Leicester has a population of 329,839, and around 250,000 of them turned out to salute their football team defying the 5000-1 pre-season odds to win the English Premier League for the first time in 132 years.
That’s exactly what John Bertram did when he skippered 12-metre yacht Australia II to victory over Liberty to end 132 years of USA domination of the America’s Cup.
Two simply magnificent sporting achievements.
The finite details of both must be recorded in the one column on The Roar for posterity.
First up, the America’s Cup triumph was a combination of Alan Bond’s money, marine architect Ben Lexcen’s revolutionary vision of a winged keel, and Bertram’s outstanding leadership.
Rob Mundle, rightfully recognised as an authority of yachting and sailing, said pre-tournament “Trying to win the America’s Cup is like trying to climb Mt Everest backwards in a pair of thongs.”
To put the 132 years in perspective, the America’s Cup was first contested before the first cricket Test, in 1877, and before the first of the modern Olympic Games, in 1896.
That crack Australian team was down 3-1 in 1983 and on the brink of defeat to Dennis Conner’s Liberty in the best of seven, but won three straight to create history.
The results
1 – September 14 – Liberty by one minute ten seconds
2 – September 15 – Liberty by one minute 33.
3 – September 18 – Australia 11 by three minutes 14.
4 – September 20 – Liberty by 43 seconds.
5 – September 21 – Australia 11 by one minute 47.
6 – September 22 – Australia 11 by three minutes 25.
7 – September 26 – Australia 11 by 41 seconds.
Two quotes from the then Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke were right on the money on the big day, wearing by far the worst sports jacket ever made.
“Any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum”, and “America is the leading technological nation in the world and this was one of the things I loved here was little Australia popping up with Ben Lexcen’s new technology and knocking the buggers off.”
There’s only one Bob Hawke.
One of my great sporting regrets – I was in London that wonderful day, and missed all the celebrations. But yesterday I watched the motorcade through the streets of Leicester, with the massive throngs in tow – a great sight.
But not as great as the Leicester feats on the field.
In their 38 EPL matches they lost just three – 2-1 and 5-2 to Arsenal, and 1-0 to Liverpool – a phenomenal record from a side that went within a whisker of being demoted the previous season.
The Foxes won 23 and had 12 draws, finishing ten points clear of second-placed Arsenal – 81 to 71.
Comprehensive.
The historic season, (Leicester first score)
Arsenal – 1-2 and 2-5 – 3-7
Tottenham – 1-0 and 1-1 – 2-1.
Man City – 3-1 and 0-0 – 3-1
Southampton – 1-0 and 2-2 – 3-2.
Man United – 1-1 and 1-1 – 2-2.
West Ham- 2-2 and 2-1 – 4-3,
Liverpool – 2-0 and 0-1 – 2-1.
Stoke – 3-0 and 2-2 – 5-2.
Chelsea – 1-1 and 2-1 – 3-2.
Everton – 3-1 and 3-2 – 6-3.
Swansea – 4-0 and 3-0 – 7-0.
Watford – 1-0 and 2-1 – 3-1.
West Brom – 2-2 and 3-2 – 5-4.
Crystal Palace – 1-0 and 1-0 – 2-0.
Bournemouth – 0-0 and 1-1 – 1-1.
Sunderland – 2-0 and 4-2 – 6-2.
Newcastle – 1-0 and 3-0 – 4-0.
Norwich – 1-0 and 2-1 – 3-1.
Aston Villa – 1-1 and 3-2 – 4-3.
That tallies up to 68 goals for, and 36 against, bettered only by third-placed Tottenham’s 69-35.
The season rightfully belonged to Leicester.
AR
Guest
"You guys"..? What on earth have I said that's offended you or insulted the sport of soccer?
Bondy
Guest
Off topic partially, Ellyse Perry has missed the opportunity to be an Olympian by choosing Cricket over Football I wonder if she's thinking about that move right now , she could have been playing football in Brazil in an Olympics as an Olympian instead she's hitting a cricket ball around Calcutta ...
northerner
Guest
Why does anyone care about dodgy businessmen winning football championships? or dodgy athletes winning Tours de France or 100 m races or setting records in baseball or any other sport? But we do care. That's the mystery of it all.
Pauly
Guest
We've all failed to address one major flaw in this article. Why would anyone in Leicester care about dodgy businessmen winning a yacht race?
albatross
Roar Pro
Well Ron Tauranac had a bit of a say too in the designs.
harry houdini
Roar Rookie
Yes punter, i believe you did, Denmark of all places or is that Denmark WA, part of the world famous Bibbulmun track.
Punter
Guest
Did I say that HH?
harry houdini
Roar Rookie
Denmark has a strong amatuer local AFL comp ?, Punter do tell, please, inform us all of this development.
harry houdini
Roar Rookie
Would have to make this post of the day. You can blow into the hankie as well.
Horto Magiko
Roar Rookie
Lol beat me to it. This is the 132nd worst article on the roar. Or best even.
marron
Guest
Well, it was a long drought, on that we can all agree. It's been 132 comments in which this article didn't have 132 comments. Yer all bums.
Punter
Guest
Then please AR explain why posters, who have no interest in Football or in sailing are here complaining that football fans are insecure, why not just let us suffer in our own misery, especially in the middle of the exciting AFL season, why is the need for the 'Boo boys' to be here. I think you would find the insecurity is on the behalf of you guys, who needs to let everyone else knows you are better. I have no need to jump onto a AFL tab sprouting that Denmark has a strong local amateur AFL competition with no expats to tell one & all that it's not bigger then football. As I mentioned we are suckers & insecure, us football fans, but you guys are far worse.
apaway
Roar Guru
I bought a "Bonded" T-shirt and spent the day partying with uni students. It WAS a big day...
Horto Magiko
Roar Rookie
I said one thing. Include our Asian cup win and wsw's ACL win...undeniably bigger achievements. Unquestionably. But that's just my opinion. And you know what they say about opinions being like a55holes..every forum has one (or 12). "And as usual, you seem more guilty of it than most." Really? And not the 50 or so comments from AFL trolls? ARE YOU BEING SERIOUS? Selective much? Absolutely Ridiculous! (Ohhhhh. That's what AR stands for).
AR
Guest
With this line, I think Punter proves my point: "AFL fans, in the middle of the AFL season, jumping on board to defend sailing & telling everyone on the football tab that sailing & croquet is better then football..." Punter, posters here are not "defending sailing". Why on earth would they need to? Nor are posters "telling everyone on the football tab that sailing & croquet is better then football" (sic). That statement is just plainly untrue.
harry houdini
Roar Rookie
I would place more credence on your post if it was the 132nd, its not.
Horto Magiko
Roar Rookie
Harry carbunkle Malone Bahahaha. Your whole existence is based on attacking football fans and yet you call us paranoid when we say that we're targeted.... You Completely missed the hypocrisy in your own post huh? You're very presence here, attacking football fans everyday, contradicts your entire point. We clearly are being attacked eveyday. Lol. You are a special kind of dimwit aren't you.
harry houdini
Roar Rookie
Not wanting to point it out but this thread has nearly 132 posts.
harry houdini
Roar Rookie
Feel free to point out one post that states that sailing and croquet is better. But i can point you to about 30 posts that says - soccer fans and in particular a well known few should get over themselves !. This board, unlike any other, runs on the premise that to support soccer you must also believe that everyone is out to get soccer and according to one the most well known and respected posters - payed AFL operatives are patrolling this board, the AFL is out to destroy soccer, the Government, media and a whole host of other big corporations have it in for soccer etc etc . I love coming here, invariable no matter what the topic is, the wheel turns back and the same old conspiracies are thrown up, ground hog day every day on the soccer board, yet the champions of this board are same tired old men shouting at clouds, it gives me a laugh like no other sport, long may it continue.
Punter
Guest
Not often I agree with AR, but yes he is correct. We get an article from a journalist who is known for his dislike for football & we as football bit, instead of just leaving this well alone & regarded it as a fluff article. However, AR where in my mind, you always show your true fangs, while you rightly chastised the Football fans for their insecurity, there is no mention of your fellow 'Boo boys' the AFL fans, in the middle of the AFL season, jumping on board to defend sailing & telling everyone on the football tab that sailing & croquet is better then football. Showing far more insecurity.