Foxes A to Z; Simon Grayson

—

The first City skipper to gleefully raise a trophy at Wembley, Simon Grayson was acting captain on the day Derby were yanquished in the 1994 Play-Off Final, shortly before being named as the suppoerts choice for Player of the Year.

One of the trio of central defenders initially fielded for the game, yet also the man whose first time cross from the right led to Steve Walsh’s winning goal, Simon had previously starred in midfield and at right-back since his move from Leeds, and his dogged tenacity in each of those positions has been the most prominent feature of his Filbert Street game.

A useful anchorman in his early performances, which included the first Wembley Play-off encounter with Blackburn, he has subsequently settled to more overtly defensive roles, working hard to overcome occasional faults in technique and concentration, which were naturally mor eharsly exposed at Premiership level.

Simon, whose brother Paul was a Yorkshire county cricketer, made both his senior outings for Leeds (during 1987/88) while still a trainee, his £50.000 transfer to City came on the same day Ali Mouchlen moved ot Elland Road on loan.

In total he spent five seasons with Leicester City, been at this football club under the management of Brian Little, Mark McGhee and Martin O’Neill. He do have good memories of his time, but reflecting on a bus ride during a pre-season in Norway were he really had his heart ticking.

Simon added up 188 league games while with the club before being sold to Aston Villa in 1997, doing a new move to Blackburn Rovers two years later and from there to Blackpool where he also started his life as a manager.

He has stayed in management since then moving around at different clubs such as Huddersfield, Preston, Leeds and a return to Blackpool but at present doing his trade with Fleetwood.

He was seen as a bit of an expert taking clubs out League One and into the Championship as he managed that with the clubs mentioned above.

FACTFILE: