Intriguing transfer mix and four more lessons from Leicester City's League One triumph | OneFootball

Leicester City return to League One for only the second time, and the last visit delivered the title with 96 points. Eighteen years on, there are clear lessons from that 2008-09 campaign as they plan the way back up.

According to LeicesterMercury.co.uk, City reset under Nigel Pearson, a coach of nearly a decade at Newcastle, West Brom and England Under-21s before short managerial spells at Southampton and Carlisle. That model, giving a new manager with strong coaching pedigree scope to reshape, also mirrors recent bounce-backs by Cardiff and Birmingham under Brian Barry-Murphy and Chris Davies.

Relegated with Matty Fryatt on the books, City had a ready-made finisher. He scored 27 league goals, 32 in all, the best return since Arthur Rowley in 1956-57, and City finished as top scorers. Replicating that cutting edge will require the market this summer.

The loan market was mined expertly. Jack Hobbs from Liverpool and Kerrea Gilbert from Arsenal became regulars, Tom Cleverley impressed from Manchester United, and Mark Davies dazzled in seven games before his loan was cut short so he could be sold to Bolton, then in the Premier League. Each raised performance levels.

Permanent recruits formed an intriguing blend. Lloyd Dyer, Michael Morrison and Nicky Adams arrived from League Two or the Conference, while Bruno Berner, Chris Powell, Paul Dickov and Wayne Brown were 30-plus free agents from Premier League clubs, with Aleksandar Tunchev the outlier from Bulgaria. The balance and personalities worked, Berner in particular standing out.

Trust in youth also paid off. Andy King, Joe Mattock and Max Gradel featured far more, King played 54 games, the most at the club. City should repeat that next term, and it is expected they will, with a deeper crop now.

Source: LeicesterMercury.co.uk