FOXES AGAIN

On managing unfashionable Leicester City, at 5000/1 to become Premier League Champions, you would have thought that Claudio Ranieri would have a job for life. Nine months later, his employers were having higher expectations for the Foxes, but later Claudio's job was hovering on the "brink" and by 23rd February 2017, Leicester were in the Premier League relegation zone with their last league win and league goal way back in December.

On this day, his employers gave him "unwavering support" as his Vice-Chairman, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, described Claudio as "the most successful manager in Leicester's history", but eventually he had "lost the dressing room".  Claudio was sacked and the old Fox, Gary Lineker, commented that "it was gutwrenchingly sad".

Craig Shakespeare filled in with a "bounce" and for the next six games, Leicester won them all, surviving relegation, finishing mid-table (12th). Leicester hadn't manage six wins on the trot in their PL winning season!
Prior to this main event, Leicester had been Runners-Up in the First Division (top then) in 1928-9,
Second Division Champs seven times and Runners Up 2 and Play off winners 2 in their history. They have never been lower than Division 2.

In 2016, the Leicester City team and manager were awarded the BBC Sports' Team and Personality of the Year Awards.

In 1966, on this day, England played West Germany in a friendly at Wembley, 5 months before their World Cup Final triumph. There were nine potential World Cup winners in Alf Ramsey's choice of team, including Geoff Hurst's with his debut cap. Two players from this team didn't make the World Cup Final however, they were Keith Newton and Norman Hunter, later to be replaced by Ray Wilson and Martin Peters. (they never played in England's qualifiers or knock out rounds). Alf had a plan.

Nobby Stiles (below) scored the England goal in this 1-0 friendly win, the only international goal in his England career......
(below not Dracular)

Hurst 3 and Peters 1, of course, scored in the WC Final.