The 2009–10 season was Leicester City F.C.'s 105th season in the English football league system and their 58th in the second tier of English football. It was their first season back in the Championship after promotion from League One as champions in 2008–09. It was also the club's 125th anniversary season.

Having just been promoted, Nigel Pearson's side surprised many by spending most of the season in the play-offs. They eventually finished fifth, reaching the play-offs. This was considered an impressive finish and a stride forward by many, considering Leicester were relegated from the same division two seasons previously. They eventually lost out in the play-off semi-finals to Cardiff City on a penalty shoot-out.

Pre-season After winning League One by seven points, manager Nigel Pearson sought to strengthen the squad ahead of the Championship campaign. 2008–09 loanees Jack Hobbs and Wayne Brown were quickly signed on permanent deals from Liverpool and Hull City respectively. Veterans Barry Hayles, Bruno Ngotty, Paul Henderson, Patrick Kisnorbo and Marc Edworthy were released at the end of their contracts. The Foxes further added to their squad with the captures of goalkeeper Chris Weale, defender Robbie Neilson and midfielders Richie Wellens and Dany N'Guessan. However, the forward line remained unreinforced until 19-year-old Martyn Waghorn arrived on loan from Sunderland just before the opening game against Swansea City.

Joe Mattock, part of the England squad for the European U-19 Championships, handed in a transfer request just 48 hours before the first match of the season. He eventually moved to fellow Championship club West Bromwich Albion for an undisclosed fee.

Kit and sponsorship

Leicester City's home kit for the 2009–10 season was unveiled before the final home game of 2008–09 against Scunthorpe United. To mark the 125th anniversary of the club's founding in 1884, the design of the front of the shirt had earlier been put to an online vote, with the fans deciding to keep the home shirt blank and sponsorless. A special badge was created for this kit, to be used for one season only.

The blue and black design of the away kit mirrors the shirts worn in the club's first game in 1884. It is branded with the logo of LOROS, a charity providing hospice care in Leicestershire. The charity will receive a percentage of the sale price of each shirt sold from their shops.

Both strips are manufactured by Joma, following the expiration of the club's previous deal with Jako.

Friendlies After reporting back for pre-season training on 1 July, the club remained unbeaten through six pre-season games:

Record 2009–10 was Leicester City's 58th season at the second tier of English football. Their record of winning the division on six occasions (although not since 1980) is second only to Manchester City. Prior to the 2009–10 season, their record at this level was: Champions 6 1924–25, 1936–37, 1953–54, 1956–57, 1970–71, 1979–80 Automatic promotion 3 1907–08, 1982–83, 2002–03 Promotion play-off winners 2 1994, 1996 Promotion play-off runners-up 2 1992, 1993 Top half 19 Bottom half 24 Relegated 1

Players

2009–10 squad Only includes players given a squad number. The squad listed is the squad which Leicester finished the season with.

Transfers

In Date Pos. Nat. Name From Fee29 June 2009MF Dany N'GuessanLincoln CityUndisclosed1 July 2009DF Jack HobbsLiverpoolUndisclosed1 July 2009DF Wayne BrownHull CityFree1 July 2009GK Chris WealeBristol CityFree1 July 2009MF Astrit AjdarevicLiverpoolFree1 July 2009DF Robbie NeilsonHeart of MidlothianFree7 July 2009MF Richie WellensDoncaster Rovers£1,200,00021 August 2009FW Paul GallagherBlackburn Rovers£900,00024 August 2009FW Yann KermorgantStade de ReimsFree

Out Date Pos. Nat. Name To Fee1 July 2009MF Joe CobbWycombe WanderersFree1 July 2009DF Marc EdworthyBurton AlbionFree1 July 2009MF Lee CoxInverness Caledonian ThistleFree1 July 2009MF Jonny HayesInverness Caledonian ThistleFree1 July 2009MF Ryan BeswickKettering TownFree13 July 2009FW Barry HaylesCheltenham TownFree22 July 2009FW Billy McKayNorthampton TownFree10 August 2009DF Joe MattockWest Bromwich Albion£1.2 million25 January 2010MF Max GradelLeeds UnitedUndisclosed29 January 2010FW Ricky SappletonMacclesfield TownFree1 February 2010FWPaul DickovReleasedFree

Loans in Date from Date to Pos. Nat. Name From7 August 2009End of seasonFW Martyn WaghornSunderland F.C.30 August 2009End of seasonDF Ryan McGivernManchester City1 February 2010End of seasonDF Alex BruceIpswich Town10 March 2010End of seasonFW James VaughanEverton23 March 2010End of seasonMF Jay SpearingLiverpool

Loans out Date from Date to Pos. Nat. Name From1 August 200931 December 2009MF Aman VermaCrewe Alexandra4 August 2009End of SeasonMF James WesolowskiHamilton Academical14 August 2009End of SeasonMF Harry WorleyCrewe Alexandra21 August 2009FW Ashley ChambersWycombe Wanderers28 August 20091 January 2010FW Paul DickovDerby County11 September 2009MF Levi PorterMansfield Town17 September 2009FW Craig KingHereford United11 September 20092 January 2010MF Max GradelLeeds United26 November 200931 January 2010FW DJ CampbellDerby County15 January 201014 February 2010MF Nicky AdamsLeyton Orient19 January 201018 February 2010DF Luke O'NeillTranmere Rovers21 January 2010End of seasonFW Ashley ChambersWycombe Wanderers1 February 2010End of seasonDF Lathaniel Rowe-TurnerTorquay United1 February 2010End of seasonFW DJ CampbellBlackpool1 February 2010End of seasonMF Aman VermaHiston25 March 2010End of seasonMF Astrit AjdarevicHereford United

Results

Football League Championship Leicester City scores given first Game Date Venue Opponents Score Scorers Attendance Points Position Report Notes 1 8 August 2009 Home Swansea City 2–1 Waghorn 69', N'Guessan 72'26,17133rd LCFC.com2 15 August 2009 Away Ipswich Town 0–022,454 46thLCFC.com3 18 August 2009 Away Sheffield United 1–1 Fryatt 52'26,06958thLCFC.com4 22 August 2009 Home Barnsley 1–0 Fryatt 54'21,79985thLCFC.com 5 31 August 2009 Away Newcastle United 0–1 38,81389thLCFC.comLive on Sky Sports 6 12 September 2009 Home Blackpool 2–1 Fryatt 26', 58'22,827 116thLCFC.com 7 15 September 2009 Home Peterborough United 1–1 Fryatt 47 '(pen.) 21,485 127thLCFC.com 8 19 September 2009 Away Watford 3–3 Fryatt 20' (pen.), 40', N'Guessan 90+1'14,647 139thLCFC.com 9 26 September 2009 Home Preston North End 1–2 Berner 90' 20,623 13 10th LCFC.com 10 29 September 2009 Away Middlesbrough 1–0 Dyer 83' 18,577 16 8th LCFC.com 11 4 October 2009 Away Coventry City 1–1 Waghorn 71' 22,209 17 5th LCFC.com M69 Derby 12 17 October 2009 Home Derby County 0–0 28,875188th LCFC.com 13 20 October 2009 Home Crystal Palace 2–0 Gallagher 59', 81' 22,220 21 8thLCFC.com 14 26 October 2009 Away Reading 1–0 Waghorn 45' 16,192 24 5thLCFC.comLive on Sky Sports 15 30 October 2009 Away Queens Park Rangers 2–1 Fryatt 37', 64' 17,082 27 2nd LCFC.comLive on Sky Sports 16 7 November 2009 Home West Bromwich Albion 1–2 Berner 90+4' 28,748 27 6th LCFC.com 17 21 November 2009 Home Plymouth Argyle 1–0 King 90+4' 27,174 30 3rd LCFC.com 18 28 November 2009 Away Scunthorpe United 1–1 Waghorn 3' 6,884 31 3rd LCFC.com 19 5 December 2009 Away Nottingham Forest 1–5 Waghorn 64' (pen.) 28,626 31 4th LCFC.com 20 8 December 2009 Home Bristol City 1–3 Fryatt 90+3' 19,394 31 7th LCFC.com 21 12 December 2009 Home Sheffield Wednesday 3–0 Howard 8', King 25', 73' 22,236 34 4th LCFC.com – 19 December 2009 Away Cardiff City P–P – – – Match postponed due to frozen pitch 22 26 December 2009 Home Sheffield United 2–1 Morrison 23', Fryatt 37' 23,999 37 4th LCFC.com Live on Sky Sports – 28 December 2009 Away Doncaster Rovers P–P – – – Match postponed due to frozen pitch 23 10 January 2010 Home Ipswich Town 1–1Howard 38' 20,758 38 5th LCFC.com Live on Sky Sports 24 16 January 2010 Away Swansea City 0–1 15,037 38 7th LCFC.com 25 26 January 2010 Away Barnsley 0–1 12,065 38 8th LCFC.com 26 30 January 2010 Home Newcastle United 0–0 29,067 39 8th LCFC.com Live on Sky Sports 27 6 February 2010 Away Blackpool 2–1 N'Guessan 15', Dyer 78' 8,484 42 6th LCFC.com 28 9 February 2010 Home Doncaster Rovers 0–0 18,928 43 6th LCFC.com 29 13 February 2010 Home Scunthorpe United 5–1 Morrison 6', Gallagher 16', 25', 73', Waghorn 34' 21,626 46 6th LCFC.com 30 16 February 2010 Away Bristol City 1–1 Dyer 90+2' 13,746 47 6th LCFC.com 31 20 February 2010 Away Plymouth Argyle 1–1 o.g. 32' 11,581 48 6th LCFC.com 32 23 February 2010 Away Doncaster Rovers 1–0 Waghorn 12' 11,027 51 5th LCFC.com 33 27 February 2010 Home Nottingham Forest 3–0 Berner 68', Gallagher 79', King 81' 31,759 54 5th LCFC.com 34 6 March 2010 Away Sheffield Wednesday 0–2 21,647 54 5th LCFC.com 35 13 March 2010 Home Cardiff City 1–0 Waghorn 29' 22,767 57 5th LCFC.com 36 16 March 2010 Away Crystal Palace 1–0 Berner 53' 12,721 60 4th LCFC.com 37 21 March 2010 Home Coventry City 2–2 King 4', 19' 23,093 61 4th LCFC.com M69 Derby, Live on BBC 38 24 March 2010 Home Reading 1–2 Waghorn 40' 20,108 61 4th LCFC.com 39 27 March 2010 Away Derby County 0–1 30,259 61 6th LCFC.com 40 30 March 2010 Away Cardiff City 1–2 Howard 52' 20,438 61 6th LCFC.com 41 2 April 2010 Away West Bromwich Albion 0–3 23,334 61 6th LCFC.com Live on Sky Sports 42 5 April 2010 Home Queens Park Rangers 4–0 King 5', Waghorn 45', 50', Howard 78' 22,079 64 6th LCFC.com 43 10 April 2010 Away Peterborough United 2–1 Howard 40', King 66' 9,651 67 5th LCFC.com 44 17 April 2010 Home Watford 4–1 Waghorn 36' (pen.), Gallagher 41', Spearing 51', Vaughan 67' 24,765 70 5th LCFC.com 45 24 April 2010 Away Preston North End 1–0 King 63' 14,926 73 5th LCFC.com 46 2 May 2010 Home Middlesbrough 2–0 Kermorgant 41', Wellens 86' (pen.) 30,223 76 5th LCFC.com

Football League Championship play-offs Leicester City scores given first Away goals do not count. Round Date Venue Opponents ScoreAgg. Scorers Attendance Report Notes SF1 9 May 2010 Home Cardiff City0–10–1 29,165 LCFC.com Live on Sky Sports SF2 12 May 2010 Away Cardiff City3–2 3–3 Fryatt 25', o.g. 36', King 49' 26,033 LCFC.comLeicester lost 3–4 on penalties. Live on Sky Sports

FA Cup Leicester City scores given first Round Date Venue Opponents Score Scorers Attendance Report Notes 3 2 January 2010 Home Swansea City2–1King 39', N'Guessan 89' 12,307LCFC.com 4 23 January 2010 Away Cardiff City2–4 Morrison 34', N'Guessan 39' 10,961LCFC.com

League Cup Leicester City scores given first Round Date Venue Opponents Score Scorers Attendance Report Notes 1 12 August 2009 Away Macclesfield Town 2–0 N'Guessan 58', Fryatt 71'2,197 LCFC.com 2 25 August 2009 Away Preston North End1–2 Adams 6'6,977LCFC.com

Awards

Club awards At the end of the season, Leicester's annual award ceremony including categories voted for by the players and backroom staff, the supporters and the supporters club, saw the following players recognised for their achievements for the club throughout the 2009–10 season. Player of the Season Jack HobbsYoung Player of the Season Martyn WaghornPlayer' Player of the Season Jack Hobbs and Andy King (joint winners)Supporters' Club Player of the Season Jack HobbsAcademy Player of the Season Elliott ChamberlainGoal of the Season Paul Gallagher (vs. Nottingham Forest, 27 February 2010)

Divisional awards DateAwardWinnerFebruary 2010Championship Manager of the Month Nigel PearsonFebruary 2010Championship Player of the Month Paul Gallagher

Championship statistics

Championship table

Club standings

Club statistics

Appearances