A bit about you:
Name: Ian Bason
Current home town: Leicester
Birthplace: Leicester
When did you first support LCFC? Well my first game was in the Double Decker prior to being born in 1960 (don’t know the score, or who we were playing as it wasn’t a good view).
When did you first join the Foxes Trust Board? I served on the Working Party when the Trust was set up in 2002, so I have been on the board since the first election
Why did you join? The initial aim of the Trust being set up was to combine small shareholder votes to call an EGM to find out the financial state of the club, that quickly changed to help save the club once it went into administration, however the key was that a Trust doesn’t just donate money, but invest it to ensure the Trust was represented at the highest level of the club (we attended every board meeting until Milan Mandaric took over the club)
What is your main role? Chairman, encouraging fellow board members who donate their time and energy for free into Trust work, so as a board we can handle any situation that arises. Up until the 15/16 season I mainly handled all the radio & TV media, however with the level of demand that season, nearly all the board members are experienced now.
If you were to say one thing about why you feel other supporters should join the Trust, what would it be? While we hope our current owners are around for a long time, we have experienced so many different situations since forming that you have to be prepared for every eventuality and the Trust is. However the Trust is also active at national level, joining campaigns for reduced ticket prices and greater consideration for match attending fans from TV re-arranged games, so we are looking after the interests of LCFC fans.
Overview of LCFC:
Favourite thing about the ground: Although I still have a nostalgic allegiance to Filbert Street, there really isn’t a bad seat in our stadium and in recent seasons we seemed to have generated the atmosphere missing from many new grounds
Favourite view and/or where you sit: I’ve always liked to be fairly close to the pitch, I sat in a few different places at Filbert Street, but have been in the same seat towards the centre of the East Stand since the stadium opened. I always think you get a good view of both ends sitting centrally
Favourite match & why: Strangely it has to be the Swindon play- off final we lost, as it feels like it sums up being a Leicester fan all in one game (well until season 15/16). Obviously the euphoria of last season tops it, but prior to that, the greatest feeling of elation was when we pulled it back to 3 – 3.
Favourite player of all time who played for our club: I think the choice of fans is often in your younger years, and mine would be Frank Worthington, I can remember ensuring I got to my position before the warm up commenced to watch him do his range of tricks was worth the entrance fee alone.
Our 15/16 Season:
At what stage did you think we would win the league? I wouldn’t let myself believe it until it was sealed. The Man City away result made me think we had an excellent chance and I kept saying to work colleagues, that we would never get a better opportunity, but I didn’t expect the London clubs to all get the jitters.
Where were you when the final whistle went at the Chelsea v Spurs game and how did you feel? Having tuned into two previous games of other title contenders and on both occasions the results turn against us as soon as I listened, I decided to watch a drama featuring Anna Friel instead and found out the result at 10pm. Obviously elated once I knew and quickly celebrated before 5 Live range me up for an instant reaction.
Where were you when we were presented with the trophy and how did you feel? Watching from my position in the East Stand, as Birch walked out with the trophy I thought back to 2002 and the meeting in the Great Hall when over 700 fans gathered all wanting to help save the club and Birch was leaning against a wall throughout proceedings and offering his help. It gave me an extra sense of pride and elation, that the hours spent over a 12 month period helping to secure the clubs future, which stabilised the club and built the foundations until the shareholders took the very difficult decision to sell the club to Milan Mandaric, who in turn sold to our current owners had eventually led to a moment in football history that no one present in 2002 would have ever dreamed of becoming reality.
How has Leicester winning the league changed the perception of the club?
Has it made a difference to you personally? We became everyone’s favourite club around the world that season and the level of attention from the world media was incredible and it was pleasing that we managed to build a team of 20 members who were willing to talk to the media, either in written form or in live interviews (radio & TV) and it gave me an extra sense of achievement that the Trust was able to respond positively to every media request received
Any other comments in relation to that incredible season? Even now I’m still not sure it has completely sunk in that we won the Premier League, it must be time to watch the DVD.
We now have to move on and from many conversations with fellow fans, the main ambition is to get our hands on the illusive FA Cup, that message has been fed back to the club, so I hope we field our strongest side to achieve it (I’m sure our League position in early January will determine if that will be the case)