adminGary Rowett’s side needed to beat the Tigers in order to fight another day, and they fought back from a goal down to take the lead. But Oli McBurnie’s strike ultimately sealed their fate.
Relegation to the third tier comes just shy of a decade after Leicester defied 5,000/1 odds to win the Premier League title under Claudio Ranieri.
In 2026/27, the Foxes will play in the third tier of English football for only the second time in their 142-year history.
“I cannot believe what I’ve seen this season.
“I know the players care, to a degree, but what I’ve seen consistently throughout the season is that they don’t care enough. That’s a simple fact.
“The people I feel sorry for are the fans, the auxiliary staff, and those who are now probably going to lose their jobs.
“I honestly don’t know where the club goes from here.
“I think about Seagrave, one of the best training facilities in Europe how do they keep the lights on there? Do they still have Category One academy status? It isn’t just about what happens today.
“I genuinely worry for the state of this club and where it goes, because I think this could be catastrophic.”
Speaking after the game, manager Gary Rowett did not hide his disappointment.
In a tense and emotional dressing room following Leicester City’s confirmed relegation to League One, Rowett reportedly launched a furious verbal attack on some of his players.
He made it clear he was no longer willing to defend their performances throughout the season, stating that he was “done hiding all your errors.”
Rowett is said to have directly blamed the squad for the club’s downfall, insisting their performances were the reason Leicester were relegated. He reportedly told the players he had “no doubt” they were responsible for the situation the club now finds itself in.
The manager’s frustration continued as he questioned his own team selections during the season, admitting he “should never have put you in the team,” while also describing their performances as unprofessional.
He further expressed deep disappointment with the squad’s consistency, saying he was tired of watching repeated underwhelming displays. Rowett also made a strong statement about the future, suggesting that even if he remains at the club, certain players would not be part of his plans, adding that he did not want “their type” at the club going forward.
“It’s incredibly frustrating. In the first half, we made a really poor mistake that gave them a lift. We’ve done that too many times.”
“We didn’t match the importance of the game. In the second half, we were excellent, but maybe if we had shown that level in previous games, we’d have more points.”
“You don’t get relegated over three or four games. It’s over a season. We’ve missed chances, but we’ve also given away poor goals. That’s been the story.”
And he didn’t hold back on the bigger picture:
“This club had incredible highs not long ago, but now we have to face how poor this moment is. The club must learn its lessons. This season has been full of regret.”
Pundits were just as direct in their assessment.
Courtney Sweetman-Kirk said:
“I cannot believe what I’ve seen this season. The players care, but not enough. That’s the simple truth.”
She also raised serious concerns about the club’s future:
“I genuinely worry about where this club goes from here. This could be catastrophic.”
“They’ve underperformed all season. Individually and collectively, they’ve been nowhere near the level expected.”
He added:
“The rebuild is going to be massive. You’ve got high wages, big expectations, and now League One football. That’s a serious problem.”
Andy Hinchcliffe went even further:
“This is unacceptable. A team with this level of quality should never be in this position.”
Leicester are expected to take a major financial hit after relegation, with revenue projected to drop significantly. The club will likely need to reduce wages, sell key players, and completely restructure the squad.
Even with parachute payments, the gap between what Leicester were earning in the Premier League and what they will now earn in League One is massive.
Abdulhafiz Teslim
admin