Fantastic days, but not always sunny
Bloomfield era and the days of MON tells the story

THE CUNNING FOX, 26.08.2009

TCF have in the past gone through the biographies of Alan Birchenall and Martin O'Neill. The rememberance of Keith Weller at the game against Barnsley also makes your mind fly back in the huge number of Leicester City memories.

Bloomfield had a hard struggle during his days at the club, and Martin O'Neill managed to win titles and establish the club in the Premier League under very difficult circumstances.

We can go back almost 40 years and bring on the memories of a great time for City as a club. Jimmy Bloomfield was appointed manager at Leicester after a good period with Leyton Orient. Bloomfield took over Leicester, who had newly been promoted by another manager.

Frank O'Farrell, who promoted City, was approached by Man Utd and couldn't turn them down. Bloomfield came in and new that the team he took over, probably wasn't good enough to stay up without doing a few changes.

Jon Sammels, Keith Weller and Alan Birchenall was all signed by Bloomfield to get more strength into the team, but it also ment that the style of play had to change.

City managed to survive, but financially it was not as healthy as you would have thought. City players such as Peter Shilton and David Nish were both sales objects and when Brian Clough came along with big money, City sold Nish for a new British transfer record. Rams payed £250 000 which was wisely used by Bloomfield to sign Dennis Rofe and Frank Worthington.

After the 1973-74 season rumours again came in the air and City was agains approached by other clubs with big money. Peter Shilton was sold to Stoke for £325 000. England's best goalkeeper had left the club and the way Bloomfield managed to find his replacement in a young Mark Wallington was probably an act of a genius.

Wallington had been understudy to Shilton, but no one was yet convinced that he was first choice, with Carl Jayes a serious contender for the job. Both goalkeepers were used along with John Farmer, who City loaned from Stoke for a few games.

Wallington eventually won the compettition, but City struggled heavilly in the bottom of the League during the 1974-75 season. Bloomfield made two fantastic signings in Jeff Blockley and Chris Garland and the duo helped City to safety.

Bloomfield went into the transfer market again in the summer of 1975, and brought in Steve Kember from Chelsea and Brian Alderson from Coventry. Both players instantly made in impact and the 1975-1976 season which ended comfortably on the top half of the table.

But money was again tight and Bob Lee was sold for a big fee to Sunderland. Garland also had to be sold and money wasn't there to spend. Bloomfield didn't get a single penny in front of his last season but managed to keep us healthy in a mid table position also in 1976-77 season without bringing in one new player.

City's two best players at the time, Frank Worthington and Keith Weller, were both at the club when Jimmy Bloomfield left, but we all know that it was a hard struggle to keep them at Filbert Street and that times not always were happy.

Frank and Keith both have fond memories of their time at the club and they also know how much fans appriciated their fantastic performances and the way they lifted the team with fantastic goals and great skills.

Martin O'Neill had a very difficult start at City. His biography tells the story about him being unwanted among several board members and also among most fans that remembered him as a player from City's biggest rivals Nottingham Forest.

MON had support from Martin George and their relationship managed to move City in the right direction. Money was made available to bring in players such as Steve Claridge, Muzzy Izzet and Neil Lennon, all signings that were crucial for the promotion that eventually took place later in O'Neill's first season.

Martin O'Neill managed to sign players, no one really had heard off, or others had just forgotten about. O'Neill made some big mistakes in the transfer market while at Leicester, but the essential thing was that most of his signings were brilliant.

Fenton and Gunnlaugsson both were big money signings, but never managed to influence much. Then it was great that Matt Elliott, Steve Guppy, Frank Sinclair, Darren Eadie, Robbie Savage, Tony Cottee, Tim Flowers, Kasey Keller, Neil Lennon, Muzzy Izzet, Steve Claridge, Ian Marshall and several others turned out so well.

He also introduced youngsters such as Emile Heskey and Stefan Oakes, who both were Leicester lads getting through the youth system under Martin O'Neill.

MON had a desire and a belief that he could do it big time. He also had the belief that he would be able to speak to bigger clubs when they came knocking on the door at Filbert Street.

City, according to O'Neill's biography, stopped him from talking to Everton and Leeds. Something O'Neill thought he had an oral agreement on, but in some way was stopped by the board.

Martin eventually decided to sign a new contract with City, and the contract made it possible for O'Neill to speak to other clubs. When Celtic then approached the club and wanted O'Neill, we all remember what happened.

Things were never as jolly as you would have hoped in those great periods.

But the best memories of a football club is based on what you achieve out on the field on a matchday and how you are doing during the season.