Tony Elsby
New Member
And one day it came to pass that a footballing warlord from the north said "I'm leavin' this wondrous land and heading south into England to make my name and fortune."
And, far from the glamour of Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool, the place that welcomed this unknown "messiah" was Leicester.
And the man had a vision. He learned to love that city with its colour and vibrancy, the county's quiet and much understated places of beauty and that homely oasis of football the Walker Stadium.
And he pondered on how the outposts of Middlesbrough and Bolton and Portsmouth had put their names on the footballing map and he said "I shall rule in a new kingdom - I shall put the name of Leicester in capital letters on the maps of the footballing world.
And many laughed. They remembered how once, long ago, another from that northern land called Scotland - one Matt Gillies - had built a team which weaved wonderful footballing pictures and so nearly won the FA Cup and the Championship in the same season.
And he pondered on the also-Celtic spirit of Martin O'Neil who had introduced City as unlikely guests at the European footballing table only to nibble at the food before succombing to the magnetic embrace of Celtic.
But this new leader was his own man and he determined that he would ignore the assumption of parochiality that shrouded his adopted city and would bathe it in a light never previously known.
He would win the Premiership and, not only would he sit at Europe's table but he would find himself the toast of all who would sit alongside him.
And so it came to pass that he declared that his utopia would not be achieved by the signing of endless cheques but through his commitment and trust in the youth of our lands.
And all who join this adventure were asked: "And do you have the spirit to transcend all that football will demand. And do you have the bravery to exhibit your skills even in the most trying of situations. And do you have the energy to combat the pain of greatest endeavour. And do you love this game beyond all other things.
And so the standard was set. And so it came about. And Leicester became a pinnacle of footballing excellence over and above all logic and likelihood. All because a man had a vision. And all because a man had belief.
"The Prophet"
And, far from the glamour of Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool, the place that welcomed this unknown "messiah" was Leicester.
And the man had a vision. He learned to love that city with its colour and vibrancy, the county's quiet and much understated places of beauty and that homely oasis of football the Walker Stadium.
And he pondered on how the outposts of Middlesbrough and Bolton and Portsmouth had put their names on the footballing map and he said "I shall rule in a new kingdom - I shall put the name of Leicester in capital letters on the maps of the footballing world.
And many laughed. They remembered how once, long ago, another from that northern land called Scotland - one Matt Gillies - had built a team which weaved wonderful footballing pictures and so nearly won the FA Cup and the Championship in the same season.
And he pondered on the also-Celtic spirit of Martin O'Neil who had introduced City as unlikely guests at the European footballing table only to nibble at the food before succombing to the magnetic embrace of Celtic.
But this new leader was his own man and he determined that he would ignore the assumption of parochiality that shrouded his adopted city and would bathe it in a light never previously known.
He would win the Premiership and, not only would he sit at Europe's table but he would find himself the toast of all who would sit alongside him.
And so it came to pass that he declared that his utopia would not be achieved by the signing of endless cheques but through his commitment and trust in the youth of our lands.
And all who join this adventure were asked: "And do you have the spirit to transcend all that football will demand. And do you have the bravery to exhibit your skills even in the most trying of situations. And do you have the energy to combat the pain of greatest endeavour. And do you love this game beyond all other things.
And so the standard was set. And so it came about. And Leicester became a pinnacle of footballing excellence over and above all logic and likelihood. All because a man had a vision. And all because a man had belief.
"The Prophet"
