Yahoo News Top's ten-word Leicester City comment said it all as Premier League parade signals new era
The clock tower is one of the iconic places in the centre of the wonderful city of Leicester, so where better to have the latest party?
For the third time in the last ten years (it would have been four if it wasn’t for Covid meaning that one for the FA Cup wasn’t possible), the city came together to celebrate the latest achievement of its football club.
Just one year after the disappointment of relegation, Leicester City fans deserve to celebrate what has been a memorable season under Enzo Maresca. And they certainly did that.
Even walking toward the clock tower around three hours before the players made their way onto the balcony, the music was blasting signalling that the city was ready to party. All around the clock tower was already buzzing with people as they gathered to see their heroes one last time this season (and in some cases, the last time for good).
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For once, the English weather even co-operated. The sun shone down on the waiting fans with the atmosphere notching up every minute closer the buses were to their final destination.
Everyone craned their necks and held their phones up in the air to get a glimpse of the buses arriving. While it was still a bit of a wait before the players and staff made their way onto the balcony above the crowd, but it was worth it.
Maresca and chairman Aiyawatt ‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha led the way with the Championship trophy, followed by the squad. Jamie Vardy and Marc Albrighton were front and centre, as they should be, with the duo the only players remaining from the last parade in Victoria Park.
Led by Vardy, fans chanted for ‘10 more years’ for Albrighton, followed by the same chant for Vardy that has been sung for the last few months. Both were asked about their future, but remained coy.
In a moment that is rarely seen, Top also took the microphone and addressed the crowd, thanking them for their support. “We are back to the Premier League where we belong,” he said.
City will be underdogs for the upcoming campaign, especially with a possible points deduction. But that could be something that they could use, especially with the season going a long way to repairing the damage of just 12 months ago.
Last season felt like the connection between the squad and fans had somewhat been lost - it probably always happens when a team is relegated. But the celebrations over the last two days have shown that the connection is back.
Maresca looked genuinely surprised at the turnout - it’s not the first time that Leicester have held a bus parade, but this one felt different in some way. A feeling that we’ve got our club back, and a squad that cares, the celebrations since promotion just over a week ago tell you that.
Albrighton summed up the situation and the day in the perfect way - “What a club, what a City.”
