Leicester City, a club that once defined the ultimate footballing (or even sporting) fairytale, currently finds themselves in the midst of a modern-day nightmare. The problem is, the Blue Army cannot wake up from the terrors. Following a dismal relegation and the subsequent sacking of manager Marti Cifuentes, the Foxes have been hit with a significant six-point deduction for breaching Profitability and Sustainability Rules.
This cocktail of administrative failure, boardroom disaster and on-field decline has left the East Midlands club languishing near the bottom of the English Football League Championship. A wave of vitriol has sparked from those who once wore the shirt with pride.
Icons' iconoclasm
​Former stars and LCFC legends are slamming the hierarchy not just for the results, but for a perceived lack of transparency and leadership. The criticism stems from a sense of betrayal: an organisation that was once the model of smart recruitment and stable ownership now appears rudderless, and helpless by financial mismanagement and a justifiably 'toxic' atmosphere.
For many Leicester icons, seeing the Premier League champions of 2016 reduced to a state of disorderly conduct is a painful fall from grace that requires urgent accountability. Former striker Matty Fryatt has been particularly vocal, recently stating that the club should simply "take their medicine" and accept the points penalty and finally move forward.
Leicester City went out of the frying pan and into Matty Fryatt's fire
The 39-year-old previously labelled the situation a "mess'. He questioned why the club remained inactive for weeks following their relegation regarding Ruud van Nistelrooy.
"It's six points, deal with it and focus purely on the football side of it. It's a case of take your medicine. They should just move on from it."Fryatt - BBC Sport
Fryatt is undoubtedly right here too: while legal battles provide a distraction, the cold reality of the league table and the financial books cannot be ignored. Until the owners and director of football provide clarity and accept the consequences of past gambles, the club will remain stuck in a cycle of regression.