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Leicester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers do have a grand history of players in both camps. relatively close distance between the two cities also made it possible in earlier days to see players moving across to see special transfers taking place.
The Leicester record transfer buy of Ade Akinbiyi for £5.5million can of course be seen as the major move between the two clubs, but there also other specials to consider.
Going back to World War II few knew about the Billy Wright. Leicester played games during the war and the young England and Wolves captain to be appeared as a guest player. Yes, he wore a Leicester City shirt and played for the club at numerous events during those years between 1940 and 1945.
Derek Dougan had a “nomad” lifestyle before eventually moving to Leicester City and later to Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he became an icon in a team build up by Bill McGarry, turning out together with George Best for Northern Ireland and being well thought of both as a fox and a wolf.
Richard Stearman left Leicester City to join his boyhood club, signing for Wolverhampton Wanderers after coming through the ranks at Leicester City. The England U.21 international played a key part in the team at Molineux when Mick McCarthy had a role as manager.
Steve Claridge who in a very short while managed to win the hearts of Leicester City fans with two legendary goals, firstly winning the play-off against Crystal Palace and clinch promotion, and just a few months after scoring that goal at Hillsborough that became the winning goal in the EFL Cup final replay. Claridge joined Wolves from Leicester City and had a brief spell in yellow being a clear example of his nomad lifestyle in football.
Tim Flowers started his career at Molineux and actually finished it at the same stadium, being given the opportunity to play in that final game for Leicester City taking place in Wolverhampton. Flowers was a good goalkeeper, winning the league at Blackburn Rovers, and later being in goal for Leicester City when they picked up the EFL Cup winners medal at Wembley in that 2000 win v. Tranmere Rovers.
Should also mention Mike Stowell, who had a glorious career at Wolverhampton as a goalkeeper and has spent most of his goalkeeper coaching career with Leicester City and been at the club for more than 15 years. Not a player in both camps, but probably the one spending most time at “both clubs” all together.
A list of players in both camps,
- Goalkeepers
- Tim Flowers
- Karl Ikeme
- Defenders
- Richard Stearman
- Bob Hazell
- Jamie Clapham
- Lawrie Madden
- Mark Venus
- Midfield
- Mark Davies
- John Farrington
- Billy Wright
- Neville Hamilton
- Steve Corica
- Forwards
- Derek Dougan
- Ade Akinbiyi
- Steve Claridge
- Dean Sturridge
- Wayne Clarke
- David Connolly
- Jim Melrose
- Iwan Roberts
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