Alan Birchenall, who is a club ambassador, has experienced the highs and lows over 40 years but reckons this season is something special
Walt Disney would have struggled to dream up Leicester's amazing rise from the third tier to top of the Premier League according to club legend Alan Birchenall.The Foxes ambassador and former City striker has been involved at the club for over 40 years since first pulling on their shirt in 1971.
He has never known such a buzz as Claudio Ranieri's men continue to defy the odds to the delight of their fans in dreamland.
Inspired by Jamie Vardy's goals and Riyad Mahrez's skills, unfashionable City have captured global attention.
And for Birchenall these are special times after crying in his car in May 2008 after a goalless draw at Stoke on the final day condemned City to League One.
Even last season, they looked set for a swift return to the Championship before winning seven of their final nine games to stay up under Nigel Pearson , drawing strength from their motto 'Foxes Never Quit'.
Birchenall reckons their exploits have put Leicester on the map more than the remains of King Richard III being discovered and then buried in the city.
Birchenall,70, told MirrorSport: “If Walt Disney was doing a film he wouldn't even contemplate this.
“A year ago we were seven points adrift of safety and it is about the whole story from whence we came to where we are now.
“As club ambassador I have seen everything – promotion, relegation, administration, going to the third level for the first time.
Action Images via Reuters / Jason Cairnduff
Reuters / Darren Staples
“People have been talking about Richard III but this season we have overtaken him. People have been
“We are in the best place our football club has ever been in.
“We have had people visit from China and America and our fan-base is growing by the minute.”
Leicester underlined their credentials with a deserved 2-0 home victory over Liverpool on Tuesday night to stay top with 14 games left.
They continue to get results with fast, attractive , direct football to rip into teams – especially at a packed , loud King Power Stadium.
Birchenall added: “I am based out of the training ground and I see the players - there is no cockiness.
“Sunday mornings on the park I like to see teams having a go and we have a go and play with care-free abandon.
In pictures - Leicester 2 - 0 Liverpool:
“Sometimes in football people come through with quality and class and I believe we can maintain it.”
Former non-League striker turned England ace Vardy, 29, scored both goals against Liverpool infront of Roy Hodgson – including a breath-taking volley.
He now heads the scoring charts with 18 to earn his latest new lucrative contract offer since joining from Conference champions Fleetwood in 2012.
Birchenall added: “You have to take your hat off to a lad who was at Fleetwood but is now stitched on for England in my view.
“If he was in his snore-bag this time last year dreaming and I'd had said: 'you are going to play for England next year, be top scorer and go 11 games scoring consecutively to break the League record', he would have gone: 'get lost Birch'.
“He is gives me stick around the training ground – he calls me the coffin dodger!
“But I would say definitely his goal is in the best five goals I have seen live.
“I played with and have seen some great strikers like Gary Lineker, Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and Eusebio but that goal has to be up there.”
Birchenall says City's ambitious Thai owners, who took over in 2010, the club's head of recruitment Steve Walsh and their fans also deserve huge praise.
He added: “I thought when we left Filbert Street we might not replicate the atmosphere but my goodness it has magnified – especially when Vards hit that volley.”
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