Leicester Fan View: Andy King the one club man marks ten years in Foxes colours

Andy King joins a pretty elite club this week. On October 2 2007, he was handed his professional debut. The rest, as they say, is history.

322 appearances, 54 goals, 10 managers, League One, Championship and Premier League winners medals. His love of Leicester City undeniable.

Things have changed a lot, but King has always been a mainstay in the squad. He’s gone from being an up and coming youngster, to our player of the season and Captain to respected squad player.

His role these days may be more limited, but he’s a key squad player. His role in pivotal moments of our last three years not forgotten, King is a player you can trust. He’s earned the right to be called Mr Leicester.

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His story reads as the ultimate football fairy-tale, particularly considering how it began. King tasted heartbreak with Leicester City. In the same season he made his debut, the club were relegated to League One. It was a low point for all but marked a period of better things to come. The Foxes had several talented young players who tasted relegation that day. Of those, King was one of the few that remained and the only one still at the club now.

Loyalty is no longer expected in football, though it is still questioned on a season to season basis. Fans expectations are lowered though. Commitment like King’s shown is all but gone. It would have been easy for the midfielder to have deserted the sinking ship, many did. He didn’t though. A decision that saw him play a key, often overlooked, role in restoring our Championship status. Nigel Pearson grew him and gave him the chance to step up. One look back at that season shows you how many goals he was involved in.

His loyalty was well rewarded. With promotions in three separate leagues, he’s part of another small list of players who have achieved that at the same club. No matter the manager, all have spoken highly of King. Having survived over ten permanent changes, there’s clearly something about him. Nigel Pearson, Sven Goran Eriksson, Paolo Sousa and Claudio Ranieri always praised his football brain and all gave him the Captain’s armband. He first got it at just 21, one of the few things Sousa got right.

During his ten years, he’s notched a decent amount of goals. The result of which secures him top spot as our highest scoring midfielder of all time. It’s hard to see that record being topped. Trying to pick just one favourite goal of King’s is hard. He’s scored some fantastic goals, but it’s the memories associated with some, rather than the skill.

Brilliant goals against Blackpool and Leeds are favoured, but for me it might be his 2015 goal against West Ham. Our great escape season. His goal secured a 2-1 win that kick-started our comeback. His inability to pick a celebration showed how much it meant to him. One year later he was behind another key goal. This one against West Brom, easing a nervous game on our way to the Premier League title.

King won Leicester hearts not just from his on pitch performances, but for his attitude and the respect he shows the Foxes. The club means a lot to him and he’s never shy in voicing that. Despite some bigger clubs being interested during his best seasons for us, he never once looked distracted or wanted to leave. He’s never complained about fighting for his place or a lack of game time. Even now, while many may not wish to see him starting games and he’s fallen down the pecking order, he’s still loved.

It may not be his focus right now, but a testimonial is due at the end of the season. The days of King being the first name in the starting eleven may have passed, but his time at the club certainly isn’t over. It’s impossible to imagine him not being here now and he’s stated his desire to end his career here. A one club man, its fourteen years and counting for the midfielder.