Leicester City legend Gary Lineker pens love letter to Premier League leaders

The 55-year-old scored 95 goals for the Foxes between 1978-85 before later spells with Everton and Barcelona

Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker (Getty Images)

Gary Lineker has penned a heartfelt love letter to boyhood club Leicester City as they embark on the final nine matches of their remarkable Premier League title bid.

The 55-year-old Match of the Day presenter scored 95 goals for the Foxes between 1978-85 before later enjoying successful spells elsewhere with Everton, Barcelona and Tottenham.

Under the stewardship of Claudio Ranieri, the Italian manager who the former England striker described as an ‘uninspiring choice’ to succeed Nigel Pearson, Leicester sit atop of the Premier League table by two points with nine matches remaining.

Writing in the Guardian, ahead of the East Midlands club's meeting with Newcastle United this evening, Lineker said: “What we are witnessing, should Leicester go on to win the title, is quite possibly the most unlikely triumph in the history of team sport.

“A collection of individuals who couldn’t win a football match for love nor money a year ago have turned into an invincible force. A team with a spirit and togetherness the like of which the game has seldom seen. All beautifully held together by the canny, inspirational – yes, inspirational – Tinkerman.

“So how do we fathom the unfathomable? It couldn’t, as has been mooted by some, be down to the fact that Richard III was buried in Leicester around the same time as the Foxes revival began, could it? A Premier League crown? Superstitious nonsense, surely?”

In October 2002, with Leicester facing the very real threat of liquidation, Lineker invested a six-figure sum into a £5m rescue fund for the then-ailing club which ultimately saved them from being consigned to history.

Lineker opens the Walkers Stadium, now called the King Power Stadium (Getty Images)

Following on from this evening’s King Power Stadium duel against Newcastle, a favourable sequence of fixtures awaits, including clashes against Crystal Palace (away), Southampton (home), Sunderland (away), West Ham (home) and Swansea City (home).

Trips to Manchester United and Chelsea then sandwich a home meeting with Everton in the final three dates of the season.

Lineker added: “It remains to be seen whether Leicester can see this through. It could all fall apart in the home stretch. This most unreal of dreams could turn into a miserable reality. I hope not.

“I don’t think I have ever wanted something to happen more in sport in my entire life.”