill’s 3-5-2 methods. However, the indications are that Taylor will persevere, with Ade Akinbiyi’s pace to the fore.
Style: Come again?
One thing they need: A new stadium.
Fans’ gripe: An appalling lack of decent pubs near the ground.
Fans’ big wish: The return of Barrie Pierepoint and his "Gang of Four" to give them something to whinge about closer to their hearts.
Up-and-coming prospect: Simon Royce, a goalkeeper signed on a free transfer from Charlton Athletic, is highly regarded and is expected to push Tim Flowers for the No 1 spot.
Manager’s quality: Southend, Maidstone, Dartford and Dover are some of the less salubrious locations on Peter Taylor’s managerial CV. His success with the England Under-21s (before his dismissal with indecent haste) and promotion with Gillingham from Division Two last season suggest he is not only adroit at controlling a variety of players of differing backgrounds and bank balances but that he can succeed in adversity.
New signing potential: The £11 million received for Emile Heskey from Liverpool has all but disappeared. Sink or swim with this lot, basically.
Potential of their new signings: Steady rather than sublime is the Leicester way, and a brief perusal of the summer arrivals suggests tradition is being adhered to. Akinbiyi has a good track record outside the Premiership but he scarcely set Molineux alight with the quality of his outfield play or the nature of his goals.
Overheard in the bar: Showaddywaddy’s Greatest Hits. Stefan Oakes, the Leicester midfielder, is the son of Trevor, guitarist with the locally based Glam Rock band of the 1970s.
Hollywood actor most likely to star in Leicester City, the Movie: Lassie, a scruffy mutt with no discernible character but one who manages to steal the show and win over admirers when the big bad guys from London and Manchester come a-threatening the East Midlands ranch. A canine with winning ways.
Where it all went right last time: Mutiny in the boardroom, revelations of a Filbert Gate scandal with secretly recorded audio tapes at meetings merely galvanised the side to greater heights. Allegations of irresponsible ticket distribution (later proved) and dull and negative tactics (not proved) then heralded a Worthington Cup final victory.
Prediction: A top-half finish has been almost taken for granted by Leicester fans for the past four seasons. They may have to lower their expectations, not because the team lack O’Neill’s presence or motivational skills but because familiarity may be breeding contempt from their adversaries. 13th.
DAVID MCVAY
Useful information
Squad: 1 Tim Flowers; 2 Gary Rowett; 3 Frank Sinclair; 4 Gerry Taggart; 5 Steve Walsh; 6 Muzzy Izzet; 7 Neil Lennon; 8 Robbie Savage; 9 Darren Eadie; 10 Stan Collymore; 11 Steve Guppy; 12 Simon Royce; 13 Arnar Gunnlaugsson; 14 Callum Davidson; 15 Phil Gilchrist; 16 Stuart Campbell; 17 Stefan Oakes; 18 Matt Elliott; 20 Trevor Benjamin; 22 Ade Akinbiyi; 24 Andrew Impey; 25 Stuart Wilson; 27 Tony Cottee; 28 Lawrie Dudfield.
Stadium: Filbert Street
Capacity: 21,500
Address: Leicester LE2 7FL
Telephone number: 0116-291 5000
Clubcall: 09068 12 11 85
Official website: www.lcfc.co.uk
Standard site with inelegant navigation. Authoritative news reports, ticket information, online games and video clips of the season’s highlights — of the 1996/97 season!
Unofficial site: www.forfoxsake.com
Forfoxsake has a number of good features for supporters, such as news bits, interviews with the players and staff, and a guide to away supporters.
Manager: Peter Taylor
First-team coach: Steve Butler
Chairman: John Elsom
Ticket details: 0116-291 5296 (credit card hotline); 0116-291 5232 (inquiries); 09068 12 10 28 (24hr information)
Ticket prices: £17-£31
Cheapest/most expensive adult season ticket: £310/£530
Recommended radio station: BBC Radio Leicester 104.9 FM
Programme: £2.50
Fanzine: The Fox
Cost of adult replica shirt: £36.99
Training ground: Middlesex Rd, Aylestone
Directions to ground: A mile from Leicester train station, from which no buses run directly to the ground. Exit the M1 at Junction 21; the ground is near the River Soar and close to the rugby club.(No jokes about which team punts the most high balls, please.) Or you could follow the trails of depressed fans mourning the departure of Martin O’Neill.
Pubs near the ground: Nag’s Head and Star, 72 Oxford Street; The Victory, 21 Aylestone Road.
