Leicester City’s final home goal of the season marked a full-circle moment for Kasey McAteer.
On the day where Jamie Vardy scored his 200th City goal, McAteer netted both his first in the Premier League and his first at the King Power Stadium.
Nine years earlier, when Vardy was firing City to the Premier League title, the winger was a City ball boy, with one viral image showing a 14-year-old McAteer appealing for a penalty on the side of the pitch after Vardy went down in the box against Aston Villa.
For the past two seasons, he’s been his team-mate, and has been able to share in some iconic moments with him, with McAteer was the first to join Vardy as he celebrated in front of the Ipswich fans on Sunday. The number nine is irreplaceable.
“I take it with immense pride,” McAteer said on playing with Vardy. “There's no one else like Vards – that's been or ever will be – he's the best player this club's ever had.
“I'm really glad I got to play alongside him and I've been able to call him my team-mate. I really, really take that with a lot of pride.
“He'll leave a massive hole in (the squad). No one can replace him except Jamie Vardy.
“Obviously we have to keep moving forward without Vards but he'll always be in this club's history no matter what.”
Despite City’s woes this season, their record has been very good when McAteer has started. That’s now three, three draws, and just two losses when the Republic of Ireland winger has been in the 11.
He’ll hope that gives him a chance of starting next term in the Championship. He managed to score six times in the league last term, despite an injury-hit campaign, and even netted at Anfield in the Carabao Cup.
“Obviously we were down there before last year, I had a few injuries and stuff but hopefully next year I can really take it in my stride,” he said.
“Knowing the league now and knowing what it takes to go straight back up, that will be our full focus next year.”
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