A Fox In New York City: Bill’s Tale

It is a fairy tale story that many have enjoyed reading and writing about. Watching the Foxes defy all odds as a Season Ticket Holder has been Bill Brennan – a City fan for over 50 years. 

In his first game, he saw Leicester beat Oxford United 3-1 in the FA Cup – that was in January 1961. Bill, 62, has been hooked ever since and like most City fans, could not bear missing a match given their displays on the pitch under the charismatic Claudio Ranieri this season – even while away celebrating his 40th wedding anniversary in New York back in October. 

Among the imposing skyscrapers and in the shadow of the iconic Empire State Building, Bill discovered The Football Factory at Legends Bar located on West 33rd Street – the walls dripping in sports memorabilia. 

“We walked into the bar and I couldn’t believe what we saw – a group of lads wearing City shirts – the New York Foxes,” Bill said. “We stuck with them to watch the game and they’re a great bunch. 

“Of course, my first question to them was ‘why City?’ – it was an obvious answer. ’Kasey Keller’, they replied. That goes back nearly 20 years, so the interest isn’t just there because we’re so high up in the league.” 

The buzz of New York City is addictive and therefore attracts tourists from across the globe. But even with a packed site-seeing schedule, Bill managed to fit in 90 minutes of City action. 

Over 3,000 miles away from King Power Stadium, separated by the vast North Atlantic Ocean, Bill watched Leicester’s 1-0 win against Crystal Palace with his North American counterparts. 

“When I look back on the holiday now, it was one of the highlights to see Leicester City out in New York,” Bill added. “There’s more and more people following Leicester. The Club is becoming bigger and bigger. 

“This Leicester side is probably one of the best I’ve seen, and I’ve seen some good football as a City fan. We had a great team in the 60s – the Ice Kings, where we nearly did the double. 

“In the 70s, we had Birch playing and that was another very good side and I have some really good memories from Martin O’Neill’s time at the Club. 

“The football we’re playing at the moment is brilliant and a lot of people will agree with that. We’ve got a great chance of doing something special this season.” 

The New York Foxes supporter group was founded by twin brothers Jason and Jordan Becker – the City fans that Bill met at The Football Factory – just before the start of the 2011/12 season in order to make it easier for City fans to watch their team while out in New York City. 

Jason explained: “Premier League coverage has grown by leaps and bounds in America, and people over here are really taking notice of Leicester City. 

“Since last season, you’re now able to watch every Premier League match live on TV or even a mobile device here – the Foxes are always on! 

“A lot of folks paid very close attention to ‘The Great Escape’ and now that the Club has kept up the momentum into this season, they’re really starting to capture people's imaginations here. 

“It's incredible to think about how far the Club has come in a few years. Every detail seems to matter. I must have heard six or seven folks standing next to me mention how great the pitch looked against Manchester City, and we were only watching on TV screens! 

“There's also been a great connection between the Club and the fans. The Club is definitely continuing its ascent and I see no reason not to be confident in the direction it's moving.” 

Leicester City have taken the Premier League by storm this season. They haven’t just been making headlines in England, but North America also, according to Jason – that means the New York Foxes are growing. 

“People are now seeking us out on Facebook, asking for advice on starting groups in other parts of the country or asking them to help put them in touch with fans where they're from,” he added. “We also had a lot of folks reaching out to us during the holidays asking where to buy Leicester City merchandise – I hope there were lots of blue shirts under Christmas trees in the States! 

“The support we've also received from fans in Leicester has been amazing – it really feels like we're one big family. 

“I’ve just booked my flight to go over from 30 January to 8 February for the first time after being a fan since 1998 and I've also kept in touch with Bill. 

“He sent me some clap banners from Jamie Vardy's record-breaking game. I'm hoping we'll be able to meet up when I go over, I'm sure I owe him a pint or two!” 

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