A decade ago, in September 2016, Leicester City were preparing for a Champions League campaign, a testament to the remarkable rise the club had achieved under Claudio Ranieri. Fast forward to the present day, and the Foxes find themselves languishing in 17th place in League One – the lowest rung they have ever occupied since their admission to the Football League in 1894. The contrast between those two moments could not be starker. Since taking charge, Russell Martin has overseen just one victory in the first five league fixtures.
The most recent setback was a crushing 4-0 defeat at home to Oxford United, a result that left the King Power Stadium echoing with chants of "you're getting sacked in the morning" aimed squarely at the manager. Martin entered the role hoping to rehabilitate his reputation after a disastrous spell at Southampton and a challenging tenure at Rangers, but the early season form has offered little reassurance. Despite the gloom, some voices within the football community remain cautiously optimistic.
Former Leicester assistant manager Michael Appleton, speaking on Sky Sports' The EFL Show, acknowledged the severity of the situation but also highlighted Martin's experience. "It's a difficult moment, there's no doubt about it," Appleton said. "Russell Martin is a very experienced guy now. It was always going to be a difficult job, with big expectations from a club that not too long ago was playing in the Premier League and even winning it." Appleton pointed out that Martin's record across his recent managerial stops – three league wins in 28 attempts with Southampton, Rangers and Leicester – underscores the challenge he faces.
"With those expectations, you've got to deliver. It's still very early, but losing 4-0 at home, along with the results against Plymouth and Burton, makes it a very difficult start. They've got to start winning games very quickly to address it," Appleton warned.
Nevertheless, Appleton believes Martin can draw on past hardships to steady his squad. He suggested that the manager might use his own experiences of struggling at a big club to calm the dressing room and keep players focused.
"He'll draw on those experiences and maybe use them behind the scenes with the players and staff, speaking about how they dealt with those situations and trying to keep everyone calm," Appleton explained. He also noted that the upcoming fixtures could provide a chance to halt the slide, emphasizing how painful home defeats feel for supporters.
"I'm not saying losing 4-0 at Oxford would have been a good result in any stretch of the imagination, but when it happens at home, it feels so much worse," he said. Reading co‑CEO Joe Jacobson offered another perspective, blaming the squad's inexperience for the poor start.
He observed that Leicester have been rotating younger players into the starting eleven, often at the expense of seasoned veterans. "They've got a really young team at the minute," Jacobson said. "You look at the players they're bringing off the bench and they're taking off experienced players and bringing on younger ones." Jacobson argued that this youthfulness adds pressure, especially given the fans' frustration after several turbulent seasons. He reminded listeners of Martin's previous stint at Southampton, where a run of four defeats in September was followed by an unbeaten league run that lasted until February.
"If he can turn the ship, he might start to get a tune out of some of those players," Jacobson suggested, drawing a parallel between the two clubs' situations. The co‑CEO also touched on the broader context of club ownership and fan sentiment. Leicester's owners have recently announced that the club is up for sale, a move that has unsettled supporters and echoed similar uncertainty at Reading.
Jacobson explained that when owners publicly signal a desire to sell, fans often interpret it as a lack of commitment to the club's long‑term success. "When they recently came out and talked about wanting to sell the club and actively looking for a buyer, straight away the fans almost say, 'Well, you don't care now. You just want out. That's your main focus,'" he said.
Despite the turmoil, Jacobson remains hopeful that Leicester can still enjoy a successful season if the manager can harness the talent in his squad. He believes that once the players have more time to train under Martin's guidance, their performances will improve. "At the minute, there's that anxiousness and a divided fan base.
They want to support their club, but they also want to feel that everyone is pulling in the right direction," he concluded. Looking ahead, Leicester's next challenge is a trip to Edgeley Park to face Stockport County, who sit third in League One. The Hatters, who were playing in the National League North a decade ago, have risen dramatically and will enter the match as favorites. This fixture presents a crucial test for Martin: can he rally his young side, restore confidence, and begin the climb out of the relegation zone?
The situation at Leicester is a stark reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in football. From Champions League nights to a battle for survival in the third tier within ten years, the club's trajectory underscores the importance of stable leadership, cohesive squad building, and clear communication with supporters. Whether Martin can rewrite the narrative remains to be seen, but the next few games will be pivotal in determining whether Leicester City can arrest their decline or continue to slide further down the league ladder.