Dean Smith is one to compare to previous caretaker managers as they took charge of the club in a temporary role, coming in after sacked managers. The first to mention is Gordon Lee, who came in as far back as 1991, being pushed up from an assistant role to replace David Pleat.
Nigel Worthington was the other and most recent as he was brought in after Rob Kelly left his post in 2007/06. Worthington was as Dean Smith, brought in from outside the club.
Gordon Lee managed to keep Leicester up with that special goal from Tony James saving the club from relegation in the last game of the 90/91 season. It was a massive 1-0 win that day vs. Oxford.
This should be stats to understand as the club move forward with the challenge this season to try to get out of the relegation zone and also be able to find some sort of momentum as previous caretakers made that possible.
Gordon Lee and Nigel Worthington both did what they were given the job to do, to lift spirit, get a few results on board and then see their exit and give space for a new man to come in.
After Gordon Lee, Brian Little came in and worked from that platform, made a climb and returned back to push for promotion and into the play-off zone, losing to Blackburn and Swindon, but on their third attempt, in 1994, Leicester were back at the top and in Premier League for the first time, unfortunately Little were tempted to jump on a chance to join Aston Villa, and it all ended in a struggle and relegation.
What happened after Nigel Worthington was different as Martin Allen was appointed and was dismissed early on for none-sporting reasons, and the season became even more difficult when the man appointed after him, Gary Megson, decided to join Bolton in Premier League. Leicester could not manage to stay up and a year later found themselves in League One.
To finish this story we do like to make a flash back to a more recent season, when Nigel Pearson also left his position after bringing Leicester to safety in that 2014/15 forever being known as “the great escape”. Pearson, strangely decided to support his son, James, over a situation that humilated the owners of the club.
So what do we learn of “great escapes” under former managers, and the two caretakers. One is that they did not continue as other men were brought in to take over. In two of the situations, it turned out fantastic, in the third, it was just a temporary lift, seeing the club relegated the season after.
We wish Dean Smith and his assistent all the best in their attempt to bring Leicester to safety and hopefully will, but it could look even more difficult after tonights fixture vs. Man City.
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