This season, Club Historian John Hutchinson reveals some more unseen treasures from the Club’s historic collections and archives.
Although Leicester City’s pre-season match against Tottenham Hotspur at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok on 23 July 2023 was cancelled due to adverse weather conditions, the Club’s heritage collection nevertheless contains a remarkable gift from Tottenham Hotspur which was intended to mark the occasion.
Presented in a silk lined box and standing on a plinth which details the date and venue of the cancelled match, the gift is an exact replica of Tottenham Hotspur’s historic and iconic cockerel and ball which has overlooked White Hart Lane for over a century.
The original copper cockerel and ball was placed on the Main Stand high above White Hart Lane in 1909. When that ground’s redevelopment was completed in 2019, an exact copy of the 1909 cockerel and ball was replaced by its 21st century successor which now stands above the new stadium.
Although larger than the 1909 version, the current cockerel is such an accurate copy of the original that it even includes the dents and scratches of a century of wear and tear. The cockerel gifted to Leicester City also reflects this attention to detail and is a valued addition to Leicester City’s collection of gifts from other clubs.
