Remembering City's 4-1 Success Over Watford In 2007/08

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Remembering City's 4-1 Success Over Watford In 2007/08

Thirteen years ago today (25 August), Leicester City supporters toasted a memorable 4-1 triumph over Watford on Filbert Way which proved to be a highlight of an otherwise disappointing campaign.

2020-08-25T07:07:50.620Z

Remembering City's 4-1 Success Over Watford In 2007/08

Thirteen years ago today (25 August), Leicester City supporters toasted a memorable 4-1 triumph over Watford on Filbert Way which proved to be a highlight of an otherwise disappointing campaign.

2020-08-25T07:07:50.620Z

Remembering City's 4-1 Success Over Watford In 2007/08

Thirteen years ago today (25 August), Leicester City supporters toasted a memorable 4-1 triumph over Watford on Filbert Way which proved to be a highlight of an otherwise disappointing campaign.

2020-08-25T07:07:50.620Z

Remembering City's 4-1 Success Over Watford In 2007/08

Thirteen years ago today (25 August), Leicester City supporters toasted a memorable 4-1 triumph over Watford on Filbert Way which proved to be a highlight of an otherwise disappointing campaign.

2020-08-25T07:07:50.620Z

Remembering City's 4-1 Success Over Watford In 2007/08

Thirteen years ago today (25 August), Leicester City supporters toasted a memorable 4-1 triumph over Watford on Filbert Way which proved to be a highlight of an otherwise disappointing campaign.

2020-08-25T07:07:50.620Z

The 2007/08 season is a year the Blue Army will remember as a year which began with such optimism for the future, only to end with the Club's first-ever relegation to the third tier.

In Milan Mandarić's maiden full season as Chairman, former Barnet, Brentford and MK Dons manager Martin Allen joined the Foxes and benefited from an increased summer transfer budget.

During a colourful press conference, Allen said: "I'm honoured and privileged to take on the challenge of getting this team to win and to see us fulfil the ambitions of the Chairman and fans.

"Having enjoyed some good times in the Conference, League 1 and League 2, I feel ready to make the next step.

"I can see the stadium being sold out on a regular basis to fans who can enjoy supporting a team with passion and players who are proud to wear the shirt."

After three consecutive years in the Championship, the Club invested in a lengthy list of new signings, including the likes of Radostin Kishishev, Bruno N'Gotty and Carl Cort among others.

Two signings which particularly caught the imagination of the Foxes faithful, meanwhile, were DJ Campbell and Stephen Clemence, both from Birmingham City, for a reported combined fee of £2.6M.

Speaking to LCFC.com at the time, midfielder Clemence said: "I am 29 and I want to play football, and if I'm playing well, then I firmly believe that I will play every week here.

"I don't want to be sitting in the stands and sitting on the bench - that's just not me. I want to play football and want to try and achieve something here with Leicester City."

Addition such as those promoted Mandarić to announce: "Last season's campaign was painfully unacceptable and significant investment in the first team is a priority."

When the 2007/08 season eventually got underway, there were five new faces in the starting XI, while Mark de Vries returned to contention, albeit briefly, after a loan spell at ADO Den Haag.

The 26,650-strong crowd for the opening day clash with newly promoted Blackpool represented an increase on the average gate for 2006/07, but disappointment lay on the horizon for City.

Keith Southern's strike - controversially scored while Foxes defender James Chambers lay on the ground injured - inflicted a 1-0 defeat on Leicester in Allen's first competitive game in charge.

A 2-2 draw next time out, at Crystal Palace, boosted the spirits among City's supporters, with Campbell and Paddy Kisnorbo among the goals, before Watford headed to Leicester on 25 August.

By this time, just three matches into the new season, speculation was building of an off-field rift on Filbert Way with some reports even suggesting Allen was in danger of leaving the Club.

The line-up that day, on a sun-drenched afternoon, was: Fülöp, N'Gotty, McAuley, Kisnorbo, Clarke, Clemence, Sheehan, Wesolowski, Campbell, Hume, De Vries.

Iain Hume opened the scoring for Leicester early on, sending a fierce right-foot shot past Hornets 'keeper Mart Poom in off the crossbar before Campbell's close-range finish later on.

Alan Sheehan's deflected 25-yard shot put the Foxes in control and De Vries made it 4-0 before Marlon King's spot-kick got one back for Aidy Boothroyd's visitors after Gareth McAuley's handball.

Everything just seemed to click into place. Other headlines of the day included a Walkers Stadium debut for Iran international defender Hossein Kaebi while James Wesolowski won Man of the Match.

At full-time, meanwhile, Allen proceeded to embark on a lap of the pitch, taking in the plaudits of the home supporters in what would eventually turn out to be his final home match in charge.

"It's good to get a win, for the players and supporters, but it's only three points," he said at full-time. "We've got a good, big squad of players, and every one of them knows they have to earn their place."

Following a League Cup trip to Nottingham Forest, which was abandoned after on-loan full-back Clive Clarke suffered - but later survived - a cardiac arrest at half-time, speculation continued concerning Allen's future.

A day later, he parted company with Leicester City in just one of several dramatic events of the 2007/08 season. Gary Megson replaced him before leaving to join Bolton Wanderers just six weeks later.

In the end, Ian Holloway could not save the Foxes from a shock relegation to League 1 at the conclusion of a season which saw a total of 40 first team players represent the Club.

Few who saw Leicester deliver such a swashbuckling display in the preceding August would have believed it would end like that. Thankfully, Nigel Pearson would fare better next season...

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