From Champions to Championship for Leicester City?

May 25, 2023 by Leave a Comment

by Aiden Slattery

(via https://flickr.com/photos/7787006@N02/16204525164)

Leicester City go into the final game of the season this Sunday with their Premier League survival looking increasingly unlikely.  

With a 0-0 finish in their previous fixture against Champions League qualifying Newcastle United, Leicester have given themselves a lifeline going into the last game of the season as they levelled Leeds on thirty-one points.  

Equal on points with Leeds United, but sitting in eighteenth in the relegation zone, the only statistic that may work in Leicester’s favour is their significantly better goal difference in comparison to Leeds. 

To retain their Premier League status for next season, not only must they beat an in-form West Ham United, but Leicester fans are also relying on Bournemouth to come out with a win against Everton. 

If Leicester win, and Everton lose, it will be Everton who will finish eighteenth instead and make the drop to the EFL Championship with Leeds and Southampton.

As West Ham prepare for The Europa Conference League Final in Prague next month, players will be competing to impress manager David Moyes for a starting place for their upcoming cup final, which could spell bad news for an underperforming Leicester City squad. 

A life-long Leicester City fan, Samuel Wheddon, shared his disappointment with the current state of Leicester city, saying: “I haven’t enjoyed this season at all, it’s been a pain to watch, but I’m still proud of what this team has done, never thought I’d see us win the [Premier] League”

Holding on to hope however, he said: “I do think we’ll beat West Ham this weekend, they have bigger things to worry about, it’s down to Bournemouth to beat Everton at this point if we want to stay up.”

The final match-day presents three established Premier League teams fighting relegation, Leeds, Leicester and Everton, with two of them guaranteed to make the drop to the Championship next season, joining already relegated Southampton.

Leicester City’s potential drop from the topflight of English football is made even more surprising considering since their promotion from the EFL Championship almost a decade ago they have pulled off what can only be described as a miracle, lifting a Premier League trophy, an FA Cup and a fairy tale run to the quarter finals in the Champions League.  

With a top-half finish in six of their previous seven Premier League campaigns, the Foxes enter the last game of their 22/23 season with the odds of maintaining topflight football stacked against them. 

Filed Under: First Year, Sports

Leicester city centre’s THIRD axe throwing venue opens

May 23, 2023 by Leave a Comment

by Aiden Slattery

Leicester has opened its doors to its third axe throwing venue, offering the truly bizarre but beloved new recreational pastime to the people of the city. 

Joining Angle Axe Throwing, in Cank Street, and Caddyshackers, in Calais Hill, Game of Throwing in Hotel Street has been added to Leicester’s growing list of axe throwing venues. 

An early patron of the new establishment, Mwilla Butler, said: “I think axe throwing over something more typical like bowling or crazy golf gives you a certain rush that you just can’t get from similar indoor sports and games.” 

The revival of axe throwing in Leicester, a seemingly forgotten sport by the mainstream, is somewhat puzzling considering that just a couple years ago there was nowhere to throw an axe. 

However, with three individual venues within Leicester city centre alone, at this point in time people are spoiled for choice all within walking distance of each other. 

Filed Under: First Year, Latest

Nelson Mandela’s former ANC colleague speaks at Leicester Palestine Action protest

May 22, 2023 by Leave a Comment

By Aiden Slattery

Protests have continued outside the Elbit Systems’ UAV Tactical Systems building in Leicester, occupying the road next to the factory.

Meridian Business Park saw its largest numbers in attendance on Saturday, May 13, with the arrival of prominent rapper and activist Lowkey, as well as Andrew Feinstein (a former ANC politician who worked alongside Nelson Mandela) and a convoy of protesters from Bradford.

Convoy of protestors from Bradford arrives outside the UAV Tactical Systems.

The protesters have been demonstrating over what they say are the company’s links with the Israeli military.

On its website, Elbit Systems’ corporate overview states: “We are an international high technology company engaged in a wide range of programs throughout the world, primarily in the defence and homeland security arenas.

“We develop and supply a broad portfolio of airborne, land and naval systems and products for defence, homeland security and commercial applications.”

With regards to the company’s Leicester operation and the protests, ITV News has previously reported a spokesperson for UAV Tactical Systems as saying: “To be absolutely clear, U-TacS does not supply the Israeli military or Israeli Ministry of Defence. Any claims to the contrary are completely false.”

A protester at the event who asked to remain anonymous said: “Elbit can deny that the systems produced at this factory are used against Palestinians, but I think that ignores the core function of their business, which is to profit from war and death.

“We simply do not consent to these weapons and drones being manufactured within our community.”

Speaking at the event, Mr Feinstein compared the apartheid struggle he himself fought against in South Africa to the struggle of the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation.

Speaking in solidarity with the Palestine Action movement, he said: “We were taught early on that all our struggles, were one struggle.”

It is unclear how much longer the Palestine Action movement plans to occupy the road in front of the factory, with protesters claiming they will do so until they get the factory shut down.

Filed Under: Latest, Breaking News, Cultural, First Year

Beat the table tennis pros to win cash at DSU

May 22, 2023 by Leave a Comment

by Aiden Slattery

Advertising and marketing communication students have planned a fundraising table tennis event at the De Montfort Students’ Union building tomorrow (Tuesday May 23), with a small £2 entry fee you stand to win cash prizes.

Two professional table tennis players will be at the event, if you manage to beat one of these pros at their own game, you could win a cash prize up to £10!

The venture was organised, amongst others, in order to give the advertising and marketing communications students a chance to develop their event organisation skills.

One of the students who worked on the event Richard Davies said: “I hope that this event can supply other students some entertainment and joy in his particularly stressful time in the run up to the end academic year.”

Filed Under: Latest, Blogs/Sports, DMU News, First Year, Lifestyle, Sports, Univerisity Life