It was a dream then, it is a dream now – especially as Leicester prepare for League One. Ten years ago the Foxes were defending their Premier League title and looking forward to Champions League football. At 5,000-1, they pulled off the most improbable, stunning, incredible feat to shock the world.

Now, after back‑to‑back relegations, those days feel as surreal as when they happened. New manager Russell Martin will be expected to take the club back to the Championship at the first attempt, something that sounds nowhere near as impossible as what the Foxes previously managed. The 'pinch‑me' moments live on for those who were there.

Leicester won the title without kicking a ball on 2 May 2016 when nearest challengers Tottenham Hotspur could only manage a 2‑2 draw with Chelsea. The next day, a handful of journalists were given a secret invitation to head back to Belvoir Drive, where they met Claudio Ranieri for an impromptu 45‑minute interview. Ranieri, a left‑field appointmentយ after 12 years away from English football, had introduced unconventional methods and off‑field changes that helped players like Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez flourish.

Even the city was buzzing – from hospital births to helicopter arrivals – as the Foxes’ impossible journey captured hearts.