University will be singing the Blues at victory parade
When the final whistle blows at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, it will mark the end of a momentous journey for Leicester City Football Club - the team that ended last season on the cusp of relegation and will finish this season's final match as Premier League champions.
Regardless of their result against Chelsea, Foxes fans will be rejoicing that they are now officially only the sixth team to ever win the Premier League.To celebrate this historic season, the city is organising a selection of events on Monday 16 May at the culmination of a victory parade that will finish on the University's doorstep.
Victoria Park, which is overlooked by the University campus, will play host to thousands of fans celebrating the local football heroes' victory from 3pm and it is expected that many of our staff and students will be taking part.
They have already been showing their pride and support for the team and the celebrations are still going on - below is a selection:
- 'Armchair Foxes fan' Dr Paul Jenkins, Honorary Director of Student Music, offers his opinion on Think:Leicester on how Leicester City was able to achieve its unanticipated victory in the Premier League.
- Premier League success could have given the city of Leicester a unique brand with worldwide appeal, says a PhD research in our Centre for Urban History.
- Our mathematicians have generated the perfect formula to describe the historic occasion, using numbers – with the benefit of hindsight and some tampering with the stats - to convey the incredible success that has catapulted the team to the top of the League.
- We have renamed our buildings after English Premier League Champions - such as Jamie Vardy Tower, Claudio Ranieri Library and Wes Morgan Building.
- Sociologist John Williams has commented on diversity in football and gave an interview to Voice of Islam radio.
- Our University's Archives and Special Collections has unearthed a document in which a football fan predicts Leicester City's success as far back as 120 years ago.
- Our academics having been giving their expert views on Leicester City's success, whether it is what we can learn from their management, what it means for the city, the religion of its fan, and more besides; our researchers have been publishing opinion pieces, commenting in press releases and giving interviews to media worldwide.
- Our Geology students have been measuring 'VardyQuakes', the shockwaves sent through the city by fans cheering their team. Their final home game of the season against Everton caused the biggest earth tremor of 0.4 magnitude. You can also watch a video all about their project.
- Natural Sciences students have also added new perspectives on the Leicester City story through their work in the Journal of Interdisciplinary Science Topics. One group studied the secrets of Star Wars character Yoda’s Force power which may explain the team's unprecedented success, while
- Our Special Collections staff have unearthed details of the the predecessors to Leicester City, Leicester Fosse Football.
- We marked 'Backing the Blues Day' on campus with a selection of activities, including a conga line through the Students' Union and a massive fox painted on our car park - and media were down on the day to capture it all. And fans across campus featured in our 'Backing the Blues' video:
- Staff and students have found their own ways of showing their support for Leicester City including two fans naming their newborn daughter in their honour. They have also been sending us photos of their celebrations.