What Leicester City fans chanted about Russell Martin a year before he became manager | OneFootball

The Foxes boss has got off to the worst possible start in his latest managerial role

Leicester City's recent fall from grace has been well-documented, but it has got even worse for the East Midlands club at the beginning of the 2026/27 campaign.

The 2025/26 season saw the Foxes become the second side in as many seasons to suffer the embarrassment of being relegated from the Premier League to League One back-to-back.

Such bleak fortunes on the pitch also coincided with a dire financial position, as two years after winning the Championship title under Enzo Maresca in 2023/24, Leicester were eventually punished with a six-point deduction from the EFL, which significantly contributed to their 23rd-placed finish and just a second-ever relegation to League One in club history.

Many names were linked with the vacancy at the King Power Stadium across the summer following the expiration of Gary Rowett's short-term contract after the vastly-experienced figure initially took over from Marti Cifuentes in January.

City would eventually land on the services of long-term target, Russell Martin, who has certainly split opinion amongst supporters in the Midlands, as well as elsewhere, for a prolonged period of time.

And, rather unsurprisingly, supporters are now more frustrated than ever after a horrendous start to a season in which many predicted the club to earn a first-time promotion.

Russell Martin is already under intense scrutiny as Leicester City head coach

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Indeed, it has been reported by TEAMtalk that after less than one month of the campaign played, the hierarchy at the King Power are already considering the long-term future of the 40-year-old.

Leicester were humiliated 4-0 by fellow newly-relegated Oxford United in the East Midlands on Saturday afternoon - a result which leaves them 17th in the League One table and already six points behind second-placed Huddersfield Town.

The former MK Dons, Swansea City, Southampton and Rangers boss has also received backlash for his post-match comments, in which he labelled his rather new-look side "really soft."

Martin's appointment was confirmed on June 15th, with his current managerial post coming less than a year after he was dismissed by his former playing side at Ibrox after just four months in charge, during which the Light Blues recorded just one Scottish Premiership victory.

Leicester City fans had made their feelings known over prior Russell Martin managerial raid

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As previously mentioned, Martin has proven to be a divisive figure within the managerial circuit, but it has been made no secret that the Brighton-born figure has been admired by Leicester's under-fire ownership group for some time.

The 2024/25 Premier League season, which was the start of the club's recent downfall on the pitch, saw the club appoint both Steve Cooper and Ruud van Nistelrooy in the dugout.

However, after it became apparent that the latter would not be staying to oversee a campaign of Championship football, Martin was amongst those to immediately be linked with the vacancy.

Even though Leicester would appoint Cifuentes instead, the Foxes fans made their point known at matches by chanting: "Russell Martin, what a ******."

Despite this, he was even linked after the Spaniard's winter dismissal, as well as potential roles at Blackburn Rovers and Watford.

Leicester City's Russell Martin decision has already been mocked

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Following what is, again, on the pitch, the lowest moment in Leicester's history with a heaviest-ever League One defeat, supporters have already been quick to turn on Martin, even though it came just days after his first league success over Plymouth Argyle.

Sections of the support in LE2 directed chants that criticised the former defender's possession-heavy tactics, which were torn apart by Aaron Ramsey's side.

In fact, those in the away end who were jubilant at the 4-0 scoreline were heard chanting "you're getting sacked in the morning," and that fate could certainly apply to Martin if results do not improve drastically and quickly, beginning with a trip to Stockport County next weekend, although the Hatters are currently sat third after a strong start under their own new boss, James McNulty.