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Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Will Be Immortalised At King Power Stadium With Memorial Statue

Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Will Be Immortalised At King Power Stadium With Memorial Statue

Great gesture.

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare

It has been confirmed that former Leicester City chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha will be immortalised outside the King Power stadium through the commissioning of a memorial statue - a great gesture for a great man.

Srivaddhanaprabha, the Thai billionaire businessman who cleared the club's debts and helped them win promotion to the top flight four years later, was among five people killed in a helicopter crash last month.

He helped mastermind one of the greatest sporting stories of any generation, but he also gave the people of Leicester hope and goodwill in an uncertain time.

To celebrate his life, the club will build a statue outside Leicester's stadium. Vichai's son, Khun Aiyawatt, said the following on Leicester's official website.

"We will never be able to repay what he did for us - for me as his son, us as his family, everyone connected to Leicester City and beyond - but we are committed to honouring his memory and upholding his legacy," Khun Aiyawatt writes.

"Our continued growth as a Club, our state-of-the-art new training ground and our planned stadium expansion will help realise his vision for Leicester City.

"I plan to commission a statue of my father, for outside King Power Stadium, as a permanent and fitting tribute to the man that made it all possible.

"He will forever be in our hearts. He will never be forgotten."

He bought Leicester in 2010 when they were struggling in the Championship and in turn, cleared their debts by loaning the club more than £100 million in the first four years.

Srivaddhanaprabha would not only pump money into the football club, but his generosity toward the city of Leicester was nothing short of incredible

He donated £1 million to Leicester University's medical department, and another £1 million to Leicester Royal Infirmary. He would also hand over £2m towards a new children's hospital - and it didn't stop there.

He memorably gave Leicester fans free beer, free scarves and free cakes during the famous Premier League title win in 2015/16 and often organised free bus travel to away games.

Not to mention the fact he bought every player a new car after they won the Premier League.

Image: PA
Image: PA

Away from his magnificent and unselfish efforts off the pitch, Srivaddhanaprabha would make history on it in the most incredible way possible.

In 2008, the club were relegated into the third tier for the first time in their history.

Eight years on, thanks to the help of Vichai, Claudio Ranieri and the board, Leicester can recall the most romantic title win of all time.

He said at the start of his reign that the club would spend £180 million to break into the top five within three years, and in just two years, spending around £77 million on transfers, the club would eventually become the best team in the country.

Image: PA
Image: PA

The likes of Wes Morgan, N'Golo Kante Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez were pivotal in that memorable season and after a 3-1 victory against Everton at the King Power, the above players surrounded Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha as he lifted the biggest prize in England.

It was an unforgettable moment for millions around the world.

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Football News, Football, Leicester