One more win and Leicester City will be crowned the most unlikely champions in the history of the Premier League.
It is such a far-fetched triumph that many have turned to the supernatural for an explanation.
Commentators have made much of the fact that Leicester’s all-conquering run began at the same time as King Richard III was buried at Leicester Cathedral, after his remains were discovered under a car park in the city.
As international news organisation CNN put it:
Before the interment on March 22, 2015, the Foxes had a win ratio of just 32 per cent. Afterwards the win ratio doubled as they hit title-winning form.
To show his gratitude for being rediscovered and reburied, Richard III has blessed Leicester City, they say.
York City, meanwhile, went in the other direction. Just as Leicester City are the top club in all four divisions, York City are the bottom club.
Which leads us to ask…
Could Richard III have cursed the Minstermen?
Consider the facts. Richard III loved York, and the city felt the same about the king.
And he always wanted to be buried in York Minster. The king even planned to build an enormous chantry chapel at the Minster where 100 additional chaplains would pray for his soul.
That wish was denied him. And since Richard was buried in Leicester – which is a city which only holds bad memories for the slaughtered monarch – the Minstermen have won a paltry 11 times in 53 games.
Coincidence?
The Diary has come back from an afternoon at Bootham Crescent of mind-scramblingly inept football by City, where they lost their last home game in the league 4-1 to Bristol Rovers.
It’s hard to conceive that professional sportsmen could play this badly – unless they were prey to dark other-worldly forces. Have they been possessed by the indignant soul of a snubbed king?
If we are to escape the National League perhaps we ought to petition the good folks at Leicester Cathedral. Surely they can spare a bone or two from the last Plantagenet – a metatarsal, perhaps, or a spare rib – for York Minster?
A win, a win, my kingdom for a win!
Diary: Is that a Kardashian strolling around the new-look York Theatre Royal..?
Diary: Deep fried Cadbury Creme Eggs return – (plus the world’s longest computer update)
Diary: Is this the funniest complaint ever about a York hotel?