West Ham manager and captain reflect on tragic day when they last faced Leicester
The majority of the fans had left the King Power Stadium after the ten-man West Ham team was denied three points in the closing minutes of a 1-1 draw with Leicester City on October 27 of last year, and the players were also leaving.
Nobody anticipated or knew what would happen shortly after the final whistle, as Foxes owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four other people perished when their aircraft crashed in the stadium parking lot. Unfortunately, that night all of the passengers died.
The outpouring of emotion and grief among the football family was immense in the aftermath and the Foxes and the Hammers meet for the first time since that tragic night later this afternoon at the London Stadium.
In their programme notes for the game on Saturday afternoon, both manager Manuel Pellegrini and skipper Mark Noble have reflected on that awful day in October.
Pellegrini has written: “It is the first time the two clubs have met since the tragic day last October when Leicester’s owner an four other individuals lost their lives.
“The football world showed its solidarity and togetherness following that devastating accident and everyone at Leicester deserves great respect for the strength and courage they have shown.”
“I think a new level of respect developed between the two clubs after the tragic events that occurred after our game at King Power Stadium earlier this season, when Leicester owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four other people lost their lives,” Captain Noble continued.
“I anticipate that respect will once more be shown this afternoon between the two groups of fans, as well as the players and staff.
“As I said at the time, we were all hurt and saddened by what had happened that October evening. We heard about the incident a few minutes after we had ourselves left the stadium in the team coach and the reaction was one of complete shock and silence.
“Our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families of those who died, along with everyone associated with Leicester City.”
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