April 29th 2024.
Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, who is considered one of the greatest players in the club's history, has put to rest all speculations about his retirement plans. This came after Leicester sealed the Championship title with a 3-0 win over Preston North End, where Vardy scored a brace and Kasey McAteer added another goal to secure the victory. The 37-year-old, who is out of contract this summer, showed no signs of slowing down and made it clear that he is not ready to hang up his boots just yet.
Leeds' heavy 4-0 defeat to QPR on Friday night had already confirmed Leicester's promotion back to the Premier League. The team will now look to finish off their spectacular campaign on a high note when they face Blackburn at home this weekend. Monday's win against Preston also kept them on track to equal Tottenham's record of 32 wins in a single season in the second division, a feat that has not been achieved since 1919/20.
In his post-match interview with Sky Sports, Vardy paid tribute to the fans for their unwavering support, especially in the aftermath of the club's relegation from the Premier League. "The season has gone by quickly, but it's been a real grind. We haven't had many days off, that's for sure!" the veteran striker said. "The lads have given their all, and that's how we play. We give it our all, full throttle."
He also expressed his gratitude towards the fans, saying, "It's well-deserved, and I'm just glad that 5,000 of them were here tonight to celebrate with us. The fans are a huge part of this club, and their support means a lot to us. It's not a short journey for them to come here, especially for a night game, and the fact that they are still here and want to celebrate with us is amazing. If we let them, they'd be on the pitch with us!"
Despite securing promotion, Vardy and his teammates have set their sights on another milestone - reaching 100 points in the Championship. "We can celebrate tonight, but we still have another target to achieve on Saturday, which is reaching 100 points," he said. "We'll make sure to enjoy tonight, but then we'll go again on Saturday and celebrate with our home fans."
Vardy also praised his team for their hard work and dedication throughout the season, and credited manager Enzo Maresca for his tactics and training methods. "We're over the moon because this was our target at the start of the season," he said. "But we also knew that it could have gone the other way, given that we've only been together since July. The lads have taken in everything that the gaffer has wanted, and it's obviously worked for us."
Before the match, Vardy had made it clear that he has no plans of retiring anytime soon, and that he is eager to continue playing in the Premier League. "I'm not ready to hang up my boots yet. My legs feel fine, and I'm as fit as ever," he said. "We'll have to wait and see what happens." With Leicester's return to the Premier League after just one season, Vardy will have the chance to relive the club's historic title-winning campaign from eight years ago.
Meanwhile, Leicester's head coach Maresca, who took over from Dean Smith last summer, praised his players for their remarkable achievement in a tough and intense Championship season. "It's been a fantastic season, a tough season," the Italian said. "But in the end, we did it, and we are very happy. Now it's time to enjoy. The players have worked hard all season to bring this club back to the Premier League, and they deserve this moment."
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