Episode
The Impossible Dream: Leicester City’s Premier League Win
- Published
- Apr 28, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3925
- Processing state
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- https://shows.acast.com/it-was-what-it-was/episodes/the-impossible-dream-leicester-citys-premier-league-win
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Summary
Welcome back to It Was What It Was, the football history podcast. In this week’s episode, co-hosts Jonthan Wilson and Rob Draper are joined by Sports Journalist and author Jonathan Northcroft to take a look 10 years on from that extraordinary and famous Premier League win! They frame the story around key pivot points, including the Valentine’s Day defeat at Arsenal and the self-belief it sparked, plus Ranieri’s unexpected decision to still grant the squad a holiday. Northcroft traces the longer build-up through the 2013 Watford play-off heartbreak, Nigel Pearson’s cross-department reset, the 2014 Championship-winning platform (and the later FFP breach), and the club’s smart recruitment and early data use that delivered players like Kanté, Mahrez and Okazaki. They cover Pearson’s departure after off-field incidents, the scepticism around Ranieri’s appointment, his “dilly ding” media touch, rivals’ crises, standout wins over Liverpool and Manchester City, Spurs’ chase, and the city’s all-in celebrations as the miracle became real. 06:35 Origins of the Build 10:39 FFP and the Promotion Debate 11:35 Recruitment and Data Edge 17:36 Kante and Mahrez Backstories 22:22 Pearson Great Escape and Exit 26:10 Ranieri Arrives Against the Odds 27:46 Dilly Ding and Pizza Psychology 35:24 Chelsea Chaos Unravels 41:42 Big Clubs in Crisis 45:02 Vardy Volley and City Statement 47:37 Leicester Media Frenzy 53:30 Spurs Pressure and Title Night 59:19 Leicester Celebrates as One 01:04:30 Bonkers Finale Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.