Leagues 1 & 2 Discussion Thread 2008/9

[johntheclaret]

Here's one for Drebin

Thanks to the Guardain

Tour of third tier a success for Pearson as Foxes finally show signs of stability

With a blend of Premier League experience and England youth internationals, Nigel Pearson has taken Leicester City clear at the top of League One

At the start of the season supporters of at least one League One club were irked by the "Leicester City On Tour 2008/09" T-shirts on sale in the Foxes' club shop. With Leicester set for their first season in the third tier since joining the Football League in 1894, the implication was that this might all be a nice little jolly, a revivifying tour of the provinces ahead of their triumphant return to the West End.

Never mind that with regular home crowds of above 20,000 (Yeovil, at the other end of things regularly draw under 5,000), Leicester really should expect to be heading north again. League One is no walk in the park. The Foxes, however, had found a manager for the moment in Nigel Pearson, a man with an interesting CV and a progressive approach to a season of on-the-hoof reconstruction.

So far his team have been as good as their fans' T-shirts words. Last weekend's 3-0 win at home to Leyton Orient left Leicester four points clear at the top and nine clear of Millwall in third place. They've got history on their side too. For the last five seasons the team that has topped League One at this stage has gone on to win it in May. There's no reason to expect anything different here. This is a dressing room full of Premier League experience: Marc Edworthy, Steve Howard, Paul Dickov and Chris Powell have all played in the top tier.

There is a little more to it than simply a busload of old lags, though. The most significant paragraph in Pearson's managerial CV to date is his time spent as an FA coach. He was recruited in 2002 ahead of the Under-20 tournament in Toulon and spent time coaching every England Youth team from Under-16s to the Under-20 team. It shows, too. Vaguely troubling as it might be to contemplate some of England's finest young talent finding its level at the third tier, this has been the USP of the Pearson reign so far, as his Leicester have shown signs of becoming a rehabilitation clinic, halfway house and fame academy for past and present junior England internationals.

Matty Fryatt is the most obvious example. A forward of promise who seemed to have lost his way, right now he looks like perhaps the most interesting English striker outside the Premier League. Still only 22, Fryatt scored a hat-trick for England's Under-19s in the semi-final of the European Championships against Serbia and Montenegro in 2005 and found himself tentatively dubbed "the new Robbie Fowler" in some quarters (based on precocious goalscoring rather than style). He moved to Leicester from Walsall two years ago and scored just six times in his first 60 games. This season he has 23 goals in all competitions, including a run of 13 from 10 games in November and December. Linking up with Pearson, a coach who knows something of him from his FA days, turns out to have been just what he was waiting for.

There are others who have been through the system: Stephen Clemence played for England Under-21s. Matt Oakley was one of the great hopes of the 1990s at junior international levels. Plus, the players Pearson has introduced on loan this season are all young and English: Kerrea Gilbert, also of Arsenal, has played for the Under-19s, as has Jack Hobbs, borrowed from Liverpool. David Martin, also on loan from Anfield, has kept goal for the England Under-17, Under-19 and Under-20 teams. Mark Davis, also of Wolves, captained the U-17s.

English players, and particularly young English players, don't often get the chance to blaze a trail in a table-topping team, but all four of these loanees have made significant contributions, while Fryatt has been the headline act in the division and Oakley a key midfielder. It's all cautiously invigorating for a team whose recent history has taken in the familiar snakes and ladders of the ambitious mid-size, mid-tier club: the new stadium in 2002, administration the same year, the takeover by a populist multi-millionaire (Milan Mandaric) in 2007; and twin relegations: after dropping out of the Premier League in 2004, Leicester finally made the big drop into League One last year.

A change of manager last season, with Ian Holloway arriving midway through a run of one win in 11 league matches, only highlighted one of Leicester's biggest recent problems, the extraordinary turnover in the dugout. Get this: since Martin O'Neill left in June 2000, Leicester have had 10 managers, including six (Pearson, Holloway, Gary Megson, Martin Allen, Nigel Worthington and Rob Kelly) in the last two years.

Happily, the current manager looks like being one of their major assets. The real test for Pearson and the spine of his FA-approved and rubber-stamped team might come, you sense, at a higher level. Racing away with League One hasn't exactly been a springboard to greatness in recent times. Since the 2000-01 season only Plymouth and Wigan have managed to win the division without falling back down into it again. There seems no reason why Leicester can't have a happier experience.

[johntheclaret]

Yeovil 0 - 2 Leicester

Leicester moved seven points clear at the top of League One after breaking down stubborn resistance from relegation threatened Yeovil to win 2-0.
Already weakened by suspensions, Yeovil lost midfielder Gary Roberts in the 10th minute with a suspected broken leg but battled to keep a speedy Leicester attack at bay.
Matt Fryatt had two chances in the opening three minutes but both went begging and it was not until the 56th minute that the Foxes took the lead.
Mark Davies picked out Steve Howard on the left and the big striker drove home with the aid of a slight deflection.
Leicester introduced Tom Cleverley, on loan from Manchester United, for his debut six minutes from time and he laid on the clincher for Joe Mattock, another sub, two minutes from time.


Crowd of only 4,200.

[drebin]

Thanks JTC - good article.

[MatteeG]

Hopefully Thordarson can help get my Railwaymen back from the brink.. Great win over Scun.thorpe!

[drebin]

Another interesting development at the Walkers (LCFC for the uneducated! ) is that Milan Mandaric has given the green light for the fans to come up with a design for next years strip minus any shirt sponsor logo's. This is in line with the 125yr celebrations and to "return the shirt to the fans". It will be interesting to see what design / style is favoured and selected but the early mail is the fans want a plain strip reminiscent of the type worn in the 70's prior to shirt sponsorship etc.

This of course will mean having to shell out more money to get the new strip but at least the club stuck by it's word on the current shirt and kept it for two seasons although I personally hate the Topp's Tiles logo which looks like a poor man's spongebob square pants!

[johntheclaret]

Nice gesture.

I remember 3 or 4 years ago, Burnley didn't have a sponsor for the season and thier strip looked great without an ugly corporate logo splashed all over it.

I know that sponsorship generates extra dosh, but don't the kits look better without them.

Pat on the back Leicester City. I remember the team of the 70's. Great outfit, with some bloody great players, and I can understand why the fans would want to have the 70's strip.

[drebin]

Nice gesture.

I remember 3 or 4 years ago, Burnley didn't have a sponsor for the season and thier strip looked great without an ugly corporate logo splashed all over it.

I know that sponsorship generates extra dosh, but don't the kits look better without them.

Pat on the back Leicester City. I remember the team of the 70's. Great outfit, with some bloody great players, and I can understand why the fans would want to have the 70's strip.

What a pity we don't have the calibre of players like Shilton / Wellar / Worthington / Glover / Nish / Birchenall etc anymore

[johntheclaret]

Leicester v Oldham on the box tonight/ 5:15. Skysports

Don't know if you guys get CCC games or not.

[johntheclaret]

Snow has taken it's toll on League 1, with only Hartlepool and Tranmere games on. All others postponed. Leicester still on tonight

[johntheclaret]

Interesting game at the Walker Staduim last night. Oldham keeper sent off for what was a clear penalty, no doubt about that, but it was very disappointing to see a couple of the Leicester lads cheering when the ref pulled out the red card.

Maybe they got their rewards, as fatty, geriatric Dean Windass had to pull on the keepers jersey and Leicester missed the resulting penalty shot.

Oldham didn't have a reserve keeper on the bench, and whilst Leicester didn't really take advantage , Windass did ok. Oldham were denied a clear penalty themselves and actually had the better chances.

[Pidge]

Dean Windass in goal.

[johntheclaret]

Dean Windass in goal.

#You may laugh Pidge . But he kept goal for 40 minutes. Was a good choice in the end, as he is that fat he covered most of the goal without moving

[Pidge]

Dean Windass in goal.

#You may laugh Pidge . But he kept goal for 40 minutes. Was a good choice in the end, as he is that fat he covered most of the goal without moving

Position suited him. Less running.

[drebin]

Interesting game at the Walker Staduim last night. Oldham keeper sent off for what was a clear penalty, no doubt about that, but it was very disappointing to see a couple of the Leicester lads cheering when the ref pulled out the red card.

Maybe they got their rewards, as fatty, geriatric Dean Windass had to pull on the keepers jersey and Leicester missed the resulting penalty shot.

Oldham didn't have a reserve keeper on the bench, and whilst Leicester didn't really take advantage , Windass did ok. Oldham were denied a clear penalty themselves and actually had the better chances.

Saw it via the net and I agree JTC. If Fryatt (and a couple of others) had concentrated on Football instead of giving "lip" then we should have scored at the spot. Fryatt was too hyped up to take it IMO - Howard should have taken it as he has taken our last two spot kicks and scored.

Windass (and Oldham overall) did a good in getting a point considering it was 11 v. 10 for almost half the match.

[topsywaldron]

Here's one for Drebin.

And me.

Thanks JTC.

[johntheclaret]

Here's one for Drebin.

And me.

Thanks JTC.

Sorry Topsy. Didn't know you wee a Foxes fan.

[johntheclaret]

Leeds 1 -0 up at home to Millwall. 67 mins gone,

Beckford the scorer.

how the hell he managed to stay on the pitch after the thuggish elbow attack on the keeper is beyond me. officials must have seen it as he was given a yellow.

Poor, poor decision and Beckford is a lucky boy indeed, as the FA can't take any further action now. (Not that they would anyway goiing on previous recent history)

Att: Just under 20,000 not bad for a wet, cold Monday night against the animal farm.

[johntheclaret]

91 mins

leeds 2 - 0 Millwall

Beckford gets his 2nd,

Isn't it funny, that whenever a player shouldn't be on the pitch, they go and score. Millwall must rightly feel agrieved that Beckford wasn't shown a Red card.

[johntheclaret]

Result

Leeds 2 - 0 Millwall

Not the best of games and for the most was more like kick and run than pass and move. Leeds needed the win which puts them within 2 points of a play off spot, but Millwall still have 3 games in hand on those above.

Beckford scored a brace with 2 quality finishes, but spoilt it with his disgraceful and deliberate elbow to the face of the Leeds keeper. Having seen it again, it doesn't look any better

Table to follow

[johntheclaret]

Leicester City

Leicester have eased their goalkeeper crisis by signing Mark Bunn from Blackburn on a month's loan.
The 24-year-old will go straight into the squad for the League One leaders' clash at Hartlepool on Tuesday night, provided the Foxes receive approval from the Football League.

City boss Nigel Pearson turned to former Northampton keeper Bunn after David Martin (rib) joined Paul Henderson (groin) and Alex Cisak (wrist) on the injury list at the Walkers Stadium.
Rovers have insisted on a 24-hour recall clause for Bunn, who made his debut for Sam Allardyce's side in their FA Cup third-round victory at Blyth Spartans in January.