“Leicester’s rise has surprised me and reminded me of the BPL’s unpredictability and the physicality of the league,” said Bartlett. Leicester were at the bottom of the BPL at the end of March last season, but at the time of going to print were at the top of the Premier League with the chance of winning what has been described as the greatest fairytale football story of all time.
In light of the scrutiny football has faced in the last 15 years due to the substantial role that money occupies in the game, Bartlett explained the significance of Leicester’s rise: “It has broken barriers and stereotypes within football, and shows you that it doesn’t necessarily mean that it if you have money or the best players, you’ll have success. You can build a team around individuals that have the hunger to succeed and aren’t afraid to grind out results.” No team has ever been promoted from the Championship to the Premier League and gone on to win the league within a three-season time span. Relegation seemed a certainty for the team in March last year, but a run of four wins out of five games in April and an unbeaten run in May saw Leicester finish a respectable 14th with 41 points.
Nigel Pearson, who was their manager at the time, was hailed as a miracle worker when he managed to keep Leicester in England’s top tier football competition by avoiding the drop. Pearson parted ways with the club after his second spell in charge and was replaced by ex- Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri. Ranieri has defied the odds in his contribution to Leicester, something Bartlett describes as “a tremendous job of motivating”, and has led them to the top of the BPL with the possibility of rewriting the team’s history.
Pivotal to Leicester’s success so far this season has been the performances of the dynamic duo of Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy, who have combined for 35 league goals, with Mahrez who contributing 11 assists along the way.
According to official Premier League statistics, Leicester had the fourth best defensive game in the league, topped by Spurs, Manchester United and Arsenal who conceded less goals.
When asked about the impact Leicester has made by beating more traditional football teams, Bartlett responded by saying, “It goes back to that ‘unpredictable’ tag. I saw how West Ham beat Arsenal and Liverpool away from home. It was in this moment that I was reminded that on the day they play, every team has to show up and earn the right to win the game. Leicester have done this all season, no matter who they’ve faced.”
Leicester has used their underdog status as their greatest asset to put football in a new light for football fans around the world: “The very real possibility of Leicester winning the Premier League will probably mean more to their fans than the players,” said Bartlett.
Image: Shen Scott
