Leicester City want flying start in Championship – Steve Walsh

By [spumfrey] steve pumfrey www.thebluearmy.co.uk

Leicester City legend Steve Walsh has roared out a "bring 'em on" message to the club's local rivals.

City will go head to head with Coventry, Derby, Nottingham Forest, West Brom and Peterborough when the Coca-Cola Championship season starts in August.

And Walsh is challenging Nigel Pearson's side to show their mettle in the "derby" games.

"These are the matches I love the most," said Walsh. "They tell you a lot about the players and there should be a tremendous atmosphere at the games."

Walsh, voted City's all-time favourite player by the Blue Army, also believes the opening-day fixture against Swansea at the Walkers Stadium on August 8 is a must-win fixture.

The clubs will meet for the first time in a league game for 30 years and Walsh said: "Winning that first game, particularly at home, is so important and it gives everyone that extra buzz.

"It happened last season when we beat MK Dons in our first match in League One and we took it on from there."

Walsh acknowledged it is a tough start for City with trips to Newcastle, Ipswich and Sheffield United during the first month.

And the former skipper is particularly keen for City to do well at Newcastle where Pearson was a coach.

Walsh recalled his own memorable clashes with the Magpies, including a 4-3 defeat at St James' Park in 1997 with City leading 3-1 only to succumb to an Alan Shearer hat-trick. Walsh also scored at both ends of the field in a 2-1 defeat five years earlier.

He said: "That's another massive match and, although Newcastle will find it tough, you can't back against them doing well this season.

"We're looking too at a very tough division and a very tough start but the team we have now would not have gone down and, with more additions, we'll be all right."

City chief executive Lee Hoos said he shared Pearson's assertion that Leicester could be the surprise package in the Championship.

He said: "We won the league comfortably last season and we have a good management team in place and a lot going for us.

"We are now much stronger and organised as a squad and there is a lot to look forward to and, to quote Nigel, I think we'll surprise a lot of people."

Lance Tomlyn, chairman of the Independent Supporters Association, hopes it will be payback time when City travel to Ipswich and Sheffield United during the first month.

City plunged deeper into Championship relegation trouble in April 2008 when Patrick Kisnorbo's red card – later rescinded – triggered a 3-0 defeat at United.

The same player was controversially dismissed in an earlier clash with Ipswich which City lost 3-1 with the decision again being overturned.

Tomlyn said: "Both these matches were turning points in our season and contributed to the relegation so it will good if we can put things right."

Ian Holloway was in charge at City when they were eventually relegated.

But Cliff Ginnetta, chairman of the City Supporters Club, believes he will get a fairly easy ride when he returns to the Walkers Stadium with Blackpool on September 12.

Ginnetta said: "We were on a downward spiral by the time Ollie arrived, and I think our fans will be more concerned about how we are doing after the first month."

New Shepshed Dynamo manager Dave Stringer will hold a forum with the Unibond League fans at the Dovecote this evening (7.30).