GIVE US A SIGN

On this day in 2003, at the start of the Leicester City and Wimbledon league match, each member of the home crowd was given a sign in club colours, which had "C" on one side and "F" on the other. The crowd was asked to show one side or the other of their sign to help the club officials decide whether the club was to have the appendage "City or Fosse" after the city name Leicester.
Leicester FC has been on the go since 1884, although originally known as Leicester Fosse, playing on a ground by the Fosse Road, (a Roman Road which marked the western border of the Roman Empire. It was originally a fossa or ditch-hence FOSSE bit of "Classical" learning for you). The club moved to Filbert Street in 1891.

Leicester adopted the name City in 1919 when Leicester was given "city status" and since then has moved ground a few times. 

I am proud to say that Charterhouse School 1st XI was lucky enough to play at Leicester City FC in the ISFA Cup Final in the modern era, a couple of times-very welcoming the Club was too. 

Now for some history.

The Foxes, having moved to Filbert Street in 1891 and being elected to the Football league in 1894, the club lost its first league game against Grimsby Town 3-4. The first league victory was over Rotherham Utd the following week at Filbert Street.The next season, which must have been a good one, the club was promoted to the First Division.

I think an FA Cup Final appearance in 1949, losing to Wolves 1-3, was a landmark, especially since the club just survived in Division Two, by winning a crucial league game a week later. They then won the Dvision title in 1954, with Arthur Rowley the leading goal scorer, whom you should know! he scored loads of goals.

The Foxes lost two FA Cup Finals in 1961 and 1963 and then in 1964 won the League Cup Final (the club's first silver ware) beating Stoke City and in the final the next year the Foxes lost to Chelsea. This was when their manager Matt Gillies produced the "whirl and switch" system of movement on the pitch, manufactured from the legendary Hungarians and Austrians international teams, from a previous decade or two. You inspiring coaches may wish to look this up.

The Foxes went to another FA Cup Final in 1969 and after a bit of messing around between divisions the club finally won another trophy, the League Cup in 1997 and 2000, being runners up in 1999.

In 2002-3 the club moved to the Walkers' Stadium after 111 years at Filbert Street. In 2011 they renamed the stadium "King Power" and by 2013-14 Leicester won the Championship, the seventh time of winning the "second tier", a record. The next period of the Foxes football success (Jamie Vardy and all that) is well known and may be found in previous blogs!!!!

They won the Premier League title in 2015-16, multiple book makers had huge pay outs! thanks to "The Unbelievables".

Leicester Fosse 1892.