Leicester City In 100 Players: Emile Heskey

Heskey was striker with great pace and strength, who as well as scoring goals, excelled in creating space and chances for others. He made 197 appearances for City between 1995 and 2000, before moving to Liverpool, where he made a further 223 appearances. 

Emile’s path to football fame began as a young nine-year-old at Leicester City. He became an England Under-16s international in April 1994 and, three months later, he was rewarded with a two-year Youth Training Scheme (YTS) placement at Filbert Street.

In March 1995, during his first year as a YTS player, he made his Leicester debut in a Premier League fixture at Queens Park Rangers two months before the Foxes were relegated.

Early the following season, he signed professional forms and, following Martin O’Neill’s appointment as Manager in December 1995, he established himself in the first team as an 18-year-old and was a key player in the 1996 Play-Off Final victory over Crystal Palace.

This was followed by four consecutive top 10 finishes in the Premier League, three League Cup Finals, two League Cup wins and two qualifications for Europe in the UEFA Cup. Emile was a key player throughout this time, rarely missing a game.

He won the first of his 15 England Under-21s caps as a City player in October 1996 and, at the end of the 1996/97 season, he was runner up to David Beckham as the PFA Young Player of the Year.

The following season, Emile won an England B cap and in April 1999. He won the first of his five England senior caps as a Leicester player in an international career which resulted in him playing in two World Cup tournaments and winning 62 caps.

In March 2000, Emile joined Liverpool for a reported fee of £11M. At Anfield, he was in the team which won the FA Cup, the League Cup, the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup in 2001, and League Cup again in 2003.  

While he was at Liverpool, City went into administration in 2002. Emile’s response was to make a substantial financial contribution which helped to secure the Club’s survival. Emile went on to play Premier League football for Birmingham City, Aston Villa and Wigan Athletic as well as having spells at Newcastle Jets in Australia’s A-League and with Bolton Wanderers.  

He is still associated with Leicester City. He has recently held an ambassadorial role and is a Technical Coach across both men’s and women’s teams at the Club.