Leicester City Football Club

Lore & Background

The club was founded in 1884 as Leicester Fosse F.C, before they became known as Leicester City in 1919, coinciding with the city of Leicester gaining official city status. They moved to Filbert Street in 1891, were elected to the Football League in 1894, and moved to the nearby Walkers Stadium in 2002. The stadium was renamed to the present day King Power Stadium in 2011. Leicester City have won seven major trophies within the English football league system, including one Premier League, one FA Cup, three League Cups, and two FA Community Shields.

They are currently the sixth most successful team in English football since the turn of the century, as one of only five clubs to have won all three major domestic trophies since 2000. The club's 2015–16 Premier League title win attracted global attention, and they became one of seven clubs to have won the Premier League since its inception in 1992. Prior to 2015–16, Leicester's highest league finish was the second place in the 1928–29 First Division.

The club's longest period of time spent at the top level of English football came between 1957 and 1969. During these years, Leicester reached three FA Cup finals, competed in European football for the first time, and recorded their third highest ever league finish. The club have since participated in a further six European campaigns and two FA Cup finals, reaching the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals in 2016–17, winning the FA Cup in 2021, and reaching the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-finals in 2021–22. Leicester won the League Cup in 1964, 1997, and 2000 respectively, and were finalists in 1964–65 and 1998–99.

Reader's Guide

Leicester City Football Club was formed in 1884 by a group of old boys of Wyggeston School as 'Leicester Fosse'. The club joined The Football Association in 1890, moved to Filbert Street in 1891, joined the Midland League in 1891, and were elected to Division Two of the Football League in 1894. In 1919, after World War I, Leicester Fosse ceased trading due to financial difficulties and was reformed as 'Leicester City Football Club'. The club won the Division Two title in 1924–25, finished third in the First Division in 1927–28, and runners-up in 1928–29.

After relegation in 1934–35 and promotion in 1936–37, another relegation in 1938–39 saw them end the decade in Division Two. Leicester reached the FA Cup final for the first time in 1949, losing 3–1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers. They won the Division Two championship in 1954 and returned to Division One in 1957. Under Matt Gillies, Leicester reached FA Cup finals in 1961 and 1963, won the League Cup in 1964, and finished 4th in the First Division in 1962–63.

They reached the FA Cup final again in 1969, losing 1–0 to Manchester City. In 1971, Leicester won the FA Charity Shield for the first time. Under Martin O'Neill, Leicester won the League Cup in 1997 and 2000, and gained promotion to the Premier League in 1996.

Did You Know?

• Leicester City have won two FA Community Shields: one in 1971 and one in 2021.
• The club's record win is 13–0 against Notts Olympic in an FA Cup qualifying match.
• Leicester's longest period in the top division was 12 years from 1957 to 1969.