Leicester City 5-2 Sunderland
5th March 2000
As the final whistle blows an almighty cheer echo’s around Filbert Street, the fans have just seen a Leicester team who have destroyed Sunderland, they have also seen a Forest reject score a hat-trick for Leicester. As the players walk down the tunnel every Leicester fan is singing just one song ‘We’ve got Stan Collymore!’
Most Leicester fans will remember the game against Sunderland in the 1999/2000 season for Stan Collymore scoring a hat trick. However, the game should be remembered for the fact it was arguably the peak of the Martin O’Neil era, when Leicester had one of their best sides in the clubs history.
Along with a solid goalkeeper and back three, Leicester offered a midfield and strike force which could rival any top 6 teams at the time. A midfield five of Guppy, Savage, Lennon, Izzet and Eadie offered the skill and grit, which was the nucleus of the majority of Leicester wins at the time.
Up front Leicester had Collymore and Heskey who offered Leicester the pace and power that could upset any Premiership team. The two players only ever played two games together up front for Leicester. The first one was a 1-1 draw against Watford and the second one was a 5-2 win against Sunderland.
The first goal for Leicester was an example of the potential that the Collymore/Heskey partnership could have given Leicester. They both linked up together before Collymore lashed the ball into the top corner from the edge of the box.
Heskey then scored a goal himself before Collymore added his second goal and Leicester’s third, with a bullet header from the edge of the box. Sunderland pulled the game back to 3-2 before Collymore bagged his hat trick by scuffing a shot with the bottom of his boot. Leicester eventually won 5-2 when Stefan Oakes scored a deflected free kick in the last few minutes.
As the song ‘we’ve got Stan Collymore’ rang around the Filbert Street stadium many Leicester fans could not believe how impressive Leicester looked. It seemed like the team had everything creativity, power, flair, determination. Leicester fans had been used to seeing a team who would ‘out battle’ other teams and win games through determination and team spirit. However, this team actually went out and beat teams due to being more creative and attacking.
This was arguably the peak for the Leicester City team under Martin O’Neil, within a week of the game against Sunderland; Heskey had move to Liverpool. By the end of the season O’Neil had move onto Celtic, taking Neil Lennon with him and within two seasons Leicester had been relegated into Division 1 (Championship)
Leicester fans will forever talk about how far the team against Sunderland could have gone if Leicester had been able to keep the squad together and keep Martin O’Neil at the helm. Under O’Neil Leicester were already a top 10 team and with such a strong midfield and powerful strike force who knows what Leicester would have been able to achieve.
After the Sunderland game Collymore would only play three more games before suffering a serious ankle injury against Derby. He was available for the beginning of the next season, but with O’Neil having left and Peter Taylor in charge, Collymore never settled and left Leicester after only a few games.
Overall Collymore played 11 games for Leicester, scoring 5 goals. Collymore’s time at Leicester was short, but in that time he showed Leicester fans what potential he possessed. He left under a cloud from Leicester as he did from most of the clubs he played for, but at least Leicester fans will always be able to remember him for his dazzling hat trick against Sunderland!
