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LEICESTER, England – The soundtrack to Leicester's sporting fairytale now carries a mournful melody.
On the streets where improbable success was toasted two years ago, the "Champions of England" singing reverberated again on Saturday, this time as the chorus for thousands of fans marching with players to the scene of unthinkable tragedy.
A melancholic lyric has been added to the title of one of the greatest sporting underdog possible successes: "Champions of England. You are here that it is why Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha will always be held in deep look by the people of Leicester, where soccer is returned for the first time since the Thai entrepreneur's death.
"The Boss" was the simple message on many T-shirts as 20,000 people embarked on a mile-long walk to the stadium where the 60-year-old Vichai died when his helicopter spiraled out of control off from the center circle.
It's the field where Vichai lifted the English Premier League trophy in May 2016, the culmination of an incredible journey taking place from the second tier to the pinnacle of English soccer. Andrea Bocelli Serenaded Manager Claudio Ranieri.
"Time to Say Goodbye" is a very popular show on Saturday when a recording of Bocelli was played in King Power Stadium after Saturday's 0-0 draw against Burnley. Vichai's son, vice chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, led the players to the field to thank fans who held aloft white scarves emblazoned with "Forever in our hearts." Clutching a Thai flag, Aiyawatt was embraced by goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel at the end of a lapse appreciation as the team and supporters applauded.
Watching on, Ranieri looked at tears on his return to Leicester. The Italian, whose reign lasted after the 5,000-1 longshot title win, returned to the late president along with his predecessor and successor as manager.
"His love and his passion helped us to achieve something amazing," Ranieri said. "Something that will be remembered forever."
The billionaire bought the struggling club in 2010 while in the second tier. In an era of mega-rich super clubs winning the English top-flight seemed unattainable for unfashionable teams like Leicester. With investment in the squad, but not vast sums, Vichai made the impossible dream possible.
"You do not support Leicester City to win things. "Glyn Morgans, who has been coming to Leicester games since 1969, said the Leicester's title odds. "Leicester people support Leicester because they are local people who love their local team."
Now, though, Leicester is a name that resonates around the world.
"Even when we are on holiday, they are so pleased Leicester did it, like a small club like Leicester," Margaret Bennett fan said to be sunshine gave way to a downpour on the market that was led by injured players, including defender Harry Maguire.
The Hundreds of Vigilant Flags of the Flags of the World in the United States. Vichai's Helicopter crashed in a ball of flames after the Oct. 27 night game against West Ham.
Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was still in the stadium an hour after the final whistle when he watched Vichai's blue aircraft take off as normal from the field, and he waved off the chairman. It was soon spiraling out of control and Schmeichel raced to the fire in a carpark.
"What happened next will stay with me forever," Schmeichel said in a 100-page matchday magazine dedicated to the victims of the helicopter crash. "It has been replayed through my head every minute since, it was something more I could have done. I was at the back of the car … tears streaming down my face. "
Schmeichel was among the players who flew to Thailand a week ago to pay respects to Vichai at Bangkok temple during a weeklong funeral ceremony.
Now the whole club could be commemorating Vichai on matchday. The stadium fell silent for a few minutes before kickoff as a Vichai was played on big screens before songs of "Vichai" broke out. The day as well as an additional minute's silence held to mark 100 years since the end of World War I.
"This week has been hard," Leicester winger Marc Albrighton said. "Leicester fans have been brilliant for us and we need them. It's going to be a tough road. The lads are emotionally drained. Today I have never played. "
Before the game, club officials Aiyawatt viewed the area that has made a makeshift memorial to his father a few minutes walk from the stadium. The Leicester vice chairman, who is also known as "Top", "Inspired the carpet of flowers", "Vichai" and "Boss" in blue and white flowers. Of the hundreds of soccer jerseys from Leicester and rival clubs that have been placed outside the stadium in the days of the disaster,
Fans who traveled from the northwest of Burnley added their only tributes and took inspiration from the 2016 success.
"Everyone was a fan of Leicester that year," Burnley fan Roy Addison said. "It showed to a small club anything is possible. Nothing is impossible. "
Grief will, however, forever be associated with the glory here.
Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore found a flicker of optimism at a dark moment. In the streets holding banners of team owners usually signals discontent and protest. In Leicester, they have only affection for Vichai.
"The reaction showed a huge tolerance," Scudamore said in the days after Vichai's death. "It's all about the owners, and all the foreigners are bad and the English owners are good."
Now Leicester, with Claude Puel as coach, to the future on the field with the team 10th in the 20-team standings.
Although the 32,184 attendance on Saturday was the biggest crowd of the season, the owner's death in the following year.
"Games are a bit weird we've had all that success," 21-year-old season ticketholder Sam Collins said. "When you win and lose it does not mean much because we've been to the pinnacle."
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Rob Harris is at www.twitter.com/RobHarris and www.facebook.com/RobHarrisReports
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