FLW looks at the six managers who had the worst spells in Foxes history
Leicester City have had 42 permanent managers in the club’s history, and it’s fair to say that there have been mixed fortunes for a number of those.
The man who boasts the best win percentage in Foxes history that has taken charge of a period longer than 10 games is Nigel Pearson with 51.4%, who enjoyed two spells at the King Power Stadium, taking them from League One to the Championship, and then winning the Championship title in his second spell, beginning the most extraordinary nine-year period in Leicester’s history.
Current boss Enzo Maresca will be hoping to emulate that success this season, and has got off to an ideal start with 8 wins from his 9 competitive games in charge so far. However, we’re flipping the stat on it’s head and taking a look at the six Foxes bosses with the worst win percentage.
The former Leyton Orient manager joined the Foxes in 1971, and won the Charity Shield that year, as well as guiding the club to as high as 7th place in 1975/76, as well as reaching the FA Cup semi-finals in 1973/74.
Overall, Bloomfield oversaw 285 games, winning 85 of those, with 104 draws hampering his overall win percentage of 29.82%
5.Craig Levein – 28.57%
The Scot arrived at the King Power in November 2004 with Leicester sat 14th in the Championship after the departure of Micky Adams following relegation from the Premier League.
However, Levein was unable to turn around the Foxes’ fortunes, and he would leave the club just 14 months later as the club found themselves in the relegation zone on January 25th 2006. Levein won just 20 of his 75 outings, with a win percentage of just 28.57%.
4Bryan Hamilton – 28.26%
Hamilton took charge of Leicester City in June 1986 after a successful period as manager of Wigan Athletic in the Third Division.
However, the Northern Irishman found the step up in divisions far too steep, and in his only campaign in charge in the East Midlands, Leicester were relegated from the First Division with 42 points from as many games. He would win just 13 of his 46 matches in all competitions, accumulating a win percentage of 28.26%
3.Ian Holloway – 28.13%
The charismatic Bristolian follows, but Ian Holloway had a forgettable 32-game tenure at the King Power Stadium after moving from Plymouth Argyle.
Despite becoming the first Foxes manager in over 50 years to win his first game in charge, a 2-0 success against Bristol City, Holloway oversaw Leicester’s dismal end to the 2007/08 season which resulted in a first third tier campaign in club history.
Leicester were relegated with a tally of 52 points, one behind local rivals Coventry City. Holloway was in charge of just 32 games, winning just nine of those with a win percentage of 28.13% before departing by mutual consent.
2.Dave Bassett – 14.29%
Bassett had managed a plethora of sides across a long-standing managerial career, but his time at Leicester is best forgotten by all who saw it.
Having taken over in October 2001, Bassett would last just until the following April, winning just 3 Premier League matches during his tenure, which included no wins from 1st December to March 30th
His final game in the dugout was a 1-0 home defeat to Manchester United which confirmed relegation on April 6th 2002, and Bassett would subsequently become Director of Football , handing managerial duties over to Micky Adams. He would end on a win percentage of just 14.29% from his 28 games.
1.Frank McLintock – 12.5%
The manager with the worst win percentage in Foxes history is Frank McLintock with just 5 wins from 40 games in charge between June 1977 and April 1978.
The Scot started his playing career at Leicester and returned to replace the aforementioned Jimmy Bloomfield, but was unsuccessful in doing so.
Having won his first home game, a 1-0 win against West Ham on August 24th, the Foxes would win just one match between then and February 25th, leaving the club with an impossible task of staving off relegation.
McLintock would resign in the April of 1978 with relegation all but confirmed, ending on a mere win percentage of just 12.5%
