Leicester chairman sends defiant message to disgruntled fans ahead of protest before Arsenal clash
Leicester chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha has urged supporters to back the team amid plans to protest. The Foxes are in a battle to avoid an instant return to the Championship with the club sitting 18th in the Premier League table. The Leicester owner has sent a message to fans to back the teamGetty Having lost nine matches out of 13 under new boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, Leicester fans are planning a peaceful protest prior to Saturday afternoon’s clash at home to Arsenal – live on talkSPORT. Though Srivaddhanaprabha has stated he wants to hear passionate support in the stands instead. The 39-year-old is the son of late Leicester owner Vichai, who sadly passed away in a horrific helicopter crash at the King Power Stadium in 2018. He famously turned Leicester into one of the best-run clubs in the Premier League and also was chairman and owner when they incredibly won the title in the 2015/16 campaign. But since then the Foxes have suffered relegation and financial woes, largely owing to perceived mismanagement at an operational level, and one group of fans have had enough. These Leicester supporters have formed together under the banner ‘Project Reset’. As part of the peaceful protest, everyone involved has been asked to wear yellow. This is because yellow is a significant colour in Thailand, a not-so-subtle dig at the ownership, while in the 14th minute of the game, there will also be a vocal protest. The reason it is on the 14th minute is because in 2017, on deadline day, the club failed to register Adrian Silva by 14 seconds, meaning he couldn’t play until January 2018. This is seen as symptomatic of the poor planning and lack of due diligence at the club over the years. Srivaddhanaprabha has been the Foxes’ chairman since 2018Getty And with Srivaddhanaprabha aware of the unrest amongst the fanbase, he has issued a defiant message on the eve of their clash with the Gunners. In his programme notes, he wrote: “In the four weeks since we last played at home, we’ve had a fine win at Tottenham, a disappointing day at Everton and an FA Cup performance at Manchester United that promised and deserved more. “It’s been a mixed period, but our objective for the season remains within reach. “There will be some twists and turns yet, but we will be fighting throughout the next 14 games to make sure we stay in the Premier League. “Thank you to our fans that have traveled to support the team on the road in recent weeks. “January was a challenging month for us in the transfer window, where our ability to strengthen was limited by our PSR position. Leicester desperately need to get back on track – on and off the fieldGetty “We were very pleased to sign Woyo Coulibaly and we explored a number of options to make further additions to Ruud’s squad during the month, but the space available in our PSR calculations did not enable us to add the further quality we all felt would improve the team. “We remain ambitious, have always been committed to investing in the squad and will continue to be in future. But our ambition must be pursued within the laws of the game. “We retain absolute belief in the group of players we have and the qualities of the manager and staff around them for the challenge ahead of us. “There’s everything to play for during the coming weeks, and we are all ready to fight for it. “We know some of you are frustrated, we respect the views you have shared and we know there are things we need to improve together as one Club. “But we also know those improvements are made more easily in the Premier League. Project Reset's Leicester concerns The absence of trust — a lack of transparency and communication from the club to the fans Fear of conflict — a reluctance to make quick and impactful decisions since the death of Khun Vichai A lack of commitment — ‘a loss of any long-standing semblance of a footballing identity’ Avoidance of accountability — that the same decision-makers remain in place after the 2023 relegation and that Rudkin’s vision for the football operation has not been communicated to the supporters Inattention to results — that the club is on a spiralling trend that the hierarchy have not taken action to address, leaving many fans resigned to what they feel is an inevitable relegation unless immediate action is taken. “To give us the best chance of achieving that, I ask that, during the game, you get behind the team and give them your full support. “Winning the games and the points we need to stay up is only possible with your support. “Foxes never quit.”
Leicester chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha has urged supporters to back the team amid plans to protest.
The Foxes are in a battle to avoid an instant return to the Championship with the club sitting 18th in the Premier League table.
Having lost nine matches out of 13 under new boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, Leicester fans are planning a peaceful protest prior to Saturday afternoon’s clash at home to Arsenal – live on talkSPORT.
Though Srivaddhanaprabha has stated he wants to hear passionate support in the stands instead.
The 39-year-old is the son of late Leicester owner Vichai, who sadly passed away in a horrific helicopter crash at the King Power Stadium in 2018.
He famously turned Leicester into one of the best-run clubs in the Premier League and also was chairman and owner when they incredibly won the title in the 2015/16 campaign.
But since then the Foxes have suffered relegation and financial woes, largely owing to perceived mismanagement at an operational level, and one group of fans have had enough.
These Leicester supporters have formed together under the banner ‘Project Reset’.
As part of the peaceful protest, everyone involved has been asked to wear yellow.
This is because yellow is a significant colour in Thailand, a not-so-subtle dig at the ownership, while in the 14th minute of the game, there will also be a vocal protest.
The reason it is on the 14th minute is because in 2017, on deadline day, the club failed to register Adrian Silva by 14 seconds, meaning he couldn’t play until January 2018.
This is seen as symptomatic of the poor planning and lack of due diligence at the club over the years.
And with Srivaddhanaprabha aware of the unrest amongst the fanbase, he has issued a defiant message on the eve of their clash with the Gunners.
In his programme notes, he wrote: “In the four weeks since we last played at home, we’ve had a fine win at Tottenham, a disappointing day at Everton and an FA Cup performance at Manchester United that promised and deserved more.
“It’s been a mixed period, but our objective for the season remains within reach.
“There will be some twists and turns yet, but we will be fighting throughout the next 14 games to make sure we stay in the Premier League.
“Thank you to our fans that have traveled to support the team on the road in recent weeks.
“January was a challenging month for us in the transfer window, where our ability to strengthen was limited by our PSR position.
“We were very pleased to sign Woyo Coulibaly and we explored a number of options to make further additions to Ruud’s squad during the month, but the space available in our PSR calculations did not enable us to add the further quality we all felt would improve the team.
“We remain ambitious, have always been committed to investing in the squad and will continue to be in future. But our ambition must be pursued within the laws of the game.
“We retain absolute belief in the group of players we have and the qualities of the manager and staff around them for the challenge ahead of us.
“There’s everything to play for during the coming weeks, and we are all ready to fight for it.
“We know some of you are frustrated, we respect the views you have shared and we know there are things we need to improve together as one Club.
“But we also know those improvements are made more easily in the Premier League.
Project Reset's Leicester concerns
- The absence of trust — a lack of transparency and communication from the club to the fans
- Fear of conflict — a reluctance to make quick and impactful decisions since the death of Khun Vichai
- A lack of commitment — ‘a loss of any long-standing semblance of a footballing identity’
- Avoidance of accountability — that the same decision-makers remain in place after the 2023 relegation and that Rudkin’s vision for the football operation has not been communicated to the supporters
- Inattention to results — that the club is on a spiralling trend that the hierarchy have not taken action to address, leaving many fans resigned to what they feel is an inevitable relegation unless immediate action is taken.
“To give us the best chance of achieving that, I ask that, during the game, you get behind the team and give them your full support.
“Winning the games and the points we need to stay up is only possible with your support.
“Foxes never quit.”
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