John was sitting in the luxury box along with Sean and Club Director Andrew Taylor. Sean's position wasn't official yet because John didn't want to make changes when team was in such a delicate position.
For club to avoid relegation, the clash today was going to be crucial. Leicester were sitting on the 21st position after picking up only 42 points from 39 games and a recent winless run of 6 games had them staring at the abyss.
Though both Leicester fans and Derby County fans considered the Nottingham forest to be their main rivals, they still had strong mutual dislike for each other. With Nottingham forest struggling in the League 1 since last season, this was the most important fixture for both sets of fans.
This fixture was as important for both teams overall situations as it was for fans. While Leicester were struggling in a relegation battle along with Leeds, Luton, Southend, Hull, Barnsley and Q.P.R., the high flying Derby county were gunning for promotion to Premier league this year. The Derby were sitting in the third position and were neck and neck with Sunderland and Birmingham City with only 4 points separating them. The team that wins here will gain enough momentum to carry them through the final phase of the league.
The first game between both teams was a tight affair, with Derby County edging Leicester out 1-0 with the help of Sunderland loanee Jon Stead's goal in front of their home fans. Since then Jon Stead had left for Premier league side Sheffield United.
With emotions running high, the players were highly motivated to avenge the earlier loss in front of their home fans and to pick up the much needed three points. If they win today and Barnsley and Hull lose their respective matches they could go from 21st to 19th position in the league.
John was lost in his thoughts when he was brought back to the reality at the familiar sound of the club's walk on music: Post Horn Gallop. John watched as the players walked onto the field with the cheers from the 28,342 fans. John hadn't addressed the players yet because of the hectic takeover, but he still felt familiar with them. After all, he shared many moments with the team in his previous life.
John felt ecstatic at this moment as he heard the fierce cheers from the fans as the pre game ceremony was completed. At that moment, he felt his resolve strengthen to lead the club to the top to give these fans more reasons to cheer.
After the pre game ceremony was done, the lineup of Leicester was being announced. John was paying attention to remember the names and analyze the changes he will have to make in the summer. Even though it would be difficult to just send players away who have given their everything, John had already resolved himself to the fact that he will have to do these things if he wanted the club to succeed.
Leicester: 4-4-2 formation
GK: Rab Douglas
DF: Richard Stearman(RB), Patrick Kisnorbo(CB), Nils-Eric Johansson(CB), Alan Maybury(LB)
MF: Danny Tiatto(LW), Andy Johnson(CM), James Wesolowski(CM), Shaun Newton(RW)
FW: Iain Hume(FW), Matty Fryatt(FW)
John could remember most of the players from the team and their future achievements. John noted that the team's forward line was good enough for Championship and even though the back line was feeling the absence of Paddy Mccarthy who was sidelined due to shoulder injury it was still okay for championship. But the team's midfield was simply not good enough. He remembered that these midfield players were just journeymen, and their careers were limited to lower league. And even though James Wesolowski was considered a hot prospect, he never could fulfil that potential.
John felt that his criticism was slightly harsh. They were professionals after all and the future he knew wasn't set in stone but after a minute of considering, he decided to better look at it objectively. If he didn't use the future knowledge he had, he might as well give up running the club and live off the money he had.
John's line of thought was broken as he heard the referee blow the whistle indicating the match to start.