Dewsbury-Hall explains his popular decision to wear all black boots

Sunday’s 2-1 win over Crystal Palace gave Leicester City fans a lot to cheer about as they leapfrogged their opponents up into ninth with two games still in hand. Ademola Lookman’s goal increased supporters hopes that the Nigerian can make his move permanent, however the real star of the show was Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

Ever since the 1-0 defeat of Liverpool in December, Dewsbury-Hall has been putting up consistently brilliant performances in midfield and has frequently been the source of urgency on the pitch. His unending work rate was there to see yet again, and his goal was something special – a perfect way to open your account in the Premier League. It wasn’t just his goal or his energy that has gotten attention – it was also his boots.

A lot can be made of the footwear that a player wears, especially their colour. From the flashy neon orange, to the clean white, and everything in between, boots are the one truly personalised item that players can wear on the pitch.

In the past, Leicester have made headlines for their players’ boot choices. During the title winning season, a lot was made when Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy decided to sport gold-coloured boots. But it is for the complete opposite reason that Dewsbury-Hall has caught the eye.

In a world of the bright and flashy, fans can find a player sporting all black boots a refreshing sign, perhaps some find it a throwback of the old ‘no nonsense’ player, rather than the elaborate diving we see week-in week-out. It’s fitting then that Dewsbury-Hall has found himself playing in black boots: he is the modern example of no fuss.

‘KDH”s explanation for the choice is much simpler however, with the Shepshed-born powerhouse saying:

"“I think they look nice. To be honest, I’ve tried a lot of boots this season and they are the comfiest. For me it’s about comfort, I want to make sure my feet aren’t causing any problems when I’m playing. They look alright with the kit so I’m going to keep wearing them.”Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall via the Leicester Mercury"

Dewsbury-Hall did acknowledge the popularity of the black boots and the comparisons that fans have made:

"“I feel I am a bit of an old-school midfielder, box to box, like to do all sides of the game, so it’s nice the fans make those comparisons. I’ve just got to keep showing them what I can do.”"

So, whilst the explanation isn’t quite the flashy statement many may have been anticipating, those comparisons aren’t lost on him.

Dewsbury-Hall’s performances have made him into a firm fan-favourite this season, and a crucial part in Brendan Rodger’s game plans. In his first full season playing for his boyhood club, he has made 33 appearances, scoring three and creating two assists.

Those stats don’t do him justice. Fans have seen how much his energy, pressing, and passing has shaped and create many attacking chances for Leicester City. His progress over the last few months has been outstanding, and the numbers reflect this. In December, Transfermarkt had his value at £1.8m, in March it had shot up to £4.5m. You can only expect that value to rise.

Surely Leicester’s young player of the season, if not their player of the season outright, the 23-year-old if currently contracted to the Foxes until 2024, but it is inevitable that he will soon have a new contract handed his way. Already touted to be a future captain of the side, Dewsbury-Hall is going from strength to strength. Gareth Southgate take note, we’d all love to see him and his black boots playing for England soon.