Topic: Leicester City : Premier League Champions

Leicester City ,what can you say?With Spurs drawing tonight with West Brom it leaves Leicester needing 1 win from their remaining 3 games. How fitting it would be if they can win it at the home of 20 times champions Man United.They have 3 tough games coming up ,United away ,Everton at home then Chelsea away so it's not certain yet but with Spurs away to their local rivals Chelsea next week Leicester might not even need the win.

The greatest achievement in the history of team sports? I think so,there's nothing comparable really. I read a good article on the BBC the other day,about an English man who lives in the US and him trying to describe to Americans what the equivalent would be with their sports and they couldn't think of one.

6 years ago playing in the 3rd tier,2 seasons ago in the 2nd tier,last season rock bottom and only survived by the skin of their teeth,this season favourites for relegation,5000/1 to win league, a team of rejects assembled for 20m ,top scorer who was playing non league football 5 years ago, a loveable manager who has always been a nearly man,it goes on.In the modern era where money absolutely dominates this should not be acheivable .If it was a Hollywood movie ,it would be slated for being too far fetched.

Just incredible!

I'm surprised I never got any replies when I wrote this last week.Surely there's some football fans in here interested in this remarkable story?

So the fairytale became reality yesterday as Tottenham Hotspur's faint title hopes were ended in an ill tempered match at the ground of their bitter rivals and reigning champions Chelsea,despite leading 2v0 at half time.A result which means Leicester City the 'little club' from the midlands are the new champions of the richest league in the world.Just extraordinary!

5000/1 for the title at the beginning of August and even as late as September,basically the bookmakers way of saying it's impossible.Hugh Hefner revealing he is a virgin is only 1000/1,so Leicester's triumph was deemed 5 times more unlikely than that improbable scenario.In fact them being crowned champions was at the same odds as Elvis being found alive..... on the moon.

It could change the mind-set of the smaller clubs from now on.Why aim for mediocrity and the odd cup run when with hard work and determination,anything is possible?Every club should now be thinking "well if Leicester can do it,so can we". They've torn up the football rule book,winning the title with a squad of cast offs,free transfers,bargain basement buys.Winning games consistently despite having less possession than their opponents and the lowest passing accuracy in the league.

Now lets see if they can go on and emulate the great Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest side of the late 70's,early 80's by winning the next 2 Champions League's.Highly unlikely they'll win it once,some would say "impossible" to do it twice but I bet you wouldn't get as long as 5000/1 on it happening.

The greatest sporting triumph of our lifetimes!

^Odd and betting doesn't work like that, they are calculated by how people are betting rather than working out all viable fators so that way they never go out of pocket in every outcome and it's also why England have better odds than they should in tourneys as the nations bets on them which shortens the odds incase of a payout despite being useless.

@jump: I wasn't sure how odds are determined.I know they fluctuate depending on how people are betting but the odds still need to be determined before the books open.I assumed they were initially determined by offering shorter or longer odds than the statistical probability of it happening?I'm no gambler though so I really don't know.

The last game of the 2003/04 season, Arsenal come from behind to beat Leicester City 2-1, ensuring they go the entire season unbeaten, W26, D12, L0, game 40/49.
At the time, who honestly would have said that Leicester would win the Premier League before Arsenal did again?

@G0dlike: I think it's safe to say,absolutely no one.At that time no one would have even predicted Man City would go on to be champions before Arsenal but they only achieved it by spending huge sums of money.It's just a great story and one I'm so happy to have witnessed.

It reminds of Tijuana's local team. They surprised everyone winning the league the same season they got to first tier. But then again, Mexico's league isn't as competitive as the Premier League and... After more than 100 years? Wow.

Congrats to the Leicester's guys.

Just to mention - the manager, Ranieri, is from my city.
Leicester FC wins the premier league. Radiohead just released a new single and it's A TUNE!!
definitely a week to remember in GB.

@Freeon-Leon: Its great when it happens bit sadly its a rare occurence.I'm from Scotland and we had little Aberdeen in the late 70s,early 80s managed by Alex Ferguson.They toppled the dominance of the Old Firm of Rangers and my club Celtic and managed to sustain it for a few years winning a few titles,national cups then the Cup Winners Cup and Super Cup beating Real Madrid in the final of the former. What an incredible achievement that was but one that'll never happen again.

@spizzamarozzi: Nice one. The guy is a class act. I always thought he got treated unfairly by Chelsea. The Tinkerman,The Nearly man but now Premier League Champion and national treasure. I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the Queens honours list at the end of the year.Arise Sir Claudio.

Love Radiohead,one of my favourite bands but I haven't been keeping up with them these last few years.In Rainbows was the last album I bought from them. Not sure why but I've never listened to King of the Limbs,need to change that.

@OorWullie: On top of Leicester City winning the Premier League (hooray!), you also have the English 'big boys' Manchester United and Chelsea not making the Champions League for next season.

And, as of yesterday evening, Liverpool have risen from the dead in European football to make it to the final of the UEFA Europa League, along with a potential Champions League place too.

This has been an absolutely outstanding season for a neutral football fan!

@Peek-a-boo: It's been incredible to watch,best season I can remember.

There may be some twists left yet in the race for 4th though.I wouldn't rule out United yet or even West Ham making 4th because of the fixtures left. City have to play Arsenal next,if they drop points and United win their last 3 then they get 4th.Arsenal need to go for it too as they can still finish 2nd or 4th.Alternatively ,if City lose to Arsenal or pick up no more than 3 points from their next 2 and West Ham win their next 3 they will finish 4th. They play Man United at home next week,their last ever game at the Boleyn Ground. What a send off that would be.A top 4 of Leicester ,Spurs ,Arsenal and West Ham would be superb to see.

Liverpool v Sevilla should be a cracker. Sevilla are most succesful UEFA/Europa Cup club with 4 wins,Liverpool joint 2nd on 3 wins. Sevilla also going for 3 in a row which has never been done before. A couple of nice sub-plots to add to the game. A win for Liverpool and Champions League qualification and Klopp can take them to the next level. Massive game for them. Can't wait !