From Leicester City to retirement, a walk down Memory Lane, who are they?

If you look at players who made a decision to retire and never play again, with their final club being Leicester City, you have a few and we have gone down Memory Lane to track them as we walk along.

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One of the finest goalscorers in English fotball and also a Golden Boot winner, Kevin Phillips, played his last game in football while at Leicester City. Well into his early 40’s he made 12 appearances and scored 2 goals in that League Championship winning season back in 2013-14 and as we all know went on to coaching at LCFC and later moved on to other coaching positions in football.

Two of the players from that glorious 2015/16 season also had their swansong at Leicester City. Mark Schwarzer and Robert Huth both went into retirement playing their last game as a fox. Huth, a German internatonal, made huge impact when arriving at the club and played in total 68 league games and scored 5 goals. Mark Schwarzer kept Kasper on his toes and had the 2nd choice position at the club during that same season and his final games were also in a Leicester City shirt.

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Matt Elliott had a glorious career at Leicester City, being captain and lifting that Worthington Cup trophy in 2000 scoring both goals in the final. Well into his mid 30’s he had to throw in the towel in the start of the 2004/05 season ending his tally on 245 league games in which he scored 26 goals.

Another hero of that Worthington Cup final, Tim Flowers, made his last appearance for Leicester City at Molineux Ground in 2003. In total 54 league games as a fox.

If we go back a number of years, some players decided to quit at an early age, one was local born central defender Malcolm Munro who had a place in the first team for a few seasons in the early 70’s. Munro was kept on the “clubs player list” until 1980, despite not playing a game in his last five years listed. It was said that the player emigrated to the Canada, but never was listed for a club over there, mysterious chapter in the Leicester City history books.

Bruno N’Gotty never reached his fame at Leicester City, but his last games in the professional game was played while at LCFC. He did turn out in 38 league games for Leicester City and it’s said that he continued to play at the 6th level in French football, but that must have been only for fun.

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Dean Hammond who we all remember for his time as a midfielder at the club from 2013 to 2016, did move on to join Sheffield United, but never played a single game during his short “full spell” with The Blades. He did return to Leicester City in 2017 to help out as an overaged player in the U.23 set up, and indeed did a fine job, before making a decision to hang up his boots that summer.

Michael Ball who we all remember as a good right back at Everton and Man City did join Leicester City during the days of Svennis, and his last three appearances in football was as a fox, turning out in cup’s and never playing a single league game at the club.

Swizz international Bruno Berner played a number of seasons with Leicester City, mostly remembered for good performances during that 2008/09 season, winning promotion back to the 2nd tier. Berner retired from the game in March 2012.

Darren Eadie and Matthew Jones both made early retirements while with Leicester City due to injury troubles and problems. Eadie never appeared in football again, while Matthew Jones came out of retirement to play for semi-professional club Llanelli three years after leaving, finally hanging up his boots totally in 2009. Eadie and Jones were both record signings at Leicester City, joining from Norwich (Eadie) £3million and Leeds (Jones) £3.5million.

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Roberto Mancini who surprisingly did sign for Leicester City late in his career, and in real finishing his career as a player in football at Filbert Street. Mancini played a few games before moving on to management at Fiorentina. At the time Garry Parker was in coaching staff at Leicester City, him also making his final league appearances as a fox, playing 114 games for the club from 1996 to his final retirement in 2001.

It might have been a few more, but these players all made their last appearances in a Leicester City shirt, all of them great players and fox servants.

LCFC, retirements
- Goalkeepers
  - Tim Flowers
  - Mark Schwarzer
- Defenders
  - Michael Ball
  - Bruno N’Gotty
  - Robert Huth
  - Bruno Berner
  - Matt Elliott
- Midfield
  - Garry Parker
  - Dean Hammond
  - Darren Eadie
  - Matthew Jones
- Forwards
  - Roberto Macnini
  - Kevin Phillips

March 28, 2020 0

Foxes A to Z; Matty Fryatt

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Matty Fryatt was signed for Leicester City by then manager Craig Levein, but just 16 days after his arrival from Walsall the Scot had left and Fryatt felt a bit shocked by that decision. But with Rob Kelly then assistant pushed up to take first the vacant position as caretaker and later becoming the permanent choice, Matty became part of the plan and a certain starter up front.

He had made his mark as a youngster playing at England U.19 level, scoring four goals in six outings as a youth international. Fryatt established himself, still in his teens, in the Walsall forward line, played with Paul Merson, who might have given Matty some good advice, as his goalscoring at The Bescot became well known. 27 goals in 70 league games for The Saddles over a period of three years, must be said to be a good record.

He just continued scoring goals also at Leicester City, but had to see relegation in his eyes when he was part of the squad that finally lost their battle for survival at Stoke City in May 2008. But he also had a vital contribution to the League 1 promotion the season after, scoring 27 goals in 46 games, being an ever present that season.

Fryatt played alongside more experienced players such as Steve Howard and Paul Dickov and also had a flourishing parntership with Iain Hume. Matty Fryatt continued to score goals even in the 2009/10 season as Leicester City fought well and managed to reach the play off’s of the Championship, but was defeated by Cardiff City at the first stage.

Nigel Pearson was surprisingly dismissed by Leicester City and took over at Hull City, made an offer Matty and the top forward made his move to join The Tigers. Matty had completed five seasons at Leicester City, played 168 league games and scored a total of 51 goals.

His time at Hull City had it’s up’s and down’s but must be seen as a success experiencing the thrill of a promotion to the Premier League, playing at the highest level, scoring at the highest level and also being a key in a FA Cup run that did see Matty playing in the final v. Arsenal and scoring in the Semi’s v. Sheffield United.

Nottingham Forest did see his potential and a final move to City Ground appeared in 2014. But his time there never became a great success, just playing 25 league games, scoring 6 goals, over a period of three years. After a number of injury problems Matty got released and announced his retirement from the game in January 2018, still not more than 31 years of age.

Fryatt also had loan spells at Carlisle United and Sheffield Wednesday during his career, today he is back at Walsall and part of the youth setup at The Bescot, currently the head coach of the U.15’s.

FACTFILE:

Full Name: Matthew Charles Fryatt
Position: Forwards
Date of Birth: 05.03.1986
Birthplace: Nuneaton
Nation: England
Caps / Goals: –
Major League Career:
- 2003-06, Walsall (70/27)
- 2006-11, Leicester City (168/51)
- 2011-14, Hull City (82/27)
- 2014-17, Nottingham Forest (25/6)
Links
- Pinterest
- Wikipedia
Category
- Foxes A to Z

March 28, 2020 0

Possible Leicester City deals that could involve Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool and Man Utd

As we have seen in the past some of the bigger teams in English football might come back looking for talent and Leicester City could also do the opposite with a number of players at Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United a bit in limbo at the moment.

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With a challenging transfer market and a lot of uncertainty considering that “summer window” and how the moves should be handled, you have little or no clue of that at the moment. If this season gets postponed or stopped in full, we don’t know, this could also affect the transfer market.

Leicester City have over the last four seasons made “big money deals” involving Chelsea, Man Utd and Man City, seeing the moves of N’Golo Kantè, Danny Drinkwater, Riyad Mahrez and Harry Maguire appear.

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Leicester City could also make deals the opposite way with a certain Kieran Tierney of Arsenal and Adam Lallana of Liverpool both being linked over the last months. We all know that Kelechi Iheanacho joined from Man City and don’t be surprised if Brendan Rodgers returns with a possible and fantastic signing in the bag.

Leicester City have in the past been linked with Patrick Roberts, who at the moment is out at Middlesbrough, and possibly will leave The Etihad this summer. Philippe Sandler Angelino and Claudio Gomez are other names that probably will be in the frame for moves over the summer.

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Manchester United might look away and not consider James Maddison over the summer with a certain Wilfred Ndidi also attracting attention and don’t be surprised if Man Utd, Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal all will fight for the Nigerian international.

As we have seen in the past, the best talents in English football might be in those academies at Man City, Man Utd and maybe Arsenal as those players have over the past few seasons attracted attention from Bundesliga clubs who have managed to develop those players, as we have seen with Jadon Sancho, Kevin De Bruyne and a few more.

March 28, 2020 0