Leicester City: Fresh plans for statue honouring chairman

Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha bought Leicester City in 2010

New plans for a statue honouring the late Leicester City chairman have been unveiled.

Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four others died in a helicopter crash outside the King Power Stadium in October 2018.

His son and current chairman Aiyawatt has previously said he wanted the statue as "a permanent and fitting tribute".

Now fresh proposals have been submitted that will include planters and benches.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said plans were previously put to Leicester City Council in 2020 for a statue, which would have been slightly smaller and did not feature planters and benches.

New proposals state the statue would include an inscription around the base that reads "always in our hearts".

The statue itself would be 2.7m high, standing on a 2.5m plinth bearing the logo of the Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Foundation - the club charity named in his honour.

The four planters and benches are designed to "stress the importance" of the monument and allow visitors to "sit, dwell and reflect".

The club has released an aerial photo of what the statue would look like

The club said the statue would be positioned in the north west corner of the stadium, where supporters will approach from Raw Dykes Road.

A spokesperson added work on the statue was expected to begin "imminently" ahead of an unveiling in April.

Further information will be released "in the coming weeks".

Leicester City chief executive Susan Whelan said: "We are very pleased to be sharing this news with our supporters, with the city of Leicester and with football fans all over the world, whose kindness in the wake of Khun Vichai's passing demonstrated what an inspiration he was to so many people.

"The statue will be a place for people to remember, to celebrate his life and to share those stories for generations to come."