Simpson and Okazaki leaving

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Jeff

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Supporters are invited to celebrate two distinguished Leicester City careers on Sunday 12 May as the Football Club bids farewell to title-winning duo Danny Simpson and Shinji Okazaki.

The pair will leave Leicester City at the end of their current contracts but depart having left indelible marks in the memories of all Foxes fans thanks to their contribution to the greatest era in Leicester City’s long history.

Simpson and Okazaki will now continue their playing careers elsewhere, but will be forever revered at Leicester City after helping the Club achieve the impossible – playing a combined 66 times in the 2015/16 Premier League title victory.

Simpson joined City in the summer of 2014 from Queens Park Rangers and has represented the Club across five memorable seasons – a period that began with a miraculous escape from relegation at the end of the 2014/15 season.

Okazaki joined Simpson in the Foxes squad the following season from FSV Mainz, and each went on to play a key role in the subsequent title victory. Simpson was a rock in defence alongside Wes Morgan, Robert Huth and Christian Fuchs, while providing the perfect foil for the marauding Riyad Mahrez on the right side.

Up front, Okazaki’s tireless running and dynamism helped link defence and attack for City, who relied heavily on the Japanese international in perhaps one of the most important and underrated roles carried out in that famous title-winning side.

The pair continued their Leicester City journey as part of the team that entered uncharted territory for the Club in its first-ever UEFA Champions League campaign in 2016/17. During that run, the Foxes faced Club Brugge, FC Porto, FC Copenhagen, Sevilla and Atletico Madrid in reaching the quarter-finals.

Simpson and Okazaki both started in City’s famous 2-0 last-16 second leg victory over Sevilla at King Power Stadium – undoubtedly one of the greatest nights in Leicester City history.

In total, Simpson has made 131 appearances for the Foxes while Okazaki has appeared 135 times, scoring 19 crucial goals. Both will leave a brilliant legacy at the Football Club, thanks not only to their achievements on the pitch, but through their connections with the fans and for their contributions to Leicester City’s work in the community across many important projects.

Danny and Shinji have been a vital part of the Club’s success and Leicester City would like to wish them every success in the next step of their journeys. They will be forever welcomed back at King Power Stadium as either opposition players or as friends of the Club.
 
Would be great to see one or both get a run out on Sunday, although difficult to bring both on and we still want to end with a win.

Both deserve to be well remembered by fans though. I still think Simpson replacing RDL in that team was a key part of the title win! Massively helped to make us more solid at the back, and freed up Mahrez to do Mahrez things (the good Mahrez things, not the sitting at the airport waiting for a transfer type of Mahrez things).

Farewell to both, hope they get some more success elsewhere now at the end of their careers.
 
Would adore to see them both have a run out on the last game. Both have been incredible servants to the club and I can’t wish them anything but my very best wishes. We call Silhinji ‘Shimoji’ at home and the kids will miss his big smile. Good times, happy days
 
Rodgers should let them both play the last 10-15 minutes. I know if we dropped a place because of it we could lose a £2million pound place bonus, but these guys made a major contribution to to our title season and Champions League season which was worth £120million upwards. We owe them lots.
 
Thank you Shinji and Danny. You were a huge part of something truly incredible.
 
Dunno. Call me cynical but no way would I have burned a sub on Simpson today.

Shinji was a rational sub that reflected the game. Simpson was purely nostalgic.
 
Dunno. Call me cynical but no way would I have burned a sub on Simpson today.

Shinji was a rational sub that reflected the game. Simpson was purely nostalgic.
Perhaps if there was something riding on the game, but there wasn’t. He deserved a final appearance as a send off.
 
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