Tinker on.

[TightEnd]

In 2007, King Power approached Reading, who were in the PL that season.

John Madejski was the owner then.

He wasn’t interested in Vichai’s offer and said

“If you have no experience in the Football industry, it’s best if you stay out of it, you won’t be successful.”

3 years and many football clubs contacts later, Leicester City approached King Power if they could be their sponsor.

 So they flew over to discuss.

Only then, something in Vichai’s gut told him that there’s something special within this club.

[TightEnd]

He had his son study Leicester and analyse their potential. Incidentally, their family once watched them play in 1997 in a league cup final at Wembley.

They didn’t believe the sponsorship deal on its own would deliver much value, the club was poorly run and languishing

But Vichai liked LCFC and saw something in it that his advisors didn't

So the first question he asked the then owner, Milan Mandaric, in their meeting was

“Are you interested in selling your football club?”

“Yes” was the response. Mandaric bought LCFC for £25m and sold to Vichai for £37m.

They spent 3 years fixing the organisation of the club, with mistakes made along the way on the field in management and playing staff

LCFC reached the playoffs in 2013. The game where we painfully lost to Watford by a 90+7 min Troy Deeney goal after Knockaert's missed penalty

The whole football club was in shock, the morale was at its lowest point. Vichai’s son was extremely upset until his father said to him.

“This is life. It’s good that it’s difficult. So we know what it’s like to fail.”

The club took that loss as a lesson.

[TightEnd]

The next season saw Leicester win the Championship. No playoffs required.

During their Championship celebration, Vichai told the team.

“Our plan is to be in the top 4 and reach CL in 3 years.”

Everyone laughed.

[TightEnd]

during the 15/16 season where LCFC won the league the final game of the season was an away game. Traditionally, the host does a Guard of Honour.

Guess where the game was at? Stamford Bridge.

In addition to his success, he donated millions to various organisations in the city. The Leicester Royal Infirmary received enormous sums as did the local university for research facilities

Yes, with buying the freehold of the ground, repaying the debt and investment on the field and in managers he spent nearly £200m from day one but that and winning the title is not why you are seeing such an outpouring of grief

He was loved by the fanbase and widely respected by the City for what he did for the club day to day. Fans would turn up for away trips to see that the owner had given each of them a £5 voucher to use at the away ground at the food kiosks. Home crowds would each be given a beer or a mince pie if it was December. Free scarves were handed out and at all games a word for all sorts of fans were commonplace

Many foreign owners buy teams for financial reasons. Some never get on with the fans. Vichai however, wasn’t one of those owners.

[TightEnd]

The one thing i didn't know I was told on Saturday.

I had walked past the crash site on my way out of the ground ten minutes before it happened and then on into the City to meet up with a friend

Always on twitter, I was scrolling while i waited and saw the news and refreshed constantly.

As various people came in one person, who it turns out was a steward at home games, told those around him of Vichai's regular habit

At each home game, around 2 and half hours before kick off, he would take a decanter of whisky and some glasses and place them in the centre-piece of the club's memorial garden at the back of the West stand for fans to make a toast to lost loved ones

Every single home game.

I thought this might be apochryphal so i asked an acquaintance yesterday, a sports journalist on the Leicester Mercury, if that might be true? He assured me it was,

Quite the man really.

[tikay]

Fabulous write up, thanks Tighty.

[Tal]

Fabulous write up, thanks Tighty.

Wonderfully written.

[Killerkilsby]

  

[RED-DOG]

Thanks Rich.

[nuros]

Such sad sad news:(

[Archer]

Great stuff Tighty.

[arbboy]

Lovely words Tighty.  You write really well.  Always a pleasure to read your stuff especially when its so close to your heart.  Sad sad day for the city not just the football club.

[Supernova]

Lovely words Rich. Such a loss.

[superwomble]

Didn't realise how much he had done not just for the club but the city as a whole. Such a sad loss.

[ripple11]

Lovely piece Tighty, thanks.