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Is there 'Leicester potential' in Premier League promotion playoffs?
The celebrations in Middlesbrough on Saturday told their own story. Its draw with Brighton was enough to secure a place in the Premier League, the Promised Land for teams in the second-tier Championship, and a guaranteed (and minimum) windfall of £170 million thanks to a bumper new TV broadcasting contract.
The success of Leicester City, promoted two seasons ago and this season’s surprise Premier League champion, has encouraged lesser clubs to believe that, with smart thinking, they can bridge the gap to the big boys. Whether that’s possible remains to be seen, but three of the teams below will face that very challenge next season.
Here is how each one is set for the promotion playoffs, which kick off this weekend, and the future beyond them:
Burnley (promoted as champion)
Season summary: The northwest club won over neutrals last season with an all-British squad in the Premier League and an impressive coach, Sean Dyche, who fans have christened "Ginger Mourinho." Burnley was in the top three all season and last-minute goals against Brighton (2-2) and Boro (1-1) made a big difference in its run-in. The signings of Andre Gray and Joey Barton, who both made Team of the Season, also made an impact.
Top players: Andre Gray is an exciting prospect who has followed a Jamie Vardy-esque path from Luton to Brentford to Burnley. He was unfazed by the £9 million price tag and scored a league-best 23 goals. Goalkeeper Tom Heaton continued his strong form and should make England’s Euro 2016 squad.
Leicester potential: It has the striker and a popular coach, but solely staying up next season will be the target.
Middlesbrough (promoted as runner-up)
Season summary: A volatile season would be putting it kindly, as coach Aitor Karanka railed against big-name signings–he pointedly left out Stewart Downing and Jordan Rhodes, purchased for him at great expense, for the season-decider against Brighton–and even walked out on the squad back in March. The Spaniard returned and despite presiding over draws in the last four games, did enough to squeeze Boro over the line. Given its transfer expenses and wage bill, promotion had become an obligation, and so the celebration was tinged with relief.
Top players: Daniel Ayala has been a rock at the back while Gaston Ramirez, on loan from Southampton, added creativity in the final third. Whether either of them can do it in the Premier League remains to be seen.
Leicester potential: Karanka has promised to stay, and Boro chairman Steve Gibson is not afraid to spend big to get the players he wants. But he might need a large squad overhaul to stay out of the bottom three next season; its chances depend heavily on how well it recruits.
GALLERY: Best of Leicester's celebrations
Leicester City's Premier League title celebrations
Leicester City players hold up the banner that says it all: The Foxes are Premier League champions.
Chelsea fans at Stamford Bridge show their support for Leicester during the Blues' decisive 2-2 draw vs. Tottenham that clinched Leicester's title.
Leicester fans gather en masse around King Power Stadium to celebrate their Premier League title
This Leicester fan's scarf says it all: Champions
Fans celebrate as Chelsea's draw with Tottenham secures Leicester's Premier League title.
Fans celebrate Leicester's title outside of King Power Stadium the night the trophy was clinched.
More Leicester fans express their joy after winning the title.
Leicester fans stand outside of King Power Stadium with a trophy of their own–a placeholder until captain Wes Morgan is presented with the actual trophy.
A statue of King Richard III, whose tale and reburial is part of the Leicester title lore, is graced with a Leicester City championship flag.
The day after Leicester won the title, fans continued to celebrate by King Power Stadium.
Jamie Vardy is escorted through a crowd of fans as he joins a team lunch in Leicester the day after becoming a Premier League champion.
Which one is Jamie Vardy? The Leicester forward and his lookalike Lee Chapman celebrate on the team bus.
Leicester fans gather to catch a glimpse of Jamie Vardy and the rest of their title-winning heroes.
Riyad Mahrez makes his way to a car leaving a team lunch in Leicester, as a mob of fans and media try to catch a glimpse.
Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri makes his way through the masses.
Even the dogs are behind the Foxes amid Leicester's title run.
Leicester City fans Sarah and James Robinson have named their daughter Olivia-June Claudia Robinson–with the middle name in honor of Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri.
Claudio Ranieri toasts over Champagne at his first press conference after Leicester clinched the Premier League title.
Leicester's Christian Fuchs poses with the UFC title belt as part of Leicester's title celebrations.
The Premier League trophy arrives at King Power Stadium, where it now belongs.
Famed tenor Andrea Bocelli appears on stage with Claudio Ranieri to sing ahead of Leicester's match vs. Everton as part of the title celebrations.
Everton provides a guard of honor for Leicester City ahead of their match.
Jamie Vardy wastes no time in marking his return to Leicester's lineup after a two-game ban, scoring five minutes in to keep the celebration going on the field.
Andy King, the last holdover from Leicester's third-tier, League One club in 2008, celebrates his goal vs. Everton in the pouring rain.
Leicester captain Wes Morgan lifts the Premier League trophy at a capacity King Power Stadium.
Leicester City lifts the trophy: The 2015-16 Premier League champions.
A team photo for the ages: Leicester City with its Premier League championship trophy.
Leicester City enjoys a parade through a packed downtown, gathering with fans for one massive celebration for its title season.
Leicester fans pack the streets to catch a glimpse of their title-winning heroes at the victory parade.
Flanked by his star players, Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri shows off the Premier League trophy.
Thousands upon thousands pack Victoria Park in Leicester to celebrate Leicester City's Premier League title.
Brighton (third place)
Playoff opponent: Sheffield Wednesday (May 13, 2:45 p.m.; May 16, 2:45 p.m.)
Season summary: The early-season surprise pace-setters, Chris Hughton's Brighton slumped over the Christmas period but ended on a high and is unbeaten since February. Conceding a last-minute goal to Burnley and a draw to Derby in the last home game of the season cost it a top-two spot, but given that it finished six clear of fourth-placed Hull and 15 ahead of Sheffield Wednesday, it is the strongest team in the playoffs. Only one team has ever won more points than Brighton’s 89 and not gone up: Sunderland, with 90, in 1998.
Top players: January signing Anthony Knockaert has been an attacking threat since his arrival in England, while center back Lewis Dunk, 24, is rated at £10 million and tipped to be a future international player.
Leicester potential: The stadium and training-ground are Premier League quality and, like Bournemouth and Leicester, Brighton is a community club focused on the long-term. It is equipped to survive in the top-flight and who knows what it could achieve beyond that?
Hull City (fourth place)
Playoff opponent: Derby County (May 14, 7:30 a.m.; May 17, 2:45 p.m.)
Season summary: Steve Bruce’s side has been inconsistent for much of the season, despite staying in the top four since November. The side is experienced, having not changed dramatically from the one that was relegated from the Premier League on the final day last season. The last-day 5-1 win over Rotherham has increased confidence this week and Bruce is expected to stick with that winning side, which included nine full internationals and only two players under 25. He is hoping that experience will get Hull over the line.
Top players: The likes of Tom Huddlestone, Jake Livermore and Michael Dawson are experienced top-flight players while striker Abel Hernandez is on a hot streak of form. Young full-back Andrew Robertson is destined for bigger things whatever happens this month.
Leicester potential: Too much of a yo-yo club to ever ‘do a Leicester.’
GALLERY: Leicester's top moments of 2015-16
Leicester City's Top Moments of 2015-16
The first points; Aug. 8, 2015
In what turned out to be a sign of things to come, Jamie Vardy scored the club's first goal 11 minutes into the season and Riyad Mahrez scored two of his own to give Leicester a 3-0 lead 25 minutes into a 4-2 win over Sunderland at King Power Stadium.
Immediate response vs. Spurs; Aug. 22, 2015
Riyad Mahrez answered Dele Alli's 81st-minute goal a minute later, and even though Leicester suffered its first non-win of the campaign in the 1-1 home draw against Tottenham, it showed a promising resiliency against a club it would be fending off down the stretch.
Comeback vs. Villa; Sept. 13, 2015
Facing a 2-0 deficit at home to lowly Aston Villa, Leicester mounted a furious comeback, with Ritchie De Laet, Riyad Mahrez and Nathan Dyer scoring in the 72nd, 82nd and 89th minutes, respectively, to steal three points in dramatic fashion.
Another 2-0 comeback; Sept. 19, 2015
Again down 2-0, Leicester rescued another point from a losing position at Stoke City. The Potters raced out to their lead within 20 minutes, but Riyad Mahrez's penalty and Jamie Vardy's 69th-minute equalizer salvaged the point.
Vardy rescues a point; Oct. 17, 2015
Leicester found itself down 2-0 to Southampton (sensing a theme here?) but roared back late. Jamie Vardy scored twice, once in the 66th minute and the dramatic equalizer a minute into stoppage time, earning the Foxes another point from a losing position.
Clean-sheet pizza; Oct. 24, 2015
It took 10 games and a promise of a pizza party from manager Claudio Ranieri for Leicester to keep a clean sheet, but the Foxes did just that in a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace. The pizza promise became an instant part of Leicester lore, and the club went on to keep 14 more clean sheets–including six in seven games down the stretch.
Vardy's scoring record; Nov. 28, 2015
Jamie Vardy set a Premier League record scoring in his 11th straight game in a 1-1 draw vs. Manchester United. Ruud van Nistelrooy previously held the mark.
Sweet revenge for Ranieri; Dec. 14, 2015
With manager Claudio Ranieri facing Chelsea–the team that ushered him out in 2004–and squaring off against Jose Mourinho–the man who replaced him–Leicester wound up with the bragging rights and three points. Jamie Vardy scored off a perfect Riyad Mahrez pass, Mahrez added a gorgeous goal of his own, Leicester won 2-1 and Mourinho was promptly fired.
Schmeichel saves a point; Dec. 29, 2015
On the heels of a Boxing Day loss to Liverpool, Leicester proved its title chops by holding contender Manchester City to a 0-0 draw. Kasper Schmeichel made a pair of key first-half saves, and Leicester bounced back three days after the setback to secure a meaningful point.
Huth's header beats Spurs; Jan. 13, 2016
Defender Robert Huth's perfect 83rd-minute header from Christian Fuchs's corner–his first goal since last April–gave Leicester a 1-0 win over Tottenham at White Hart Lane, snapping a three-game winless run. Given how the title race would come down to the two clubs, the point swing has proven to be massive.
Vardy's wonder-volley vs. Liverpool; Feb. 2, 2016
Jamie Vardy scored twice in a February win over Liverpool, but it was his first goal that had the world talking. After running down a long ball from Riyad Mahrez, Vardy unleashed a 25-yard volley off the bounce to stun the Reds and help Leicester exact revenge for one of its three losses on the season.
Huth scores two at Man City; Feb. 6, 2016
A match at Manchester City was supposed to be the start of Leicester's downfall, but the Foxes were having none of that. Robert Huth scored in the third minute to shock the Etihad faithful, and he added another later to proclaim Leicester's intentions in a 3-1 win.
Ulloa beats Norwich late; Feb. 27, 2016
Both times Leicester lost to Arsenal it followed up with wins over Norwich City to right the ship. The second time was far more thrilling, with Leonardo Ulloa scoring an 89th-minute winner at King Power Stadium to put the title ship back on course.
Officially safe! March 1, 2016
Not that it was ever remotely in doubt, but Leicester ensured safety from relegation with a 2-2 home draw vs. West Brom. Given Claudio Ranieri's cautious approach to overstating goals, the preseason expectations and last season's heroic charge out of the drop zone, the achievement was still notable and allowed Leicester to officially look ahead to bigger things.
Kante returns, Mahrez scores vs. Watford; March 5, 2016
Vital midfielder N'Golo Kante returned from an injury and Riyad Mahrez scored a highlight-reel goal–again–as Leicester won at Watford 1-0 to keep pressure on Tottenham and Arsenal in the title chase. The club's record away from home (11-2-4) is a big driver of its overall success.
Okazaki's bicycle kick beats Newcastle; March 14, 2016
Shinji Okazaki's bicycle kick goal gave Leicester a nervy 1-0 win over Newcastle on a day which Leicester entered leading Tottenham by just two points in the Premier League table.
Captain Morgan helps Leicester extend lead; April 3, 2016
With Tottenham dropping points to Liverpool the previous day, Leicester took full advantage. Defender and captain Wes Morgan scored his only goal of the season in a 1-0 win over Southampton that stretched the club's lead atop the table to seven points.
Leicester clinches Champions League place; April 10, 2016
It went overlooked given the club's title aspirations, but Leicester clinched an almost equally improbable place in next season's Champions League with a 2-0 win at Sunderland, cementing a top-four place. Jamie Vardy's two goals did the honors.
Ulloa's late equalizing PK vs. West Ham; April 17, 2016
Leonardo Ulloa calmly converted a penalty kick deep into second-half stoppage time to cap a game full of controversy and secure a vital point in a 2-2 draw with West Ham.
Ulloa scores two in Vardy's absence; April 24, 2016
With leading scorer Jamie Vardy suspended because of a referee altercation in the previous match vs. West Ham, Leonardo Ulloa stepped into the starting lineup and scored twice in a 4-0 rout of Swansea City. A Tottenham draw the following day put Leicester in position to clinch the title with three points from its final three games.
The Vardy Party; May 2, 2016
Leicester players gathered at Jamie Vardy's house to watch Chelsea take on Tottenham in the decisive match in the title race. It was the Vardy Party to top all Vardy Parties, as Leicester was crowned champion following the 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Ranieri's Guard of Honor; May 14, 2016
Claudio Ranieri returns to Stamford Bridge, where he was jettisoned in 2004 for Jose Mourinho, and steps through Chelsea's guard of honor, which the outgoing champions provided for Leicester City.
Derby County (fifth place)
Playoff opponent: Hull City (May 14, 7:30 a.m.; May 17, 2:45 p.m.)
Season summary: A mid-season managerial change coincided with a new owner taking over. Derby was fifth when former Real Madrid assistant coach Paul Clement was shown the door–and it finished the season in fifth as well. So, did new boss Darren Wassall make any difference at all? That’s the million-dollar question for a team that lost the 2014 playoff final and missed out last season after a surprise collapse. This year it has stayed in the playoff places.
Top players: Will Hughes is a talented midfielder whose return to fitness has come at just the right time, while winger Tom Ince cost £4.75 million, which at the time was the club's priciest signing ever.
Leicester potential: With Harry Redknapp assisting Wassall as an advisor, who could resist the scenario that sees ‘Arry help the Rams to its former glory?
Sheffield Wednesday (sixth place)
Playoff opponent: Brighton (May 13, 2:45 p.m.; May 16, 2:45 p.m.)
Season summary: Wednesday gave notice that it might challenge this season with a 3-0 drubbing of Arsenal in the League Cup back in October. Since January, it has not dropped out of the top six, seeing off the challenge of Cardiff thanks to a defense that has produced 18 shutouts this season, including two against playoff opponent Brighton; those matches ended 0-0 home and away. Coach Carlos Carvalhal has defied the naysayers who predicted the former Premier League club would be too big for him.
Top players: Fernando Forestieri is its Italian striker who can just as easily create a goal out of nothing as dive to the ground and get booked (which happens quite often). On his day, he can be a match-winning player.
Leicester potential: With an Iberian coach that everyone has written off and a successful Thai businessman owner, Wednesday would be a popular addition to the top flight, but is unlikely to challenge anywhere near the top half.
A journalist, broadcaster and consultant, Ben Lyttleton also wrote the book on PKs with his “Twelve Yards: The Art and Psychology of the Penalty Kick.”