Leicester City 4-0 Leeds United, September 2003 – Your boys took one hell of a beating

‘Your boys took one hell of a beating…’ is a new series on Just Football looking at famous football thrashings past. Click here if you would like to contribute with a memorable beating involving your own team. Here, Leicester City supporter David Cockcroft casts his mind back to one mad night at the Walkers’…

On the final whistle Clive Nanington erupted. “Billy Bremner, George Graham, Don Revie, Anthony Yeboah, Lee Chapman, Mel Sterland. Your boys took one hell of a beating.”

The outburst from the Leicester City Fanzone commentator on Sky Sports was not only amusing, it was justified.

On a Monday night in September 2003 a Leicester City side, still looking for their first win since returning to the Premier League, welcomed Peter Reid’s Leeds United to the Walkers Stadium.

It was to turn out a night to remember for Leicester City fans.

The majority of the 30,460 crowd were jolted into life on the 20 minute mark when French midfielder Lillian Nalis hit a remarkable 25 yard volley, his first goal for the East Midlands club. Jordan Stewart of Greek Super League’s Skoda Xanthi, started his career with the Foxes and was on the home bench at the time of the strike. “That goal was an absolute joke” he admirably recalls.

It was a great moment for the club’s fans who had had little to shout about back then, with Leicester City falling into administration just a season before their return to the top flight.

“Admin was a bad time for the whole of Leicester City Football Club” said Stewart. “People lost jobs and players were deferring their money”.

The promotion that followed what were some of the darkest days in the history of Leicester City really raised the clubs’ fans, and on this Monday night in September things were about to get a whole lot better.

Leeds seemed stunned by the outstanding Nalis strike, and three minutes later their quest to add points to their modest 5 from 12 was made doubly difficult.

Scottish pint sized striker Paul Dickov, spun and struck on the edge of the Leeds box beating Paul Robinson at his near post. The home fans were rapturous and Nanington was loving every minute of it in the commentary box. “Leicester City 2 dirty Leeds 0” he bellowed.

Leicester went into the break holding a two-goal lead and Foxes fans were quietly confident of celebrating an elusive Premier League win in another 45 minutes time. However, even the most optimistic home fan would not have envisaged the scale of those celebrations.

Dickov completed his brace with 7 minutes remaining and Leicester was assured of all three points, while Nanington’s voice was fading quicker than the away end in the Walkers Stadium. “It’s a horror show for Leeds” his counterpart conceded.

The rout was complete with a minute remaining on the clock. Striker James Scowcroft headed a Leicester corner home from close range and a surreal “Leicester City 4-0 Leeds United” read on the stadium’s scoreboard. “It was a goodnight” reminisced Jamie Scowcroft. “It was our first win of the season and is one of my favourite memories as a Leicester player.”

The final whistle prompted Nanington’s famous quote and 18th placed Leicester rose to replace Leeds United in 11th place via a first win of the season. Scowcroft remembers Nanington’s outburst well too, “he totally lost it” laughed the former Ipswich Town striker.

The final Premier League table wasn’t kind to either side though, both finishing in the bottom three, joining Wolverhampton Wanderers on 33 points. Leicester’s ‘superior’ goal difference left them a place higher than Leeds United in 18th spot.

That 4-0 defeat at the Walkers Stadium was one of many low points in dismal season at Elland Road, one that ultimately ended their 14-year stay in the top flight of English football.

For Leicester though, a side expected to fall come May after all their off field troubles the previous season, the result is remembered almost as fondly as Clive Nanington’s commentary.

David Cockcroft is a contributor to Just Football and can be found on Twitter @DavidJCockcroft.

Leeds United, Leicester City, Your boys took one hell of a beating...