Convoy Returns With The Points

Barnsley 0, Leicester City 1, Saturday 28 April 2007

The sun was shining as a convoy of over 4000 Leicester fans made their way up the M1 for this penultimate game of the season. The coach company must have run low on vehicles as ours, one of over 20 that we counted, had a rattle in the roof, a broken air vent and the top speed of about 45 mph. But despite being overtaken (often) we made it to the motorway exit and waited for our escort to the ground… and waited….and waited. Not exactly the best planning by the South Yorkshire Police.

Eventually, after a tour of Barnsley’s backstreets, our coach trundles into the car park, …er I mean field outside the ground. We scramble our way past the queue for refreshments and take our seats in the North Stand. It’s hot. Some city fans have come prepared, wearing only shorts and sunglasses.

Before kick off the tribute to Alan Ball is very well supported. Unfortunately for the carnival atmosphere though, the first half offers little by way of excitement. City seem to dominate but few if any real chances develop. Still, we get to practice our singing and top up our sun tans.

The second half is more like it. Some four minutes in and Fryatt lobs the ball over the advancing Barnsley keeper and a desperate defender helps it into the net. The city fans go crazy. The Barnsley team gets a wake-up call. For the next 20 minutes we are on the back foot as Barnsley pile on the pressure.

But the introduction of Cadamarteri gives us some strength up front and we start attacking again. Only some expert goal-keeping prevents us from scoring twice more. But it is near the end of the game that the mood really brightens. Even if Barnsley get one back we’re still safe from relegation. Cue much singing and even more singing. And when we hear that Ipswich have equalised at Elland Road both sets of supporters start to wish Leeds on their way…down to League One.

So we return to Leicester as happy foxes ready for a few of Dave’s cold beers.

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Fear And Loathing In Carshalton

I caught the last 25 minutes of the Man United against AC Milan game tonight. I was watching in a pub in Carshalton. When United scored their winner just before the end everyone in both bars cheered very loudly – apart from me that is. Seems I was the only one who wanted the likes of Rooney, Giggs and that arrogant bastard Ferguson to lose. But then I was in Surrey!

Terrific

Preston North End 0 Leicester City 1, Saturday 21 April

We were on an open-top bus somewhere in central London when the match kicked off. Our only way of staying in touch with Deepdale and scores from elsewhere was to use WAP on our mobiles.

We eventually made it to a pub, but it is no less frustrating watching the goal alerts on Sky Sports News. Barnsley went one up, and then two up. Leeds were holding on. Still no news from Deepdale, cider nearly all gone, and then the pub unexpectedly shut! Bollocks.

So its back to the really dreadful hotel. I was supposed to be getting ready to go out on the town when I heard that Leicester had scored. I then had to wait until I’d seen confirmation on the BBC before I could relax, and dive under the shower.

It was a terrific result and made for a very happy evening. Shame London pubs seem to all close before midnight though! Roll on the Barnsley match. We’ve got tickets and Milan is paying for the coach .

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Thinking Of Preston

I’ll be in London on Saturday when the Foxes travel to Preston. Not sure how I’m going to get into sight-seeing and all that when my mind will be at Deepdale. Looks like I’ll be checking my phone every few minutes for the latest news. If Barnsley or Leeds win and we lose…

Big Effort But No Reward

Leicester City 1 Birmingham City 2, Tuesday 17 April

Playing your game in hand against a team chasing promotion was never going to be easy, but as we left the stadium, we were all thinking about what might have been….

Birmingham took to the field in what appeared to be a referee’s kit, and it seemed to work for them. All the first half decisions went in their favour, the actual ref appearing blind to the pushes and shoves on Leicester players. Despite this, all the early pressure was from Leicester. Indeed, we were beginning to wonder why Birmingham were at the top of the table, such was there lack of possession. But in possibly there first decisive move into the Leicester half Birmingham scrambled a goal from a corner. Minutes later, Birmingham had their second attacking move, this time cutting Leicester’s defence apart and making it 2-0.

At that point I feared a possible rout. But unlike the England cricket team, Leicester refused to collapse. For the remainder of the half we controlled the game, only let down by a lack of any good chances on goal.

If the first half was frustrating, the second half was nail biting. Birmingham never really threatened, and for the last half an hour they were forced to defend with everything they had (which seemed to include a generous portion of luck). The City fans really turned up the volume, keeping up a regular chant that was only broken by louder screams and gasps (yes, we came close on more than one occasion).

Hope came from a free-kick, expertly converted by Sean Newton. Indeed, he had an outstanding game, showing some excellent ball skills and a desire to take on opponents. Others all came close forcing a number of saves from the Birmingham goalkeeper. When the fourth official indicated four minutes of added time we were still hopeful of an equaliser. But in the end we simply ran out of time. We walked back to Granby Halls lifted by the effort of our team, but down at the reality of our situation. We are running out of games…

Super Start, Farcical Finish

Leicester City 1 Norwich City 2, Saturday 14 April.

Global warming returned again to the Walkers stadium as we baked in the unseasonal sunshine. Indeed with sunglasses and sunblock I was more prepared for the beach than football. On the pitch we got off to a real flyer. A passing move cutting through the Norwich defence ended in a goal after just 40 seconds, taken well by Darren Kenton.

Unused to seeing flowing football (even if it only lasted 40 seconds), and to Leicester taking the lead, our expectations were temporarily raised. However, normal play was resumed with a series of long balls and a Norwich near miss when Huckerby over hit a simple chip. But Leicester seemed to be making more effort than in some of our recent matches and were the deserved leaders at half time.

The second half started pretty much as the last one ended. A little scrappy in places and nothing to really test either keeper. But as the game progressed Leicester seemed to lose steam. Norwich looked an increasing theat and were perhaps unlucky not to get a penalty midway through the half. Maybe realising his mistake, the referee made amends a little later by awarding a spot kick for an alleged deliberate hand ball by a Leicester defender.

With the scores now at 1-1, Norwich were always the more dangerous; and just a few minutes later, their consistent pressure resulted in a Leicester own goal. Any hope or expectation that the new manager would bring us better fortunes were now out of the window. And that pretty much sums up Leicester’s efforts for what was left of the game. The players faded, the finish was a farce. But look on the bright side, the Birmingham match is next. Oh shit.

Blah!

Blah blah blah Manchester United blah blah blah premiership clubs blah blah blah Chelsea blah blah blah. Somebody put another record on please!

Milan Moves Manager For Norwich Match

Milan Mandaric has moved quickly in replacing Rob Kelly with Nigel Worthington. I guess Kelly’s days were always going to be numbered but most of us expected him to see out the season.
But will it make any difference? Teams can get a lift under fresh management so the Norwich match promises to be full of expectation. However, Worthington will have the same group of players. I just hope he can banish the long ball mentality and get them playing as a team. We’ll know soon enough. Time for a tasty meal of canaries…

Shameful

Plymouth Argyle 3 Leicester City 0, Monday 9 April

Ridiculous, farce, very very poor, worse than the QPR match. Just some of the ways BBC Radio Leicester described this Leicester performance. I prefer to use “total shit”.

Listening to the live commentary was tedious at best, and at times even embarrassing (and I was on my own at the time). If it really was worse than QPR then this has to be the most shameful Leicester performance ever. Those players who pull on a City shirt in our name should be deeply ashamed. They are paid very well for doing a job that most of us can only dream of. So a bit of effort is rightly expected. Yet what did they give today?

If we survive in this division then Milan will need to replace not only our manager but most of his mediocre team. What really worries me though is that on present form he will be paying to get us out of League One.

A Valuable Point

Leicester City 1 Derby County 1, Saturday 6 April 2007

Given where City are compared to Derby this was a very valuable point. But it was a game of mixed fortunes as Leicester were at their inconsistent best. Some poor defending at times, but also some very good defending. Some hopeless passing and some decisive passing. Even Jarrett, who was rubbish most of the match made the pass that led to Leicester’s equaliser. About the only really consistent thing about this game was the glorious sunshine, and of course the string of yellow cards.

But as local derbies go, this wasn’t a dirty game. Hard at times, but also scrappy. For a team looking to play premiership football next year Derby County will have to do better. Indeed, their goal was one of just a few shots they had all match. It was Leicester who pushed forward, forcing a string of corners in the first half and looked the more dangerous. If only some of our players weren’t so casual then we would have given Derby a better run for their money.

The Ram’s goal came not surprisingly from poor Leicester defending. But after the break the hot sun seemed to quieten their supporters, and make us want a cold beer. Our goal was well taken by Matty Fryatt, and hopefully it will signal his return to form. We left the match reasonably happy. Leicester didn’t lose, and Derby didn’t win. Baaaaaaa.