[themaclad]

Leicester City v Preston North End
King Power Stadium 4/10/2023 19.45hrs

https://www.lcfc.com/?lang=en

https://www.foxestalk.co.uk/topic/133018...wednesday/

Ground



King Power Stadium (also known as the Leicester City Stadium due to UEFA sponsorship regulations and formerly known as the Walkers Stadium) is a football stadium located in Leicester, in the East Midlands of England. It has been the home of EFL Championship club Leicester City since 2002 and was the stage as the club famously lifted the Premier League title in 2016. The all-seater stadium has a capacity of 32,262 and since 2021 has also been the primary home of Leicester City Women.[2]

History
Background and construction
Leicester's previous stadium was at nearby Filbert Street, which had been their home since 1891. It was gradually upgraded during the 20th century and with the advent of the Taylor Report in January 1990 requiring all clubs in the top two divisions to have all-seater stadiums by August 1994, Leicester City's directors began to investigate building a new stadium during the early 1990s, but decided to take the redevelopment option by building a new stand on one side of Filbert Street and fitting seats into the remaining standing areas, giving the stadium a 21,500 all-seated capacity by the 1994–95 season.

Filbert Street's conversion to an all-seater stadium coincided with their promotion to the Premier League after a seven-year exile from the top flight, and with their relegation after just one season it appeared the 21,500 capacity would be adequate.

However, success in the late 1990s saw crowds rise, which meant virtually every game at Filbert Street was a sell-out by the end of the decade. Relocation was soon back on the cards; several clubs had relocated to new stadiums around this time, including fellow Midlands clubs Stoke City and Derby County.

Some parts of the ground – the East and North Stands in particular – were also somewhat outdated, which led the manager, Martin O'Neill to joke that when he showed Filbert Street to new signings he led them backwards out of the players tunnel to prevent them from seeing the East Stand.

In early 1998, plans were announced for a 40,000 all-seater stadium to be built at Bede Island South in time for the 2000–01 season, but they were abandoned on 5 January 2000. Chairman John Elsom vowed other options, including relocation to another site or even further redevelopment of Filbert Street, would be considered, hoping either option would have materialised by August 2002.[3]

The relocation option was soon settled upon, as plans were unveiled on 2 November 2000 for a 32,000-seat stadium at nearby Freeman's Wharf, with 2003–04 being the expected completion date, although it was suggested at the time relocation could happen at the start of the 2002–03 season.[4] Work on the stadium began in the summer of 2001, and by 10 October that year it was confirmed the new stadium would be ready for the 2002–03 season.[5]

The stadium was completed on time in the summer of 2002, ready for Leicester to take up residence for the start of the 2002–03 season. However, it was not an easy start at their new stadium as they had just been relegated from the Premier League and were more than £30 million in debt. The stadium is thought to have cost around £37 million to build.

MANAGER

Vincenzo Maresca (Italian pronunciation: [ˈɛntso maˈreska]; born 10 February 1980) is an Italian professional football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of EFL Championship club Leicester City.

After starting out at West Bromwich Albion in 1998, he went on to play for several clubs in his country, including Juventus, who loaned him twice for the duration of his contract, and with whom he won the league title in 2002. After being released in 2004, he went to play one season with Fiorentina; he then resumed his career in La Liga with Sevilla (where he remained for four years) and Málaga, appearing in 134 games and scoring 17 goals in the competition whilst winning five major titles with the former side; in between his two spells in Spain he also spent one year in Greece with Olympiacos, later returning to Italy in 2012, where he played until his retirement in 2017, totalling 140 appearances and 17 goals in Serie A.

Maresca represented Italy at youth level, including the Italy under-21 team, but was never capped at senior level.



LAST TIME OUT





Goals pay the rent



NEWBIES



FORM GUIDE

FOXES 18 PNE 13

WE'VE MET BEFORE



Even our keeper scored there



The Joy of Ex

Cannon, Mavididi and Iversen

CULTURE

Family were an English rock band, active from late 1966 to October 1973, and again since 2013 for a series of live shows. Their style has been characterised as progressive rock, as their sound often explored other genres, incorporating elements of styles such as folk, psychedelia, acid rock, jazz fusion, and rock and roll. The band achieved recognition in the United Kingdom through their albums, club and concert tours, and appearances at festivals.

Family's rotating membership during their relatively short existence led to a diversity of sound on their various albums. The group have been described as an "odd band loved by a small but rabid group of fans".

DEAD KINGS SOCIETY

The remains of Richard III, the last English king killed in battle, were discovered within the site of the former Grey Friars Priory in Leicester, England, in September 2012. Following extensive anthropological and genetic testing, the remains were reinterred at Leicester Cathedral on 26 March 2015.

Richard III, the final ruler of the Plantagenet dynasty, was killed on 22 August 1485 in the Battle of Bosworth Field, the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses. His body was taken to Greyfriars, Leicester, where it was buried in a crude grave in the friary church. Following the friary's dissolution in 1538 and subsequent demolition, Richard's tomb was lost. An erroneous account arose that Richard's bones had been thrown into the River Soar at the nearby Bow Bridge.

A search for Richard's body began in August 2012, initiated by Philippa Langley and the Looking for Richard project with the support of the Richard III Society. The archaeological excavation was led by the University of Leicester Archaeological Services, working in partnership with Leicester City Council. On the first day a human skeleton belonging to a man in his thirties was uncovered showing signs of severe injuries. The skeleton, which had several unusual physical features, most notably scoliosis, a severe curvature of the back, was exhumed to allow scientific analysis. Examination showed that the man had probably been killed either by a blow from a large bladed weapon, probably a halberd, which cut off the back of his skull and exposed the brain, or by a sword thrust that penetrated all the way through the brain. Other wounds on the skeleton had probably occurred after death as "humiliation injuries", inflicted as a form of posthumous revenge.

The age of the bones at death matched that of Richard when he was killed; they were dated to about the period of his death and were mostly consistent with physical descriptions of the king. Preliminary DNA analysis showed that mitochondrial DNA extracted from the bones matched that of two matrilineal descendants, one 17th-generation and the other 19th-generation, of Richard's sister Anne of York. Taking these findings into account along with other historical, scientific and archaeological evidence, the University of Leicester announced on 4 February 2013 that it had concluded beyond reasonable doubt that the skeleton was that of Richard III.

As a condition of being allowed to disinter the skeleton, the archaeologists agreed that, if Richard were found, his remains would be reburied in Leicester Cathedral. A controversy arose as to whether an alternative reburial site, York Minster or Westminster Abbey, would be more suitable. A legal challenge confirmed there were no public law grounds for the courts to be involved in that decision. Reinterment took place in Leicester on 26 March 2015, during a televised memorial service held in the presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury and senior members of other Christian denominations.

The remains of Richard III, the last English king killed in battle, were discovered within the site of the former Grey Friars Priory in Leicester, England, in September 2012. Following extensive anthropological and genetic testing, the remains were reinterred at Leicester Cathedral on 26 March 2015.

Richard III, the final ruler of the Plantagenet dynasty, was killed on 22 August 1485 in the Battle of Bosworth Field, the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses. His body was taken to Greyfriars, Leicester, where it was buried in a crude grave in the friary church. Following the friary's dissolution in 1538 and subsequent demolition, Richard's tomb was lost. An erroneous account arose that Richard's bones had been thrown into the River Soar at the nearby Bow Bridge.

A search for Richard's body began in August 2012, initiated by Philippa Langley and the Looking for Richard project with the support of the Richard III Society. The archaeological excavation was led by the University of Leicester Archaeological Services, working in partnership with Leicester City Council. On the first day a human skeleton belonging to a man in his thirties was uncovered showing signs of severe injuries. The skeleton, which had several unusual physical features, most notably scoliosis, a severe curvature of the back, was exhumed to allow scientific analysis. Examination showed that the man had probably been killed either by a blow from a large bladed weapon, probably a halberd, which cut off the back of his skull and exposed the brain, or by a sword thrust that penetrated all the way through the brain. Other wounds on the skeleton had probably occurred after death as "humiliation injuries", inflicted as a form of posthumous revenge.

The age of the bones at death matched that of Richard when he was killed; they were dated to about the period of his death and were mostly consistent with physical descriptions of the king. Preliminary DNA analysis showed that mitochondrial DNA extracted from the bones matched that of two matrilineal descendants, one 17th-generation and the other 19th-generation, of Richard's sister Anne of York. Taking these findings into account along with other historical, scientific and archaeological evidence, the University of Leicester announced on 4 February 2013 that it had concluded beyond reasonable doubt that the skeleton was that of Richard III.

As a condition of being allowed to disinter the skeleton, the archaeologists agreed that, if Richard were found, his remains would be reburied in Leicester Cathedral. A controversy arose as to whether an alternative reburial site, York Minster or Westminster Abbey, would be more suitable. A legal challenge confirmed there were no public law grounds for the courts to be involved in that decision. Reinterment took place in Leicester on 26 March 2015, during a televised memorial service held in the presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury and senior members of other Christian denominations.

Who’s Available?

Ryan Lowe confirmed in his pre-match press conference that he has no fresh injuries in the squad to worry about.

Ched Evans is due for a scan later in the week and will see a specialist next Monday, and all being well he could be made available for full-contact training.

Emil Riis is already in training and back with a ball at his feet, but these next two games will come too soon. The Danish forward could potentially be ready for action after the international break.

Opposition Focus


Following relegation from the Premier League last season, Leicester City were considered favourites to win the Championship before a ball was kicked, and their start to the campaign will have done nothing to change people’s minds.

Still with a number of players who have spent years in the top flight, the Foxes have also introduced some new faces, as well as having a new man in the dugout in Enzo Maresca.

The former Manchester City coach has made a flying start to life in Leicester, leading his new team to eight wins from their opening nine matches.

Match Officials

Referee: Thomas Bramall
Assistant Referees: Richard West and Steven Meredith
Fourth Official: Gavin Ward

Thomas Bramall will referee Wednesday night's fixture, replacing Darren England who was initially set to be referee at the King Power Stadium.

Bramall last took charge of a PNE match in February when Ryan Lowe's side beat Wigan Athletic, and so far this season he has shown 22 yellow cards and one red in six matches.


MACS VIEW

Evening motorway journeys, my favourite, bit different, not been to the King Power and never been to Leicester so a first, free hit of a game, if they don't get over 100 points this season will be surprised, need to play better than Saturday given the standard of the opposition hopefully we will expect changes. Over 2000 going should be fun

[themaclad]

Leicester City 3 Dewsbury-Hall 2 Ihennacho Preston North End 0

Leicester City line-up: Hermansen; Pereira, Faes, Coady, Justin (Choudhury, 79); Ndidi (Casadei, 87), Winks, Dewsbury-Hall; Fatawu (Albrighton, 88), Vardy (Iheanacho, 62), Mavididi (Yunus, 62). Subs not used: Stolarczyk, Souttar, Daka, Marçal.

PNE line-up: Woodman; Potts, Whatmough, Lindsay, Cunningham; Millar (Stewart, 84), Whiteman, McCann (Mawene, 78), Brady (Best, 77); Holmes (Woodburn, 78); Osmajić (Keane, 66). Subs not used: Cornell, Bauer, Ledson, Frøkjær.

Attendance: 30,380.

Referee: Mr T Bramall

Having arrived home just before 3 am the welcoming thought I would be getting on a coach in another 52 hours before an even longer journey, the joy.
For an hour we were more than in this game, got our tactics spot on however once the gol went in that was that and actually thought the third goal was as good as it gets.
First ever visit to Leicester, interesting place, nightmare for traffic esppecially road works(more of that later). Always wanted to know were the Ladyboys Sauna was, mission accomplished.
Decent stadium, went fot the usual pre match walk around the ground, away from the concourse were the coaches land, next too the river and in the area were the main entrance is situated, is quite peaceful a lot quieter, even here birds singing in the nearby trees. They also have a garden of remeberance next to the river.
Inside up stairs deent seats decent view and a pitch that green thumb would turn into a lush 8ft green carpet.
No Browne or Storey both ill, Hughes injured. Whatmough, Cunningham came in at the back and Whiteman also returned.
As per City dominated the ball for the vast majprity of the time, with defender Faes probably having more touches of the ball then anyone else, we parked the bus for the first 20 minutes or so, defended in depthn and generally kept tghem out, they were a danger on either flank were they had two speedy wide men.
Then started to make incursions into their half and began to cause them a few worries, never looked like scoring mind you neither did they. Rarely saw Vardy barely had a kick, on the stroke of break we should really have scored, Holmes played in advanced on goal and shot wide of the near post.
Similar pattern in the second half again Holmes had an effort from outside the box well saved by the keeper and we forced a couple of corners


One thing about City was the ability to take advantage of any mistake, also their speed on the break and on the hour the mistake came, McCann lost the ball pass to Dewsbury-Hall scored from virtually the same position he had scored against the Plastics on Sunday. At that point City took of Vardy and brought on Ihennacho as you do.
From then on in it was damage limitations, another move down the right simple tap in for Ihennacho. Then we made a triple substitution two were unexpected, Mawene and Woodburn came on and Best also came on for Brady who seemed to be injured(again)
Woodburn had a goal disallowed he dispossed Faees and fired home didn't see anything wrong with it. The new players brought energy and we pressed a lot further up the field, however the third was to arrive, Ihennacho outside of his left foot 60 yard cross field pass to Albrighton ball into box, Woodman made a tremendous save to den Ihennacho but the ball ran toDewsbury- Hall and that ladies and gentement was it.
As I put decent for an hour but they will win the league no doubt about it


Goalscorer Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall told BBC Radio Leicester:

"We knew what sort of game it was going to be, they're doing well in the league and have a style of play they're pretty good at.

"In the first half they frustrated us a bit, we didn't get many chances with their two banks of four but then at half-time we changed formation.

"Once we got the first goal it opened up a bit more and then we could show more of what we're like.

"It was a really rewarding win and a great game for us to get a bit of daylight between us and third [place]. There's a certain way of playing against that sort of team, you have to be patient."

Preston manager Ryan Lowe:

"It was definitely harsh. I thought we were fantastic for 50-odd minutes until they scored the first goal, which was disappointing on our behalf - we go to ground when we could probably have intercepted it.

"We didn't have much possession but I can't fault the effort. Late on we were out on our feet a little bit, which was expected.

"They have got a player in Dewsbury-Hall who shouldn't be playing at this level. But we didn't fear them, we respected them.

"They are normal human beings but they have got different qualities to most in the Championship."



The journey home lasgted a while to say the least, road works at the M1 junction meant it tooks us 90 minutes to actually rreach the M69, went via Coventry/Birmingham and the Toll Road on the way home. MAGIC