LEICESTER — The atmosphere turned sour before the game even began as Leicester City players were greeted with boos when they stepped onto the pitch, faced with vitriolic chants from their own supporters who shouted for the ownership to “get out of our club” following the team’s relegation to League One. What a stark way for Leicester City to mark the 10th anniversary of their iconic triumph in the Premier League.
It has been almost a decade since Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester, the 5000-1 outsiders, clinched the Premier League title, an achievement many would agree is the most astonishing in football history.
However, this time there was no elation or Andrea Bocelli serenading the fans; instead, there was a palpable sense of bitterness and frustration as club owner Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha stood in resignation while supporters chanted for the board’s dismissal after the final whistle.
Leicester manager Gary Rowett, who took over from interim coach Andy King in February after Marti Cifuentes’s departure, stated, “Relegation doesn’t happen over just a few games; it occurs over an entire season. We need to learn from this phase. The club must come to terms with this painful chapter in its journey.”
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Reflecting on the club’s recent struggles, Rowett noted, “Not long ago, this club was celebrating a Premier League victory — a peak moment for all associated with it. The team must rebuild, but lessons must be learned, as this season has indeed been filled with regret.”
Matt Piper, a former winger for the Foxes, described the relegation as the “worst” event in the club’s history during his commentary for Radio Leicester.
“Leicester is now in League One with a lack of clear leadership, which is concerning,” Piper remarked. “Without guidance, things deteriorate. This is an incredibly low point for the club, likely its worst ever. There’s a sense of confusion about the future.”
The romance of Leicester’s title win has faded, a reminder of football’s harshness, highlighted by the sparse crowd at King Power Stadium as Rowett’s squad was relegated after a 2-2 draw with Hull City.
Leicester now joins the ranks of Swindon Town, Southampton, Sunderland, and Luton Town as they face the difficult reality of back-to-back relegations from the Premier League to League One. Only Blackburn Rovers, champions in 1995 and relegated to League One in 2017, understand the humiliation of a former title-winning team facing the third tier of English football.
Next season will bring encounters with teams like Bromley, who were playing in the fifth tier when Leicester clinched the Premier League in 2016, along with local derbies against Mansfield Town and Burton Albion, marking a sobering transition for the club.
So where did it all unravel? Leicester’s 2016 title win was miraculous but was also the outcome of astute player recruitment and strong ambitions to be considered the best among the Premier League’s so-called Big Six: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, and Manchester City.
The squad that won the title was built not through lavish spending but by securing budget-friendly talents like N’Golo Kante (£5.6 million), Jamie Vardy (£1 million), and Riyad Mahrez (£400,000), who became club icons during Ranieri’s era.
When Kante and Mahrez later transferred to Chelsea and Manchester City for a combined fee of £90 million, the club’s financial model gained accolades from rivals big and small.
Following the tragic death of owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in a helicopter crash in October 2018, Leicester showcased resilience, achieving two fifth-place finishes under Brendan Rodgers and claiming the FA Cup title in 2021.
Nevertheless, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic began to surface, severely impacting King Power, a Thailand-based duty-free retail company, resulting in reduced financial support for Leicester. Recruitment errors compounded the situation, leading to increased losses that culminated in relegation from the Premier League in 2023.
Even though Enzo Maresca, one of six full-time managers since Rodgers’s departure in April 2023, initially guided the Foxes back to the Premier League from the Championship, cumulative losses of £201 million from 2022 to 2024 violated Premier League financial regulations. The EFL subsequently imposed a six-point deduction in February due to these financial breaches.
Entering the match against Hull eight points from safety, the six-point penalty was a significant setback, but with just two wins from 19 league games, it was not the sole reason for their relegation.
Leicester supporters have engaged in sustained protests against ownership and chief football officer Jon Rudkin, recently expressing frustration towards the players. After a loss to Portsmouth, fans chanted, “you’re not fit to wear the shirt,” as the players offered a meek acknowledgment.
Harry Winks, a £10 million signing from Tottenham in 2023, was seen in a heated exchange with supporters while boarding the team bus.
Winks faced hostility as he warmed up on the sidelines and was met with similar treatment when he entered the game in the second half. Just moments later, Oli McBurnie scored for Hull, sealing Leicester’s fate to relegation.
Despite a late resurgence showing some fighting spirit, the outcome meant Leicester succumbed to relegation with two games left in the season.
Looking ahead, the club’s future remains uncertain. The walls of the stadium still bear images of title-winning heroes Vardy, Mahrez, Kante, and Kasper Schmeichel, now serving as reminders of a fleeting yet glorious era.
Owner Srivaddhanaprabha cleared £124 million of the club’s debt earlier this year and is determined to stabilize the team, but he faces an uphill battle in regaining the fans’ trust, who stayed behind to protest outside the stadium after the match.
Chants of “We want our club back,” “what a waste of money,” and “King Power, get out of our club” resonated strongly. Ten years ago, they sang, “we are the champions,” but that chorus seems distant now.