Leicester City chairman addresses frustration and transfer business ahead of planned protest
Leicester City chairman Aiyawatt ‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha has acknowledged the frustration around the club and the need for improvements, but asked for the King Power Stadium crowd to get behind the team during Saturday’s match against Arsenal (12.30pm).
A protest of City fans is planned ahead of the fixture, with supporters intending to march to the ground calling for a change in the Foxes' hierarchy.
The chairman’s programme notes for the game make reference to the discontent among the fanbase, and Top agrees that there is room for improvement - although it is not specified how the club may do so.
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Top explains that it is easier for the club to be ambitious if they remain in the top flight, and so wants supporters to give their all to that cause during the 90 minutes against the Gunners. A win would take City out of the relegation zone.
“We know some of you are frustrated, we respect the views you have shared and we know there are things we need to improve together as one club,” Top writes in his programme notes.
“But we also know those improvements are made more easily in the Premier League. To give us the best chance of achieving that, I ask that, during the game, you get behind the team and give them your full support.
“Winning the games and the points we need to stay up is only possible with your support.”
Top also discusses the January transfer window, during which City made just one £3m signing. Relegation rivals Wolves, Ipswich and Southampton all brought in at least four new senior players.
Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) are the reason for City’s lack of recruits, it is explained, but there is no acknowledgement that previous bad business put the club in a precarious position over the financial regulations.
“January was a challenging month for us in the transfer window, where our ability to strengthen was limited by our PSR position,” Top writes.
“We were very pleased to sign Woyo Coulibaly and we explored a number of options to make further additions to Ruud’s squad during the month, but the space available in our PSR calculations did not enable us to add further quality we all felt would improve the team.
“We remain ambitious, have always been committed to investing in the squad and will continue to be in the future. But our ambition must be pursued within the laws of the game.
“We retain absolute belief in the group of players we have and the qualities of the manager and staff around them for the challenge ahead of us.
“There’s everything to play for during the coming weeks, and we are all ready to fight for it.”
