Leicester | The Foxes have been relegated again
Leicester City 2 - 2 Hull City
Leicester City have suffered the indignity of dropping into League One just a decade after their Premier League triumph
Author | Peter Grainger
Stadium | King Power Stadium
A fall into the third tier for only the second time in their 142 year history brings an unwanted sense of symmetry for the East Midlands club. Their remarkable 5,000-1 title success in 2016 came only seven years after they had climbed out of League One following a brief stay.
Needing victory to keep faint survival hopes alive, Leicester instead handed Hull the initiative in the first half. A misplaced pass from Asmir Begovic was seized upon by Liam Millar, who kept his composure to open the scoring.
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A penalty from Jordan James early in the second half, awarded after Abdul Fatawu was brought down by Lewis Koumas, revived belief before Luke Thomas volleyed in from close range to lift the mood inside the ground.
That optimism proved short lived
Oli McBurnie struck decisively to level for Hull, leaving Leicester chasing a late reprieve. Patson Daka hit the woodwork, Aaron Ramsey missed presentable chances and Thomas saw a stoppage time effort blocked by Semi Ajayi.
Hull also threatened a winner but had to settle for a point that drops them out of the play off places on goal difference.
The wider context adds to the sense of upheaval for both clubs. Leicester’s relegation from the Premier League last season was followed by a six point deduction for financial breaches, though even without that penalty they would still be bound for the drop. Hull, meanwhile, have been rebuilding under Sergej Jakirovic after working under a transfer embargo, relying on loans and free agents in a push to end a nine year absence from the top flight.
The final whistle was met with jeers, a stark contrast to the scenes ten years ago when Andrea Bocelli provided the soundtrack to Leicester’s improbable title celebrations, singing Nessun dorma and Time to Say Goodbye as the club reached its modern peak.
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