Izzet leads Leicester back into promised land
Leicester City 2 Brighton & Hove Albion
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Your support makes all the difference.An astonishing 12-month turnaround in the fortunes of Leicester City reached a joyful conclusion at the Walkers Stadium yesterday as the team that finished bottom of the Premiership last season joined Portsmouth in securing automatic promotion.
Such a rapid recovery had seemed out of the question for a club saddled with debts of £50 million, and doubts grew even over whether they would be able to continue in business. But a fine new stadium can now look forward to top-flight football next year, with considerable credit due to the skilful management of Micky Adams.
"After all that has been thrown at us this season you cannot praise the players too highly for what they have achieved," Adams said. "I'm particularly delighted for some of the senior players, who took a lot of stick after what happened last season.
"They were up for the task in hand right from day one. Half of them did not expect to be coming back last summer. Their agents had filled their heads with tales of the big clubs who would be queueing up to take them away. But I said to them: 'Look, you are First Division players now, and if you want to be Premiership players again it is up to you go out and get us back up'."
Adams, high on the wanted list at both Leeds and Aston Villa, has yet to commit himself to Leicester. He is anxious to know whether the funds he will need to strengthen his squad will be made available, and is still leaving his options open. "I came here to be a Premiership manager and I've got that, but there will need to be some investment in the team," he said.
The only matter to cast a shadow over Adams' day is that his former club, Brighton, whom he led to the Third Division title two years ago, look increasingly likely to be relegated. "Part of me will always be Brighton, and seven of the side out today are my players, so I'm bound to feel mixed emotions," he said.
Leicester's return to the top had been a formality for some weeks. Indeed, had Sheffield United not kept alive their mathematical chance by beating Nottingham Forest last Tuesday, the outcome yesterday would not have mattered.
But the pursuit of the First Division title provided Leic-ester with an extra incentive, and their Turkish international, Muzzy Izzet, provided an early advantage when he dived in at the near post to flick Paul Dickov's 10th-minute cross past Dave Beasant.
Paul Brooker and Paul Watson tested the Leicester goalkeeper, Ian Walker, but a second Leicester goal a minute before half-time hit Brighton below the belt and seemed to ensure that the day would end in a party. Jordan Stewart gave Leicester the cushion they required, roaring in unchecked to meet Izzet's left-wing corner with a thumping header. It was a testament to Brighton's character that they resisted a heavier defeat.
Leicester City 2 Brighton & Hove Albion 0
Izzet 10, Stewart 45
Half-time: 2-0 Attendance: 31,909
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