Now this video is from two years ago. Leicester City was in England's second division and were in the semi-finals of a four team playoff for the last spot to get promoted to the EPL. At this time, very few people knew who Leicester City was. Let's put the video into context. This is Leicester vs. Watford. Soccer's rules may be confusing but one thing was evident in this game, the next goal to be scored would leave one team going home and the other to the finals. Leicester earned a penalty kick in the last second of regular time, a goal sending them to the finals. The rest was history. Leicester, the team in blue, misses the kick, and within 10 seconds give up a goal to lose the match. This moment began Leicester's unimaginable story.
Leicester City at this point remains in the second division, the league called The English League Championship. But, the next season Leicester City dubbed champions, an automatic promotion to the EPL. Alas, after 10 years in the second division Leicester City is promoted.
Leicester City 2014-15 Graph league positions - Footipedia
The picture above shows Leicester City's position in the standings throughout their first season in the EPL. As you can see, not great. From November 3, 2014 through April 19, 2015 Leicester was in the relegation zone. In the history of the league, 8 teams have had less than 20 points in 29 games in the EPLand all 8 had gotten relegated. They spent TWENTY TWO straight weeks as the team in last place in the league. Yet, in truly Leicester ways, 4 wins of their first 29, and 7 wins of the last 9 games. Leicester, as the chart suggests, were able to avoid relegation and stay in the EPL.
Let's fast forward now to this season. Leicester are at 2000/1 odds to win the league. Leicester has hired a new coach, Claudio Ranieri. Ranieri, also known as "the tinkerman", has coached some of the biggest clubs in Europe and like many, expected another battle to stay away from relegation. So much so, that he promised that if the team were to get relegated, he would remain their coach in the second division. Yet, as Leicester seems to do, the season took a turn for the better. Leicester is currently sitting in first place in the EPL. A spot that not even the craziest fan would have ever dreamt of. Leicester is led by a forward who several years ago was playing semi-pro soccer. Jamie Vardy, who is not only breaking scoring records at the age of 29, is also a perfect example of who Leicester are. The club has had a spectacular run, and currently are the favorites to win the league!
Lastly, I am not a betting man, but any betting nut that took Leicester's odds at the beginning of the season is waiting for a very large payout!
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