Brighton FC   – Sunday Sept 19th 2pm

Directions By Road     SAT NAV: BN1 9BL (or try BN1 9SD if you have problems)

The stadium is located at Falmer on the outskirts of Brighton, very close to the University of Sussex.

At the end of the M23, continue onto the A23, heading towards Brighton. At the roundabout which is the junction with the A27, take the A27 towards Lewes. After around four miles you will see the stadium on your right hand side. Leave at the A27 and take the slip road sign posted Falmer (B2123). At the top of the slip road turn right crossing back over the A27 and the entrance to the stadium is down on the right.

There is some parking at the stadium for away fans providing that they have been pre-booked with the Club, parking cost £15. There is a large no parking zone in force around the area of the stadium on matchdays.

Park & Ride
The Club are encouraging fans to use the Park & Ride services located at three different locations; Mill Road, Brighton Racecourse and Mithras House at Brighton University.

Probably the easiest for away fans to locate is Mill Road, as it is just off the A23/A27 junction. However, this is by far the busiest of the three, so if you have time on your hands consider using one of the other alternatives. The capacity of Mill Road is 500 cars. The road is located next to a BP garage, which (if coming down from London) you will see over on your right at the top of the slip road off the A23.

The Park & Ride is open from 12 noon on Saturdays (with last departure at 2.30pm) and 5.30pm for evening kick offs. The last buses return from the stadium 90 minutes after the end of the game. Please note that vehicles must removed no later than two hours after the game has ended.

Approx 163 miles, 3 hour travelling

By Train

The nearest railway station is Falmer, which is situated right by the stadium. Brighton Central Railway Station is over four miles away from the stadium. So either get a train, taxi or bus up to the stadium. Brighton & Hove Bus No 25 operates a regular service (every 12 minutes) up to the stadium from Central Brighton, as do Bus Numbers 28 & 29. However be aware that trains back can be extremely crowded and you may need to wait a long while.

Train takes approx 3hours 30 mins .  Super Off Peak return £93.50 but singles may be cheaper. There may be bus replacement service on part of the journey please check

Pubs

 There is little in the immediate vicinity around the stadium
Outside Brighton Mainline Station there are a number of excellent pubs. The Evening Star, on Surrey Street is away fan friendly and only two a minute walk away from the station. If arriving at the Mill Road Park & Ride then a little further on down London Road (A23) on the left is the Black Lion pub which is a Harvester outlet. 

Please check the cost and times of trains etc. All information is provided in good faith but the Foxes Trust cannot be held responsible for any errors. With thanks to Brighton and Hove Albion FC and the Football Ground Guide

Leicester City Women 1 Manchester United Women 3

Report by Kate Thompson

As someone who played football when it was still banned, I have been delighted with the new emphasis on the women’s game and the publicity it is getting.  I have also been impressed with the way Leicester City have embraced its women’s team and given them tremendous support. 

Winning the Championship last season was a great achievement but this match, along with last Saturday’s, demonstrated that there is a large gulf between the top two tiers and, although it is early days, Leicester look like it is going to be a difficult season.  There was a sizeable crowd – given as 4,473 – with a lot of young children and women.  One difference between this game and the Premier League is that there were three Manchester United supporters sitting near me!

City were under the cosh from the first minute and Levell in goal was by far the busiest keeper.  It was no surprise when Manchester scored in the 36^th minute with an absolute screamer that the keeper had no chance of stopping. 

As early as the 15^th minute Turner of Manchester had to be carried off on a stretcher with her right leg strapped, but it did not seem to put the team off their stride.  City were lucky only to be one down at half-time but Manchester scored a second very soon after the restart. 

Despite their dominance, Leicester continued to press and were unlucky when a goal-bound shot was saved by the Manchester keeper, when it looked as if City would break the deadlock.  They did get a goal in the 61^st minute from Abbie McManus, who poked the ball over the line and, although the Manchester players hooked it back out, the referee indicated that it was a goal.

Sadly, this was as good as it got.  Manchester scored a third in the 71^st minute and I lost count of how many times they hit the goalposts.  According to the stats, Manchester had 33 shots, of which ten were on target, compared with City’s ten shots and three on target.  But credit to the team, they never gave up and hopefully they will have more successful days in future. 

City: Levell, Howard, Brougham, Plumptre (c), Purfield (De Graaf 56′), Bailey-Gayle (Devlin 45′), Pike, Tierney (McManus 56′), Paul (Smith 56′), Flint, Sigsworth.

Subs not used: Lambourne, Camwell, Brown, Powell, Brooks.

Goal: McManus 61’

The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation

LEICESTER CITY 0 MANCHESTER CITY 1

Match Report by Paul Weston

It was great to be back at the King Power after the international break but I admit that I was looking forward to the match against Man City’s millionaires with more than a little trepidation. City had made a stuttering start to the season and I felt that all our players had to be fit and on form to have a chance.

Before the match we visited the remembrance garden to put it all in perspective. How proud our Chairman would have been of our FA Cup Final victory. We looked forward to the emerging and exciting plans for the expansion of the stadium and its surroundings and thought back to how things have progressed since our days at Filbert Street.

The report on the injury front was improved, although Fofana’s and Justin’s continued absence are a huge miss. I hope that we will never invite Villareal for a “friendly” match again.

Vestergaard was brought back into defence after injury hopefully to provide some calm assurance alongside Soyuncu. Bertrand was brought into the left back slot after recovering from Covid and the masked Castagne was on the right, with Ricardo thankfully on the way back and on the substitutes bench, as was Evans and our new loan signing Lookman.

Rodgers had said before the match that, when you play Manchester City, you have to be prepared for less possession of the ball. Well that certainly happened. City had 39% possession and at times you wondered when Man City would let us back into the game such was their domination.

Rodgers said that, when you do have the ball, you have to make good use of it. As the match progressed this proved to be City’s failing all too often as passing went awry at key moments when they had broken through Man City’s lines. When City did break through Man City players were not shy to make a cynical foul. Rodgers also said that need some luck.

City certainly had some luck in the first half as shots rained down on Schmeichel from all angles. Schmeichel made superb saves from Jesus, Silva and Gundogan and Vestergaard was a tower of strength with many last ditch blocks. City though had a great chance early in the game when Ederson saved from Barnes and then Ndidi after a great move started by Albrighton and Vardy. It was a breathtaking first half and it was hard to believe that the score had stayed at 0-0.

City started the second half well and Barnes should have scored with a header when set up by Vardy but hit the top of the bar instead. Vardy scored with a trademark “goal” from a pass from Ndidi but it was judged offside and not deemed suitable for a VAR review. These proved to be City’s best chances as Man City turned the screw and kept the ball. As in the first half City’s midfield was often bypassed and the ball transferred to the wings where Silva and Grealish in particular could create havoc.

Vestergaard was replaced by Evans mid way through the second half after a really strong performance. Sadly soon afterwards Man City scored, slightly fortuitously, when Torres’ shot rebounded off Soyuncu as he blocked it and Silva scored from the rebound. City’s defence had been breached and for a while it looked like the energy had gone from the team. The City crowd also became muted.

Rodgers then brought on Iheanacho and Lookman for the anonymous Maddison and disappointing Barnes. Both players made an immediate impact. Iheanacho shielding the ball well and connecting play better. Lookman was full of energy and had a shot blocked by Ederson with his first touch when he might have chipped over the goalie instead.

City huffed and puffed right to the end but Man City could have made the score more emphatic close to the end through Fernandinho and Grealish.

The end of the match felt like an anti-climax. You could not begrudge Man City their win but you still had the nagging feeling that, if City had played to their full potential, they could have gained a worthy draw if they had taken one of their few chances. If that had happened then Rodgers mantra of “staying in the game” would have worked.

There will be many things for Rodgers to ponder over after this performance. Maddison is currently a shadow of the player he used to be and Dewsbury-Hall is waiting in the wings and should get his chance. Barnes seems to have lost confidence after his injury and Walker had him under control for most of the match. Tielemans was often crowded out with little support. Schmeichel made some superb saves but his distribution was abysmal at times and could easily have led to a goal. Iheanacho looked confident as soon as he came on and immediately provided a foil for Vardy. Albrighton tried manfully as always but ran out of steam.

The Europa League match against Napoli is a tough fixture but gives Rodgers the chance to refresh the team with some of the new signings and also to provide the City fans with some much needed cheer and hope for the forthcoming season.

As the so called Top Four continue to splash ridiculous amounts of cash on players it makes City’s winning the Premiership title in 2015/16 even more incredible. I wonder what our next Home League match is – oh no – it’s Manchester United and the Ronaldo show!!

City:  Schmeichel; Castagne, Vestergaard (Evans 61), Soyuncu; Albrighton, Ndidi, Tielemans, Bertrand; Maddison (Iheanacho 73), Barnes (Lookman 73); Vardy. Subs (not used): Ward, Ricardo, Amartey, Soumare, Dewsbury-Hall, Daka,

The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation

The Foxes Trust wants to ensure all LCFC supporters who are attending the game are aware of and help our club by co-operating with the Covid 19 spot checks that will take place prior to entering the stadium

Supporters attending Leicester City’s Premier League fixture with Manchester City on Saturday 11 September are advised that COVID-19 certification spot checks will be in place at entry points as part of the Premier League working with DCMS to maintain full capacity crowds at football, and in line with the Club’s new Supporter Code of Conduct.

To ensure the safety of everyone in attendance and to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission, the spot checks, which are part of new Premier League protocols, will ask everyone over the age of 18 to provide one of the below:

– Proof of full vaccination for a period of more than two weeks
– A negative lateral flow or PCR test result from within the previous 48 hours
– An exemption from COVID-19 vaccinations

The spot check rules apply to everyone attending fixtures at King Power Stadium over the age of 18 and are in place to help supporters prepare for a future scenario where COVID certification becomes mandatory.

Please be aware that should COVID-19 certification become mandatory for fixtures in the future and you are unable to provide one of the three options above during a spot check, you will be denied access to King Power Stadium, as per Premier League protocols.

Following the link provides more details and direct access to:

• How to order a lateral flow test
• If feeling unwell, how to book a test through the government website
• How to obtain an NHS pass

Based on experiences at other stadiums to date, the Foxes Trust advises fans not to rely on wifi access on their phone outside the stadium to access the NHS pass and to download it to phones prior to travelling to the stadium

COVID-19 Spot Checks To Be In Place For Man City (lcfc.com)

We would also like to show our backing to the Dos an Don’t on the clubs website

Safety comes first, so supporters attending matchdays at King Power Stadium should:

• Obtain a COVID Pass and be ready to show they are fully vaccinated or have taken a negative lateral flow test in the last 48 hours
• Bring a face covering to wear while in any indoor areas in the stadium
• Arrive early and only sit in your designated seat
• Wash and sanitise your hands regularly
• Be respectful of others

Supporters should continue to follow the latest Government guidance and must not:

• Attend any match if you have any COVID-19 symptoms, test positive for COVID-19 or are otherwise required to self-isolate
• Gather outside stadiums in a way that breaches steward instructions
• Engage in any conduct that is intended to or likely to transmit the COVID-19 virus

Norwich 1 Leicester 2

Report by Colin Hall

Goals from Jamie Vardy and Marc Albrighton gave Leicester City their first away win of the season at early strugglers Norwich.

But the Foxes were again well below their best and rode their luck at times before eventually emerging 2-1 winners.

With Jannick Vestergaard and Ryan Bertrand again unavailable, Brendan Rodgers chose to make only one change from the side that had been so dismal in the previous game, with Albrighton replacing the suspended Ayoze Pérez.

Both sides made a tentative start at a packed Carrow Road, but the visitors were the first to settle, taking the lead in the 8^th minute when Ricardo Pereira exploited hesitant home defending to tee up Vardy from 15 yards.

Incredibly, this was the veteran striker’s first away goal in 2021. While Vardy’s exploits in a Leicester shirt assure him of a central role in the club’s history, his recent performances away from the King Power Stadium have often seen him some distance below the talisman who regularly terrorised Premier defences at his peak. Given the competition that now exists within the squad, it is to be hoped that this goal will spark a revival in his fortunes.

In the meantime, though, Ricardo sustained an injury while assisting the opener, and had to be replaced by Timothy Castagne. Once again, the collective mental fragility of this Foxes side was on full display in the wake of this setback, but the hosts, themselves beset by tensions after a run of TWELVE successive defeats at top-flight level, were unable to take advantage.

However, the Canaries were handed a lifeline shortly before the interval when Lees-Melou collided with Caglar Söyüncü while chasing a through ball. Most officials in the VAR studio would have let the incident pass, but on this occasion, a review took place, and deemed the defender to be responsible. Referee Jones, instructed to consult a monitor, duly changed his mind and awarded a penalty to the home side, which Pukki converted with some comfort.

The visitors’ malaise continued until well into the second half, although Norwich rarely threatened Kasper Schmeichel’s goal from open play. Indeed, the home defence’s difficulty in dealing with Albrighton corners twice almost allowed the Foxes to restore their advantage, but James Maddison, enduring a wretched return to his former club, was unable to find the target on either occasion.

Eventually, though, the Foxes managed to conjure up the first (and as it transpired, the only) incisive passing move of the game. A burst down the left by sub Kelechi Iheanacho saw the ball switched quickly via Maddison and Vardy to Albrighton, whose angled drive took a slight deflection off Williams before finding the net.

The shock of conceding seemed to rouse the hosts into action, and after Sargent came close to a second leveller, McLean headed home unchallenged from a corner, but was denied by a linesman flagging for a clear offside against Cantwell. The tensions in the Leicester ranks were extended, though, as the VAR bizarrely spent several minutes seeking grounds to overrule this decision before finally concluding that none were forthcoming.

Despite forcing several further corners in the closing stages, Norwich were unable to take advantage of any of them, and should really have conceded a further goal on the break, but Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, making his Premier bow as a replacement for Maddison, sent a cross behind the unmarked Iheanacho.

Right at the death, the Blue Army’s hearts were again in their mouths, as Norwich sub Idah beat Schmeichel to an Aarons cross, only to see his effort fly narrowly wide.

Although Rodgers and his side will have been relieved to escape from Norfolk with three points, there can be no doubt that a dramatic improvement will be needed before the forthcoming home games with Manchester City and Napoli.

In particular, it is to be hoped that Söyüncü, Maddison and Harvey Barnes can quickly recapture the form of which they are all eminently capable, as none have yet done themselves justice during the current league campaign to date.

Norwich (4-3-3): Krul; Aarons, Hanley, Gibson, Williams; Lees-Melou (Rupp 73), Gilmour (Idah 79), McLean; Cantwell, Pukki (Sargent 73), Rashica. Subs not used: Zimmermann, Dowell, Sørensen, Gunn, Giannoulis, Omobamidele.

Goal: Pukki (pen) 44

Bookings: Lees-Melou, Cantwell

Leicester (4-3-3): Schmeichel, Ricardo (Castagne 11), Amartey, Söyüncü, Thomas,, Ndidi, Tielemans, Maddison (Dewsbury-Hall 86); Albrighton, Vardy, Barnes (Iheanacho 67). Subs not used: Ward, Choudhury, Praet, Daka, Jakupovic, Soumaré.

Goals: Vardy 8, Albrighton 76

Booking: Albrighton

Referee: Robert Jones (VAR: David Coote).                           Attendance: 26,765.

The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation