Football teams from DMU have been given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play on the hallowed turf of the King Power Stadium just days after Leicester City were crowned Premier League champions.
Members of the men’s and women’s football teams from De Montfort Students’ Union were given the opportunity to play as part of DMU’s prestigious partnership with LCFC.
The men and women were overwhelmed to be able to say they played in the same ground as the Premier League champions, whose against-all-odds title win has captured the hearts of billions of football fans around the globe.
DMU has had a proud and prestigious partnership with Leicester City for the last four years and is “Official Higher Education Partner” of the club.
The close working relationship DMU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dominic Shellard has formed with LCFC has already seen students in the last two weeks get the chance to see the Premier League trophy and hold a Q&A with one of the Premier League-winning legends, left back Christian Fuchs.
For Grace Morgan, a lifelong City fan and Journalism student at DMU, playing at the King Power was the icing on the cake after an incredible season not just for the Foxes but DMU football teams. All of the men's teams defeated their counterparts at the University of Leicester in the varsity tournament and the women's First X1 were promoted in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) league.
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The incoming women’s First X1 captain said: “I have to say a huge thanks to the Vice Chancellor, because without this close partnership with the club none of these incredible opportunities would have come our way.
“It was just an amazing day. We used the City changing rooms and I got to sit where Captain Wes sat before each match.”
Fellow team mate and Product Design student Carla Forte, from Mexico, said: “To be able to play on the same turf as the Premier League champions is just brilliant.”
Men’s team member David Adjei, who played for West Ham up to the age of 16 and studies Economics, said: “I am just in awe of what has happened today. What an amazing thing to do.”
Josh Gwekwere, a Mechanical Engineering student and Leicester City supporter, scored in his match. He said: “It is such a great feeling. Not many people can say they scored at the King Power.”
MA student Chris Franklin, who was captain of his team for the day, added: “What an unbelievable experience. To say you have played on the same pitch as the Premier League champions is fantastic. I have to say a big thanks to the university and to Leicester City for letting us grace the hallowed turf of the 2016 Premier League champions.”
The Foxes remarkable run to the top of the Barclays Premier League has ensured that the club’s name has been on the lips of billions around the globe, and now, thanks to the resigning of the partnership deal, DMU will continue to see its involvement with Leicester City grow on a number of levels.
On the football side, the DMU student football trials will take place at the Club’s state-of-the-art facilities, while students will be treated to first team player appearances on campus during term time.
The impact of the new partnership with DMU will also reach Thailand, the home of Leicester City’s parent company, King Power International, where scholarships could be offered to King Power employees as well as DMU students being given the chance to work with King Power charities in Asia.
This will also see DMU further strengthen its ties with the Foxes by opening a Bangkok office in order to work directly with international students seeking an opportunity to study in Leicester, while efforts will be combined between both parties on the Government’s GREAT international trade campaign.
Academically, DMU will also offer expert English language support for the Club’s flourishing International Academy students.
Posted on Friday 20 May 2016