Leicester relegated to League One, 10 years after Premier League title triumph

Leicester have been relegated to League One, 10 years on from their historic 5,000-1 Premier League title win.

While lifting the top-flight trophy at the King Power Stadium in May 2016 ranks as the Foxes’ greatest day, Tuesday night’s 2-2 draw with Hull will go down as one of their worst as it confirmed a second successive relegation.

Gary Rowett’s side briefly had dreams of a great escape as quickfire goals from Jordan James and Luke Thomas overturned Liam Millar’s opener, but Oli McBurnie’s strike midway through the second half left them seven points from safety with just two games to go.

The draw condemns them to the third tier for the first time since 2009 and memories of winning the Premier League under Claudio Ranieri, a run to the Champions League quarter-finals and an FA Cup victory will seem like distant memories.

Four years ago they played Roma in a European quarter-final; next year they will take on Bromley.

Their demise from such heights has come from mismanagement off the pitch, with relegation in part attributed to a six-point deduction for breaching Profit and Sustainability Rules.

There was a toxic atmosphere with players booed – midfielder Harry Winks was given particular attention – and abuse directed at chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, with no guarantee the club will be able to bounce straight back after three years of downward spiral.

Hull have plans on exiting the Championship through the front door, but they dropped out of the play-off positions following Wrexham’s win at Oxford.

One win in 17 games had Leicester staring down the barrel and anything other than victory against the Tigers meant their fate would be sealed.

And they were masters of their own downfall as they laid Hull’s opener on a plate in the 17th minute.

Goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, playing out from the back, passed straight to Millar, who composed himself and fired home.

Leicester came agonisingly close to an equaliser before the break as Patson Daka slid Thomas’ cross just wide.

But they were a completely different side after the interval and turned the game around in just 92 seconds.

They were awarded a penalty when Issahaku Fatawu was tripped by Lewis Koumas, with James converting emphatically from 12 yards in the 52nd minute.

Then from the next attack Thomas got on the end of Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s cross to make it 2-1 and the great escape was on.

But only for all of nine minutes as Hull levelled in the 64th minute.

Having seen their manager Sergej Jakirovic sent to the stands for his protests at the penalty award, Millar caused trouble down the left and teed up McBurnie, who rifled home from 16 yards.

Leicester threw everything forward in a bid to keep themselves alive.

Daka hit the crossbar with an acrobatic effort from close range and then Aaron Ramsey shot over from Stephy Mavididi’s cross.

Semi Ajayi produced a brilliant goal-saving tackle, but in the end Hull should have won it when John Egan burst through but shot straight at Begovic.

Leicester’s players collapsed to the ground at full-time, with the third tier awaiting.